Evaluating trauma informed care training for services supporting individuals experiencing homelessness and multiple disadvantage

Purpose – Implementing trauma informed care (TIC) for individuals facing homelessness and multiple disadvantage is proposed to help both service users and staff work effectively and therapeutically together. However, the effectiveness of implementing TIC via training is debatable. This study explores the effects of a fourday trauma informed care and psychologically informed environments training package in such services. Design and methodology – The analysis explores the effect of this training on the degree of trauma informed care as measured by the TICOMETER, a psychometrically robust organisational measure of TIC. The study examines group and individual level changes from before training and again at six-month and oneyear follow-up time-points. Findings – At the group level analysis, three of the five TICOMETER domains (Knowledge & Skills, Relationships, and Policies & Procedures) were higher when compared to pre-training scores. The remaining two domains (Service Delivery and Respect) did not improve. Individual level analysis showed some participants’ scores decreased following training. Overall, the training appeared to modestly improve the degree of trauma informed care as measured by the TICOMETER, and these effects were sustained at one-year follow-up. Research limitations – Findings are limited by the design and low response rates at follow-up. Originality – This paper is the first UK study to use the TICOMETER. Practical implications – Training is necessary but not sufficient for the implementation of TIC and needs to be complemented with wider organisational and system level changes.