Lancashire Mind achieves national Trauma-Informed Quality Mark

We’re proud to share that Lancashire Mind has been awarded the One Small Thing: Working with Trauma Quality Mark.

The Silver Award recognises three years of commitment to creating safer, more compassionate mental health support

The award follows a rigorous assessment process involving a detailed written submission, moderation, an assessment visit and review by an Internal Verification Panel. The accreditation recognises the progress we’ve made over the last three years to ensure trauma-informed principles are embedded throughout our services.

Commenting on the award, Esther McCreight, Head of Quality, Training and Networks at One Small Thing, said:

“It is my great pleasure to let you know that following you and your team’s hard work and a robust process of assessment including your written submission, moderation of your submission, an assessment visit and the Internal Verification Panel…”

What does trauma-informed mean?

Trauma can affect anyone.

It may result from a single event or a series of experiences, such as bereavement, abuse, neglect, violence, discrimination, homelessness, or other significant life challenges. Trauma can have a lasting impact on how people feel, think, behave and experience the world around them.

Being trauma-informed means recognising that many people we meet may have experienced trauma and understanding how those experiences can affect their mental health and wellbeing.

Rather than making assumptions about someone’s behaviour or experiences, a trauma-informed approach means we take time to understand what they’ve been through and what support feels right for them.

It means creating services that are built on:

Safety. Helping people feel physically and emotionally safe.
Trust. Building honest, transparent relationships.
Choice. Supporting people to make informed decisions about their care.
Collaboration. Working alongside people, rather than doing things to them.
Empowerment. Recognising strengths and helping people regain confidence and control.

A commitment across the whole organisation

Achieving the Quality Mark wasn’t about reviewing one service or one team.

The assessment required Lancashire Mind to examine every part of the organisation to ensure trauma-informed principles were reflected throughout our work.

Over the past three years we have reviewed and strengthened our:
– Policies and procedures
– Staff training and development
– Governance and leadership
– Physical environments
– Support for staff and volunteers
– Service design and delivery

This has been a truly organisation-wide commitment involving colleagues across Lancashire Mind.

Why does this matter?

As a mental health charity, many of the people who access our services have experienced difficult or distressing life events.

By working in a trauma-informed way, we aim to ensure every person who comes to Lancashire Mind feels:

– Heard without judgement
– Respected as an individual
– Safe within our services
– Empowered to make choices about their own wellbeing
– Supported to move forward at a pace that feels right for them
– Ultimately, this helps create an environment where people can build trust, develop coping strategies and take positive steps towards their own recovery.

It also benefits our staff and volunteers by creating healthier, more supportive ways of working that recognise the emotional impact of supporting others.

Sarah Jeffrey, Services Director at Lancashire Mind said, “The Quality Mark process supported us to look at every area of the organisation to ensure we were working in a trauma informed way. We are very proud of the services we deliver and the support we provide both people who use our services and our staff. Achieving the Quality Mark is the icing on top of the cake and demonstrates the quality of our services.”

While we’re delighted to receive this recognition, we see it as another step in our journey rather than the finish line.

We remain committed to continually learning, listening and improving so that everyone who accesses Lancashire Mind experiences services that are compassionate, inclusive and centred around their individual needs.