Austin Smith Glasgow Homelessness Network

1. Austin Smith Glasgow Homelessness Network

2. Disempowerment and Disconnection: trauma and homelessness (GHN 2003)

3. What’s trauma?

4. I got beat up and

5. set on fire

6. I was in care and

7. then I got raped

8. I saw my dad in the bath with his throat and wrists slit and the bath all full of blood and

9. the memory is still with me

10. My four year old daughter was murdered and

11. my wife committed suicide

12. I was abused by my brother when I was 9

13. What does trauma look like?

14. Isolated, isolating • Mistrustful – ‘living on nerves’ • Aggressive, suspicious • Feels emotion ‘too much’ – takes drugs to suppress emotion • Anxious / wary • Feels bad / unworthy • Self-harms • Indulges in risky behaviour

15. Neglects self / own health • Cannot remember past • Capable of ‘zoning out’ the present • Uses services ‘inappropriately’ • Re-presents at services • Is the ‘client of all clients’ • Is “complex”

16. Homelessness is loss • of home • of family & social networks • of contact with children • of employment • of opportunity • of social standing / status

17. Is this complex? Substance misuse and homelessness can be caused by trauma. Substance misuse and homelessness cause trauma

18. Is this complex ? Trauma Substance Misuse Mental health problems Homelessness

19. Who are the idiots?

20. Glasgow Homelessness Network Trauma Working Group • Established 2002 & produced report 2003 • Produced paper – A Trauma Service For People Affected By Homelessness 2004 • Trauma Service established 2005

21. Glasgow Homelessness Network Trauma Working Group • How non-health professionals can shape and change service development • The environment in which this will happen

22. Helpful environment #1 The link with the Health Board

23. A Trauma Service For People Affected By Homelessness • Work with people who perceive themselves as survivors of trauma who see a connection with their present situation/behaviour or who are still troubled by past traumatic events

24. A Trauma Service For People Affected By Homelessness • Called in rather than referred to • Use relationship between frontline staff member and client as basis of work • Empower, advise and support staff

25. A Trauma Service For People Affected By Homelessness • Work with people finding stability in the main but not exclusively • Provide space for people to talk / express themselves – counselling / art therapy

26. Helpful environment #2 The existence of the Glasgow Homelessness Partnership

27. Helpful environment #3 A network of ‘critical friends’ in partner organisations

28. Helpful environment #4 Efficient liaison between partner organisations

29. Helpful environment #5 A genuine desire by all partners to work together

30. A Trauma Service For People Affected By Homelessness Update