Our Therapeutic Approach

At Meadowmere Children’s Services, we are a team of passionate thinkers and doers, dedicated to building with purpose and clarity. Collaboration and curiosity drive everything we do. Our process is simple, thoughtful, and designed with our young people in mind. We believe great results come from clear steps, open collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose. A trauma-informed approach to care recognises the widespread impact of trauma, prioritises safety and trust, and integrates trauma awareness into all aspects of service delivery to promote healing and resilience.

Core Principles

A trauma-informed approach shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” and emphasises understanding the effects of trauma on individuals’ lives, behaviours, and health outcomes 

Safety: Ensuring both physical and psychological safety for our young people and staff 

Trustworthiness and Transparency: Organisational decisions are made openly to build and maintain trust 

Peer Support: Integrating individuals with lived experience to foster hope, trust, and collaboration 

Collaboration and Mutuality: Reducing power differentials between staff and clients to support shared decision-making 

Empowerment, Voice, and Choice: Recognising and validating client strengths, resilience, and capacity for recovery 

Cultural, Historical, and Gender Awareness: Addressing biases, stereotypes, and historical trauma to provide equitable care 

Implementation Strategies

Implementing a trauma-informed approach requires organisational and systemic change, not just clinical interventions. Conducting organisational assessments to evaluate readiness and capacity for trauma-informed practices. Integrating trauma-informed principles into policies, procedures, and service delivery, ensuring that practices do not retraumatise young people (e.g., avoiding unnecessary restraints or seclusion)

Providing training for all staff, including non-clinical personnel, to recognise trauma signs and respond appropriately 

Establishing continuous monitoring and evaluation to sustain trauma-informed practices and improve outcomes caltrin.org.

Benefits

Trauma-informed care improves outcomes for young people. It enhances engagement, treatment adherence, and long-term health outcomes while fostering resilience and recovery 

For staff: Reduces burnout, supports wellness, and promotes a safer, more supportive work environment 

For organisations: Can reduce avoidable care, improve service efficiency, and create a culture of safety and trust

Distinctions

Trauma-informed care differs from trauma-specific or trauma-focused services. While trauma-specific interventions target symptoms of trauma or PTSD directly, trauma-informed care is a universal, relationship-based approach applied across all services and interactions to prevent traumatisation and support healing. By embedding these principles into organisational culture and clinical practice, a trauma-informed approach creates environments where individuals feel safe, supported, and empowered to heal from trauma.

Therapeutic delivery:

Coastal Child & Adult Therapy Services (CCATS) - www.ccats.org.uk - 01253 896 444 - info@ccats.org.uk

CCATS specialises in working in partnership with children’s residential care providers, helping them to achieve positive outcomes for the children and young people placed in their care. During the last 15 years, CCATS has worked with more than 1,000 young people. Services have been commissioned not only by the residential care sector but also by over 30 local authorities and NHS commissioning groups from across the UK.

• Psychological assessment

• Individual and group therapy

• Comprehensive psychological reports

• Reflective practice

• Staff and organisational consultancy

• Support with suitability of referrals and placement matching

• Clinical supervision

• Attendance at team meetings, professional meetings, and LAC reviews

• Staff training

• Family work

Other possible benefits of CCATS support can include:

• Young people will receive the psychological support they need, quickly without a waiting list

• CCATS specialises in a wide variety of difficulties, including aggression, harmful sexual behaviour, self-injury/suicidal behaviour, and other mental health difficulties

• CCATS support can help providers meet the requirements of Children’s Homes Regulations, which require providers to evidence the effectiveness of the therapeutic support provided

• Support and training for staff on young people’s needs and staff’s own wellbeing can increase morale and staff retention

Coastal Child & Adult Therapy Services (CCATS)

www.ccats.org.uk

01253 896 444

info@ccats.org.uk