Safeguarding Through Lived Experience

How Trauma-Informed Practice Changes Outcomes for Survivors

Safeguarding is often discussed in terms of policy, procedure, and professional responsibility, but for survivors it is experienced emotionally, physically, and psychologically in moments of extreme vulnerability. Safeguarding Through Lived Experience centres the survivor’s perspective to show how language, tone, assumptions, and organisational culture can either support recovery or deepen harm. This session challenges professionals to move beyond checklists and into truly trauma-informed practice that recognises the human impact of every decision made.

Lived experience provides a depth of understanding that cannot be replicated through training manuals alone. Survivors do not engage with systems from a place of calm logic; they engage from nervous systems shaped by fear, shock, and survival. What may appear as non-compliance, emotional detachment, or confusion is often a trauma response. This training helps professionals understand how the brain and body respond to threat, and why safeguarding must prioritise safety, regulation, and dignity alongside evidence and procedure.

A key focus of this session is the power of professional language. Words carry weight, especially in moments of crisis. Language that is perceived as neutral or factual by professionals can feel dismissive, blaming, or interrogative to someone who is already overwhelmed. Through real-world examples, participants learn how subtle shifts in phrasing, tone, and approach can either empower survivors or unintentionally retraumatise them. This awareness supports clearer communication, better decision-making, and stronger trust between professionals and those they support.

The session also explores the concept of invisible injury. Trauma does not always leave visible marks, but it leaves lasting effects on memory, emotional regulation, concentration, and behaviour. Survivors may struggle to recall timelines, give consistent accounts, or make decisions under pressure. Rather than interpreting this as unreliability, professionals are encouraged to recognise these responses as signs of nervous-system overload. Understanding this reduces misinterpretation, bias, and missed safeguarding opportunities.

Safeguarding Through Lived Experience is designed for professionals who work directly or indirectly with vulnerable individuals, including police forces and first responders, schools and education teams, social workers and safeguarding leads, and NHS, mental health, and charity services. Whether operating on the frontline or in leadership roles, participants gain insight that strengthens confidence when supporting victims in crisis and navigating complex safeguarding decisions.

Delivered over 45 to 60 minutes, with the option for questions and discussion, this session is available in person or virtually. Priced at £320 per session, it offers a powerful, cost-effective way to enhance trauma-informed practice across teams and organisations. Participants leave with a clearer understanding of how their role, language, and decisions directly impact survivor outcomes — and how to create safer, more compassionate responses at every point of contact.

Get in touch

For enquiries about trauma-informed training, safeguarding workshops, keynote speaking, or lived-experience sessions, please use the contact form below. We work with police forces, education settings, healthcare services, charities, and organisations across the UK.

Share a brief outline of your requirements and we’ll be in touch to discuss availability, delivery options, and tailored support.