It is the Scottish Government, COSLA and many other partners’ ambition to have a trauma-informed and responsive workforce and services across Scotland. This means that universally, across all systems and services, we recognise where people are affected by trauma and adversity, respond in ways that prevent further harm and support recovery, and improve life chances for people affected by trauma.
The National Trauma Transformation Programme (formerly known as the National Trauma Training Programme) is a major and long-term change programme, which aims to support this vision. The NTTP provides a wide range of learning resources, guidance and implementation support for all sectors of the workforce, including leaders, to up-skill staff to the appropriate level of trauma-informed and responsive practice and, critically, to embed and sustain this model of working.
The NTTP is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership with COSLA, NHS Education for Scotland (NES), the Improvement Service (IS) and Resilience Learning Partnership (RLP).
To support this work, the Improvement Service provides a range of support to local authorities and other key stakeholders to:
- raise awareness of the benefits of a trauma-informed approach across systems, services and the workforce;
- develop tools and resources, and provide support to help strengthen the capacity and capability of councils and partners to implement a trauma-informed approach; and
- bring together local trauma champions and trauma leads to share learning and good practice.
For more information about the NTTP and our support for local authorities and partners, please visit the NTTP website.
To support the ambition for trauma-informed workforces and services across Scotland, the Scottish Government has provided recurring additional funding to all 32 local authorities in Scotland since 2021/22, to support them to embed a trauma-informed and responsive approach across services, systems and workforces. From 2025/26 this funding will be included in the Local Government Finance settlement paid as part of the General Revenue Grant for local authorities, reflecting the long-term commitment to this work.
The Improvement Service (IS) supports the supports the National Trauma Leads Network, and provides support to local authorities and their partners to raise awareness of the benefits of a trauma-informed and responsive approach and to strengthen the capacity and capability of councils and partners to implement trauma-informed and responsive practice and policy.
The Improvement Service has worked with local and national partners to develop an annual survey and learning report to capture learning about progress and impact of the work happening to embed a trauma-informed and responsive approach across local areas. Access the report.
For all other tools and resources, including previous Learning Reports, please visit the NTTP website.
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Improving outcomes for people and communities affected by poverty, inequality, trauma and adversity: Joining the dots across key policy agendas (briefing)
There are a number of key policy agendas that are part of a broader ambition to improve outcomes for people and communities across Scotland affected by poverty, inequality, trauma and adversity. This briefing highlights the links across these and explores opportunities for re-framing these multiple policy ambitions as opportunities to work together around the common goal of improving outcomes for people and communities.
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Improving outcomes for people and communities affected by poverty, inequality, trauma and adversity: joining the dots across key policy agendas (infographic)
This infographic provides an overview of a small number of key national policy agendas, approaches and commitments, all designed to support a cross-policy, person-centred approach to improving outcomes for people and communities across Scotland affected by poverty, inequality, trauma and adversity.