Partnering With Lived Experience Experts to Co-Design and Co-Facilitate Trauma-Informed Practice Training for Health Professionals: Evaluation Findings.

Abstract

Background: There is growing demand for health professionals to be upskilled in trauma-informed practice to provide dignity-based healthcare responses to clients with lived experience of child sexual abuse and other adverse childhood experiences. Traditionally, such training has been developed and delivered by clinical experts or academics with specialised training, excluding those with lived experience expertise. Limited research has explored the involvement of lived experience experts in professional learning.

Methods: This study evaluated the quality and impact of a trauma-informed practice training package for community health, mental health and drug health professionals that was co-designed and co-facilitated by women with lived experience of child sexual abuse. A feedback questionnaire utlising a single-assessment retrospective pre-post design coupled with open-ended questions was administered and qualitative interviews were conducted via a purposive sampling approach. In total, 97 survey responses and 10 qualitative interviews were included in the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were generated to measure changes to knowledge and confidence as a result of the training and to examine which aspects of the training were most valuable. Thematic analysis of data was conducted to explore how lived experience co-facilitation supported learning.

Results: There was an increase in both the proportion and mean scores of participants who reported feeling confident in understanding trauma informed practice immediately after the training. Paired sample t-tests indicate these increases were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Hearing directly from a trainer with lived experience was the most valued aspect of the training and was given the highest rating of 'excellent' by the highest proportion of participants (85%) compared to all other aspects of the training. Five key qualitative themes were identified, demonstrating how: (1) the depth and richness of lived experience perspective supported learning, (2) humanised trauma-informed practice beyond theory, (3) encouraged engagement through openness, (4) facilitated the translation of learning into practice, and (5) informed improvements to workplace practices.

Conclusion: Future trauma-informed practice training for healthcare professionals can utilise lessons learned in this study to enact participatory co-design approaches and leverage the strengths of lived experience expertise for professional learning.

Patient and public contribution: Three women with lived experience of child sexual abuse were employed in the study as lived experience experts alongside the academic researchers. They provided input into the design and development of the training content and co-facilitated each training session alongside a clinical expert. They reviewed this manuscript and are co-authors. The research and training were also informed by co-design listening sessions with 44 people with lived experience of child sexual abuse and an Advisory Group of seven young adults with lived experience of child sexual abuse.