AQW 18964/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 28/11/2024
Answered On Date: 12/12/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health whether he has considered developing a public health strategy for trauma and intergenerational trauma, including post-conflict trauma and other forms of trauma, separate to the Mental Health Strategy 2021-2031.

Answer:

There are a number of different initiatives exploring and addressing the impact of trauma on the population of Northern Ireland. It is important to have a joined up approach and I am pleased that the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland is leading work in this area, and has published a report based on research findings from Queen’s University, Belfast earlier this year ‘We are on a journey’: Implementing Trauma Informed Approaches in Northern Ireland.’

This research calls for the adoption of a trauma informed approach across all systems, organisations, policies and services in Northern Ireland, for the benefit of all in our society. To this end they have launched a Trauma Informed Toolkit to embed a trauma informed approach within organisations and systems.

Various organisations have now gained specific accreditation in being trauma informed.

The Regional Trauma Network (RTN) has also been developed specifically to address the impact of trauma caused by the Troubles/conflict. This network is envisaged to cover from cradle to grave, across all of Northern Ireland and operates in partnership with the Health and Social Care system, community and voluntary sector partners and the Victims and Survivors Service. In terms of intergenerational trauma, the RTN vision includes separate adult and infant/children/young people’s trauma services in each Trust.

Troubles-related trauma can manifest differently in our population of under 18s who have not directly experienced the Troubles/conflict. To this end the consultants engage in a range of work with other professionals to promote understanding of the impact of trauma via psychoeduation, consultation and training as well as some one to one work with impacted children and young people.