To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister (i) for their assessment of the trauma that exists due to the conflict in Northern Ireland; and (ii) whether they have any plans to review the impact of all forms of trauma and the public response across Executive Departments and public bodies.

The legacy of the past continues to affect the everyday lives of many people here. The Victims and Survivors Service (VSS) and funded community partners continue to support around 16,000 individuals annually. The impact crosses generations, so it is vital that we work towards breaking the chain of trauma which has resulted from our difficult past.

We are committed to embedding trauma-informed approaches within the work of our department and the wider public sector. In the draft Programme for Government, we have committed to developing a trauma-informed public sector and understanding the impact of trauma in society.

A Trauma Informed Practice team in the Safeguarding Board (SBNI) is funded by the cross-Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime. The SBNI’s Trauma Informed Practice Implementation managers will continue to support member and partner agencies to embed trauma informed approaches building on existing knowledge of adversity and trauma.

As part of this cross-Executive Programme, a prevalence study is currently underway to establish a comprehensive understanding of the levels of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), childhood trauma and exposure to violence in Northern Ireland. This will be both comparable with other international studies and will also evidence the relationship between these factors and health-related outcomes. The report is expected to launch in February 2025.

Within The Executive Office, the vision of our new Strategy for Victims and Survivors of the Troubles/Conflict 2024-2034 is of ‘a trauma informed society that addresses the needs of victims and survivors.’ We are committed to ensuring that the right trauma informed, and victim centred services are in place to empower and support victims and survivors.

We are pleased that the VSS recently became the first organisation here to be accredited with a Silver ‘Trauma-Informed: Working with Trauma Quality Mark’, offering formal recognition of the VSS trauma-informed approach.

In addition, the Regional Trauma Network (RTN) opened in April 2023 with a phased approach. Phase 1 focuses on victims and survivors with the statutory and community and voluntary sector working collaboratively to provide specialist trauma care. In addition to referrals between statutory and community sectors, significant collaborative work is ongoing within the RTN in wider areas relating to trauma care, including Children and Young People, Training and Development, Research, Trauma and Addictions, and Trauma and Chronic Pain.