SWISS, Staff Wellbeing In Safe Spaces.

Trauma-informed practice is no longer a fringe idea. The NHS, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, GOV.UK and a growing number of local authorities now publish guidance on it, and employers in every sector are being asked the same question: what are you doing about staff wellbeing, vicarious trauma and psychological safety? This workshop is designed for senior leaders, HR, people teams, EDI leads and managers who want a clear, honest place to begin. It pulls together 25 years of frontline practice and training delivered across the NHS, local authorities, schools and the wider public sector. Participants will explore: • The five (plus one) SAMHSA principles of trauma-informed practice, safety, trust and transparency, choice and collaboration, empowerment and voice, cultural humility, adapted for UK workplaces. • Six practical implementation steps, from leadership commitment and auditing the basics through to manager training, policy review, protecting staff doing emotionally heavy work, and measuring what matters. • How to recognise the warning signs that a workplace isn't trauma-informed, including rising sickness absence, exit interview patterns, escalated conversations and isolated managers. • How trauma-informed practice connects to new employer wellbeing requirements, reduces sickness absence, improves retention and gives a defensible answer to wellbeing duties. Grounded in lived and professional experience, this session is honest, practical and free from jargon. It does not ask staff to disclose personal histories. Instead it focuses on how the organisation behaves, how work is designed, how managers are supported, and how policies and culture either reinforce shame or build trust. You can read the full written guide on our resources page: /resources/trauma-informed-practice-workplace