Slide 1

Austin Smith
Glasgow Homelessness
Network


Slide 2

Disempowerment and
Disconnection: trauma
and homelessness
(GHN 2003)


Slide 3

What’s trauma?


Slide 4

I got beat
up
and


Slide 5

set on
fire


Slide 6

I was in
care
and


Slide 7

then I got
raped


Slide 8

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


Slide 9

the memory is still
with me


Slide 10

My four year
old daughter
was murdered
and


Slide 11

my wife
committed
suicide


Slide 12

I was abused
by my
brother when
I was 9


Slide 13

What does trauma
look like?


Slide 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


Slide 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”


Slide 16

Homelessness is loss
•
•
•
•
•
•

of home
of family & social networks
of contact with children
of employment
of opportunity
of social standing / status


Slide 17

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


Slide 18

Is this complex ?
Trauma

Substance
Misuse
Mental health problems
Homelessness


Slide 19

Who are the idiots?


Slide 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


Slide 21

Glasgow Homelessness Network
Trauma Working Group

• How non-health
professionals can shape and
change service development
• The environment in which
this will happen


Slide 22

Helpful environment #1

The link with the
Health Board


Slide 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


Slide 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


Slide 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


Slide 26

Helpful environment #2

The existence of
the Glasgow
Homelessness
Partnership


Slide 27

Helpful environment #3

A network of
‘critical friends’
in partner organisations


Slide 28

Helpful environment #4

Efficient liaison between
partner organisations


Slide 29

Helpful environment #5

A genuine desire by all
partners to work together


Slide 30

A Trauma Service For People Affected By
Homelessness

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