Trauma-Informed Meetings and Conversations Policy

1. Purpose

This policy sets out how meetings, conversations and decision-making spaces will be held in a trauma-informed way. It recognises that trauma and adversity are common and may be present in any interaction, whether or not they are visible or disclosed.

The aim is to create spaces that are safe, respectful, inclusive and productive, while recognising that one person’s trauma response can affect others who may also be distressed, triggered or impacted.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all formal and informal meetings, supervision sessions, group discussions, consultations, planning conversations, complaints discussions, reviews, training sessions and written communications connected with Freeframe’s work.

3. Policy Statement

Freeframe will approach all meetings and conversations with the assumption that trauma may be present. We will not require people to disclose personal experiences in order to be treated with care and respect. We will seek to prevent further harm by promoting safety, trust, choice, collaboration, empowerment, cultural sensitivity and respectful relationships.

Being trauma-informed does not mean that harmful, intimidating, discriminatory or disrespectful behaviour is excused. It means that behaviour is understood in context, responded to with compassion, and addressed with clear boundaries so that everyone in the room is protected from further harm.

4. Core Principles

Safety: People should be able to participate without fear of humiliation, threat, hostility or unnecessary exposure.
Trust and transparency: The purpose, process, expectations and possible outcomes of meetings should be clear.
Choice and control: People should be given reasonable options about how they participate, including breaks, written contributions or support where appropriate.
Collaboration: Meetings should value shared responsibility and avoid unnecessary power imbalances.
Empowerment and voice: People should be supported to speak for themselves and to be heard without being interrupted, dismissed or spoken over.
Cultural consideration: Meetings should avoid assumptions and stereotypes and should respect different identities, experiences, communication styles and needs.
Accountability with compassion: Everyone is responsible for their own conduct, including recognising when their words, tone or reactions may affect others.

5. Expectations for Participants

All participants are expected to contribute to a civil, respectful and trauma-informed environment. This includes listening carefully, allowing others to finish, speaking from personal experience rather than making assumptions about others, and disagreeing without personal attack.

Use respectful language and tone, even when discussing difficult or emotional issues.
Recognise that strong emotions, distress or trauma responses may be present, but do not use them to justify intimidating, abusive or harmful conduct.
Take responsibility for the impact of words and actions, not only the intention behind them.
Listen to understand before responding, and avoid interrupting, dismissing, mocking or minimising another person’s experience.
Respect confidentiality and only share personal information where there is a clear and appropriate reason to do so.
Ask for a pause, break or clarification when needed rather than escalating the conversation.
Accept appropriate intervention from the chair, facilitator or responsible person when boundaries are needed.

6. Responsibilities of Chairs and Facilitators

Chairs and facilitators are responsible for setting and maintaining the conditions for respectful participation. They should make the purpose and expectations of the meeting clear, support balanced participation, notice signs of escalation or distress, and respond early where the conversation becomes unsafe or unproductive.

Start meetings with clear aims, timings, roles and expected standards of behaviour.
Where appropriate, agree simple ground rules such as one person speaking at a time, respectful challenge, confidentiality and the right to pause.
Use plain, transparent language about decisions, processes and limits.
Invite participation without pressuring anyone to disclose trauma or personal experiences.
Intervene calmly when someone is being spoken over, targeted, shamed or treated disrespectfully.
Offer short breaks or pauses when distress or conflict increases.
Refocus discussion on the meeting purpose while acknowledging the importance of what has been raised.
Record actions and decisions accurately and avoid language that blames, labels or pathologises people.

7. Responding to Distress, Conflict or Triggering Content

When distress, conflict or triggering content arises, the response should be calm, proportionate and focused on preventing further harm. The aim is not to silence difficult issues, but to ensure they are discussed in a way that remains safe enough for people to participate.

Pause: The chair or facilitator may pause the discussion to reduce escalation.
Acknowledge: The chair or facilitator should acknowledge that the topic or exchange may be difficult without requiring anyone to explain personal trauma.
Re-establish boundaries: The group should be reminded of respectful communication expectations.
Offer options: Where appropriate, participants may be offered a short break, a different way to contribute, or the option to return to the issue later.
Refocus: The discussion should return to the purpose of the meeting and the decisions or actions required.
Follow up: If needed, the chair or responsible person should follow up with affected individuals after the meeting.

8. Boundaries and Unacceptable Behaviour

Freeframe will respond compassionately to distress while maintaining clear boundaries. The following behaviours are not acceptable in meetings or conversations: shouting at others, threats, harassment, discriminatory remarks, repeated interruption, personal attacks, intimidation, deliberate humiliation, coercive behaviour, or sharing another person’s private information without permission or lawful reason.

Where behaviour becomes unsafe or repeatedly disrespectful, the chair or responsible person may pause the meeting, ask for behaviour to change, move to a different process, end the discussion, or refer the matter to the relevant organisational procedure.

9. Confidentiality and Sharing Personal Experience

People may choose to share personal experience where it is relevant and safe to do so, but no one should be pressured to disclose trauma. Personal information shared in a meeting should be treated with care and confidentiality, subject to safeguarding, legal or organisational duties. Participants should avoid repeating another person’s story outside the meeting unless they have permission or there is a clear and necessary reason.

10. Reasonable Adjustments and Support

Where possible and appropriate, Freeframe will consider reasonable adjustments to support participation. This may include advance agendas, clearer information about what will be discussed, shorter meetings, breaks, written contributions, support persons, accessible formats, or alternative ways to raise concerns.

11. Accountability and Learning

Trauma-informed practice is an ongoing commitment. Freeframe will encourage reflection, feedback and learning where meetings or conversations have caused harm or have not met the standards set out in this policy. Where harm occurs, the response should focus on acknowledgement, repair where possible, prevention of recurrence and appropriate accountability.

12. Review

This policy should be reviewed at least annually, or sooner if feedback, incidents, changes in law, organisational learning or best practice indicate that updates are needed.

References

GOV.UK, Working definition of trauma-informed practice, published 2 November 2022. This source informed the policy’s recognition that trauma can affect individuals, groups and communities, and that trauma-informed practice should seek to improve safety, trust, collaboration, empowerment and choice.
NHS Safeguarding, Trauma informed practice. This source informed the use of the six principles of trauma-informed practice: safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, empowerment and cultural consideration.
NHS Education for Scotland, National Trauma Transformation Programme. This source informed the emphasis on recognising how common trauma and adversity are, responding in ways that prevent further harm, supporting recovery, resisting re-traumatisation, and promoting choice, control, empowerment, collaboration and safety.
Scottish Government, Trauma-informed practice: toolkit, published 15 March 2021. This source informed the focus on psychological and physical safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration and empowerment within organisational policies and procedures.
SAMHSA, Trauma-Informed Approaches and Programs. This source informed the policy’s framing of a trauma-informed approach as one that realises the widespread impact of trauma, recognises signs and symptoms, responds by integrating trauma knowledge into policies and practices, and seeks to actively resist re-traumatisation.