Sharing perspectives and ideas on antisocial behavior and the solutions to it.
Trauma Informed, a port in the storm.
By Steve Kenny, UCAN
One knife crime is one too many and the destruction of equilibrium within communities as well as anti-social behaviour that wrecks small businesses – is deeply disturbing.
The fight to reduce violence and harm can only truly be one with the kind of sustainable approach we employ here at UCAN. That takes patience and longevity, but research has shown it is far more effective than detention and retribution.
Not just buzz words.
Trauma Informed has become a popular term amongst those combatting violent crime. That includes police forces, social services, mental health professionals and educators.
But what does it actually mean?
Trauma-informed is about understanding that disturbing events directly impact on neurological, biological, physical, and social development. Another term, ACES, expands on this by saying that Adverse Childhood Experiences – growing up in a violent household or one where crime and addiction are issues – sadly means that the next generation is likely to suffer if there is no intervention.
This begins in the home, but also at school. And that is what UCAN’s work is all about. Positive interventions in people’s lives to break the circle of trauma and its subsequent consequences.
Some organisations have taken this to an interesting level. Merseyside councils have been pioneering a project to tighten bonds between child and parent, through the reading of stories. That includes tales recorded by prisoners and then played. What is truly remarkable is that the programme is entitled, “Reading to the Bump” as psychologists have determined that the first 1,000 days of a child’s life are the most important in brain development. So, now reading to the womb does not seem so strange, after all!
Positive intervention
At UCAN, our approach is to develop training, courses and workshops aimed at all the services who will play such a part in forming young peoples’ lives. That includes schools, youth clubs, the community as well as social services.
UCAN makes a difference. The results may not be absolutely immediate and changing generations of anti-social behaviour isn’t going to happen overnight but you will see the benefits quickly and a resolute robust change in the amount of violent crime going forwards. That's is surely something we all want to see.
UCAN NORTH WEST
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