Strategy

In 2018 Better Start Bradford, Bradford Council and Bradford District and City CCG brought partners together to consider the developing work on Adverse Childhood Experiences across partner organisations and a hub was established to share good practice and knowledge. In 2019, a health needs assessment was completed by Public Health acknowledging that adversity and resulting trauma is the single greatest unaddressed public health threat facing our nation today. The commitment was made to delivering on an Adversity, Trauma and Resilience (ATR) strategy in Bradford.

In 2021, the ATR programme was launched with a three-year strategy, outlining what would be done to prevent and mitigate adverse childhood experiences; buffer the impact of these; intervene early and develop services that are trauma-informed across the Bradford District.

Upon the completion of the first three years of this work, the strategy has been updated to reflect the learning and direction of the programme over the next three years. It can also provide a framework for local communities and partner organisations to use as they consider how they can contribute to making a positive impact in reducing adversity and the effects of trauma. It aims to help people understand how a trauma informed approach adds value and be built into existing activity, as well as providing a common language for talking about adversity and resilience.

The ATR strategy has three principle aims for the next 3 years:

1. To reduce the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences and trauma on the population across the Bradford District.
2. To build resilience against long term harm of adversity and trauma.
3. To raise awareness so that the Bradford population is able to access and receive integrated support from a range of professionals across the life course.