Item 10 - Appendix 2
West Dunbartonshire Council · 20 August 2026
Back to Community Planning West Dunbartonshire Management Board — 20 August 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 Equality Impact Assessment record layout for information Owner: Margaret –Jane Cardno Resource: Joint Service/Establishment: Joint – West Dunbartonshire Council & HSCP First Name Surname Job Title Head Officer: Emily Aitken Programme Lead for Trauma Informed Practice Include job titles/organisation Members: Emily Aitken, Programme Lead for Trauma Informed Practice, West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership (WD HSCP) Ailsa King, Health Improvement Lead, WD HSCP Cols Young, Community Engagement and Development Officer, WD HSCP Please note: the word policy is used as shorthand for strategy policy function or financial decision Policy Title: West Dunbartonshire Trauma Informed and Responsive Strategy 2025-28 The aim, objective, purpose and intended outcome of policy The aim of the strategy is to set out the vision for West Dunbartonshire Council and Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) to become a Trauma-Informed and Responsive Organisation. The strategy provides the national and local context as well as 4 key outcomes that will be worked towards during 2025-2028. Service/Partners/Stakeholders/service users involved in the development and/or implementation of policy Trauma Informed and Responsive Steering Group ITEM 10 - APPENDIX 2
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2 Does the proposals involve the procurement of any goods or services? NO If yes please confirm that you have contacted our procurement services to discuss your requirements SCREENING You must indicate if there is any relevance to the four areas Duty to eliminate discrimination (E), advance equal opportunities (A) or foster good relations (F) Y Relevance to Human Rights (HR) Y Relevance to Health Impacts (H) Y Relevance to Social Economic Impacts (SE) Y Who will be affected by this policy? All residents and staff in West Dunbartonshire Who will be/has been involved in the consultation process? - Trauma Informed and Responsive Steering Group
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3 Please outline any particular need/barriers which equality groups may have in relation to this policy list evidence you are using to support this and whether there is any negative impact on particular groups Needs Evidence Impact Age West Dunbartonshire has an ageing population and an ageing workforce. The older we are, the more life we have experienced and therefore are more likely to have experienced a traumatic event. Can have more protective factors but different risks. The nature of an ageing population and workforce will mean an increase in the need for services that understand the impact of trauma for our population and the risk of skills being lost from the workforce. Childhood is a sensitive time for development and can experience Adverse West Dunbartonshire Census 2022 Demography Data West Dunbartonshire in Numbers Intergenerational Trauma and Its Relationship to Mental Health Care: A Qualitative Inquiry | Community Mental Health Journal HSCP Workforce Plan 2022/25 Whole systems approach which means services through the lifespan will begin their journey to becoming Trauma Informed. Understanding that different kinds of traumatic events will have different impacts on age groups. The strategy mentions the ways different age groups will experience trauma, and the impact trauma can have on health outcomes which can appear in later life. - Positive impact
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4 Childhood Experiences (ACEs) which are unique to children & young people. Intergenerational Trauma can also impact multiple generations of families and mean increased needs on services for family support.
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5 Needs Evidence Impact Disability Disabled people are more likely to experience trauma than non-disabled populations. Many disabled people also face barriers to accessing services and communicating personal history. Disabled people are more likely than non-disabled people to experience partner abuse. 34% of adults report having a long-term condition in the WD Health and Wellbeing Survey. 21% of the Scottish population reporting having a long-term condition in the Census. Trauma and Intellectual disabilities NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 2022/23 adult health and wellbeing survey: West Dunbartonshire report (scot.nhs.uk) Scottish Household Survey https://Office of National Statistics (2018): Women Most at Risk of Experiencing Partner Based Violence in England and Wales Census: Disability and Unpaid Caring 2022 The West Dunbartonshire Trauma Informed and Responsive Strategy 2025- 28 will have a positive impact on the disabled community by ensuring services become trauma-informed and responsive. - Positive impact Needs Evidence Impact Gender Reassign Transgender population more likely to experience Trauma. Core Competencies for Healthcare Practitioners and Clinics Providing Gender-Affirming Care from the Patient Perspective: An International Qualitative Study - ScienceDirect The strategy encourages services to become trauma-informed and responsive.
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6 Transgender populations have received an increase in hate crimes recorded. National debates on future of gender affirming care has caused distress for this community. Transgender populations report barriers to accessing services, such as health care or police. Transgender and those undergoing Gender assignment related procedures are at a greater risk of discrimination than the general population. 230 transgender people or with a trans history. Gender Identity Healthcare Protocol for Scotland (September 2024) Gender identity healthcare services standards – Healthcare Improvement Scotland Standard 1 includes mention of Trauma-Informed Hate crimes recorded by the police in Scotland, 2022-23 Self-reported access to health care, communicable diseases, violence and perception of legal status among online transgender identifying sex workers in the UK - ScienceDirect West Dunbartonshire Census 2022 Gender This includes services that may have perceived barriers for populations undergoing gender reassignment. - Positive Impact Marriage & Civil Partnership Experiencing trauma impact relationships. Trauma is also more likely to be experienced through relationships with others. Experience of certain kinds of trauma in a relationship can impact relationships Military spouses experience secondary trauma Birth trauma can impact relationships Census 2022: Marital Status for West Dunbartonshire Residents The strategy applies to all in West Dunbartonshire regardless of relationship and marital status. The strategy will encourage staff to understand the role relationships can play in trauma recovery and trauma happening. Overall, positive impact.
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7 differently (birth vs military trauma). Over 29,000 people currently married or in a Civil Partnership in West Dunbartonshire. Pregnancy & Maternity Experiencing trauma can impact the pregnancy, including resulting in low birth weight. Partner violence second common reason for death and injury to pregnant person. 10% of UK women report experiencing Intimate Partner Violence during pregnancy. Trauma in Pregnancy: Assessment, Management, and Prevention | AAFP Partner violence (pregnancy) - UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) - GOV.UK (view-health-screening- recommendations.service.gov.uk) The Effects of Trauma History and Prenatal Affective Symptoms on Obstetric Outcomes - PMC (nih.gov) The strategy explicitly mentions the importance of maternal and pre-natal trauma-informed care. The strategy will have a positive impact on the group by supporting services to apply trauma-informed principles to pregnancy care and understand the risks of trauma of this population. Positive impact Needs Evidence Impact Race West Dunbartonshire has an increasing population of asylum seekers and refugees. A large portion of asylum seekers and refugees will have experienced trauma. Experiencing racism can result in traumatisation that West Dunbartonshire Census 2022 Data Mental health of asylum seekers and refugees: The role of trauma and postmigration living difficulties and the moderating effect of intergroup contact - ScienceDirect An Evidence-Based Approach for Treating Stress and Trauma due to Racism - ScienceDirect Cultural considerations are mentioned in the strategy, including the importance of supporting faith and cultural traditions as part of being trauma informed Positive impact
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8 many services are not equipped to handle. Religion & Belief Individuals can experience trauma related to religious practices. Religion can also offer a supportive community for those to heal from trauma. 10 religions registered on the census, along with non- stated and no religion. West Dunbartonshire Census 2022 Data Religious trauma and moral injury from LGBTQA+ conversion practices - ScienceDirect Coping with Trauma: The Relationship between Religiosity, Spirituality, and Post- Traumatic Symptoms among Civilians Exposed to Ongoing Rocket-Fire - ScienceDirect Cultural considerations are mentioned in the strategy, including the importance of supporting faith and cultural traditions as part of being trauma informed. Positive impact Needs Evidence Impact Sex Men, women and non-binary people can all experience trauma. Different kinds of trauma more likely depending on gender. Women are more likely to report sexual abuse, while men are more likely to report physical abuse. This can be seen in the Scottish Household Survey 2019. Scottish Government: Scottish Household 2019 West Dunbartonshire 2022 Census Data West Dunbartonshire in Numbers 2023 Gender differences in the relationships between different types of childhood trauma and resilience on depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents - ScienceDirect This strategy mentions the different kinds of trauma that all populations can experience but does note the importance of recognising Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and gendered differences in abuse experienced by the general population. Positive impact
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9 Gender differences also exist in which coping strategies are applied and the recovery process from trauma. Sexual Orientation LGBTQ+ youth populations often experience homelessness at a higher rate than non-LGBTQ+ populations. Older LGBTQ+ populations are at an increased risk of injury due to Intimate Partner Violence. LGBTQ+ populations can experience discrimination through use of language in professional environments. This can lead to distrust. Hate crime recorded with a sexual orientation as the aggravator recorded as 26%, although this number has decreased since the last record. West Dunbartonshire data from Census 2022 shows around 2,239 members of our population identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or other sexual orientation. West Dunbartonshire 2022 Census Data Hate crimes recorded by the police in Scotland, 2022-23 The Complexity of Trauma for LGBTQ+ People: Considerations for Acute and Critical Care - ScienceDirect Gay and lesbian homeless/street youth: Special issues and concerns - ScienceDirect The Complexity of Trauma for LGBTQ+ People: Considerations for Acute and Critical Care - ScienceDirect Although the strategy does not mention the LGBTQ+ population specifically, we understand the risk of trauma this population can experience and must ensure services understand this too. Positive impact
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10 Needs Evidence Impact Human Rights Human rights and trauma-informed practice have a lot of overlaps. Supporting human rights requires an understanding of different life experiences. Experiencing a breach of human rights can be traumatising and increases the need for trauma-informed care and support. Many aspects of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on Rights of a Child (UNCRC) involve freedom from harm, discrimination, access to health and education and a right to life. Overlaps with Human Rights and Embedding Trauma Informed Practice Article 3 UNCRC , Article 19 (Protection from Violence, Abuse, and Neglect), Article 39 (Recovery from Trauma and Reintegration) Improvement Service: Joining the Dots Across Key Policy Agendas Applying a Trauma-Informed approach will strengthen a Human Rights Based approach. The key vision of both agendas focuses on removing barriers to support and reducing inequalities. Positive impact Health Trauma is a public Health Issue. GGC Director of Public Health Report 2024 The strategy applies to all in West Dunbartonshire and makes specific
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11 Trauma can impact mental, social and physical health. Experiencing 4 or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can result in poorer health throughout the life course. The experience of trauma and associated outcomes is not universal, and many social factors play a role in protecting from harm caused by trauma. NTTP Evidence of Outcomes through Life course: https://www.traumatransformation.scot/app/uploads/2 023/09/Evidence-Summary.pdf Impact of the Social Determinants of Health on Adult Trauma Outcomes - ScienceDirect links to health outcomes and trauma. Improving the workforces understanding of this link will improve health outcomes for those who have lived experience of trauma. The strategy recognises the importance of staff wellbeing and aims to improve access to support for staff. Positive Impact Needs Evidence Impact Social & Economic Impact Those in lower socio- economic groups are more likely to experience trauma throughout life. Experiencing trauma can cause issues in accessing meaningful employment. Contributions of trauma and economic insecurity... : Mental Health Science NTTP Evidence of Outcomes through Life course: https://www.traumatransformation.scot/app/uploads/2 023/09/Evidence-Summary.pdf Economic evaluations and cost analyses in posttraumatic stress disorder: a systematic review - PMC The strategy will apply to all staff and residents regardless of social and economic status. The strategy itself has no impact on individuals social and economic status. However the strategy understands the importance of protective factors, such as having a higher economic status can support.
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12 Trauma itself and the care to support individuals has a cost. Adopting a Trauma- Informed approach to services can be cost- effective by providing support earlier. Neutral impact Cross Cutting To improve health and wellbeing while reducing inequalities within our community, we must work together across agendas to reduce the issues. Many other agendas and areas require adopting a Trauma-Informed Approach and this commitment is felt locally. This includes VAWG, Community Justice Approaches, Education, The Promise and others. Tackling inequalities, trauma and adversity Education Scotland: Keeping Trauma In Mind Equally Safe 2023 - preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls: strategy Community Justice Scitland Corporate Plan: 2023- 2026 Improvement Service: Joining the Dots Across Key Policy Agendas The Promise Scotland: Plan 2024-26 The development of the strategy and workstreams as part of it have adopted a multiagency approach and will continue to address any gaps. Tackling trauma and becoming trauma informed are of importance in all settings (public, private and 3rd sector). Positive impact Policy has a negative impact on an equality group, but is still to be implemented, please provide justification for this No negative impacts – overall a positive impact on equality groups by ensuring services they are accessing do understand the issues that trauma can understand. Will the impact of the policy be monitored and reported on an ongoing bases?
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13 The work undertaken as part of the strategy will be updated on a yearly basis to the West Dunbartonshire Community Planning Management Board. There will be regular progress reports to the steering group on a quarterly basis and input to other strategic groups at invitation. The strategy has a delivery plan which will help to steer work. Issues noted on equalities issues will be raised via the governance processes established (Trauma Informed and Responsive Steering Group) What is your recommendation for this policy? It is recommended to approve the strategy to allow the work to become a Trauma Informed and Responsive organisation to begin. Please provide a meaningful summary of how you have reached the recommendation Researching using nationally and locally available data along with academic articles have shown that the implementation of this strategy will have an overall positive impact on the West Dunbartonshire population and staff.