NEST study (Nurturing Environments for Shaping Trauma-informed care and recovery in homes for cared for children)

Out of the 84,000 children in care across England, over 10,000 live in children’s homes, with a large number in the Northwest.

These children are among the most vulnerable in society; however, there are currently no clear guidelines on how to provide trauma-informed care in these homes.

Our 28-month NEST study will create and pilot a practical toolkit with six children’s homes in the Northwest to provide better support for children who have experienced trauma.

Trauma-informed care means understanding how trauma affects children and creating a safe and supportive environment for them. This includes helping children build trust and healthy relationships while supporting staff to care for them.

Without suitable support, children who have experienced trauma are at higher risk of facing exploitation, further trauma, and additional challenges to their mental and physical health as they grow up.

The project has received over £300,000 funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s research programme for social care (RfSC).

We will work with children, staff, and other experts to develop the toolkit. Once developed and tested, we will share the toolkit and research findings with care providers, local councils, and policymakers; helping to raise standards across the sector and improve the lives of children in care.

For more information about the NEST Study or to get involved, please contact pcn-tr.nest@nhs.net

 

The study team involved includes:

  • Chief investigator - Dr Sarah Parry, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Manchester 
  • Co-lead - Professor Joy Duxbury, OBE, University of Cumbria
  • Co-investigator - Elaine Craig, Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Co-investigator - Professor Geoff Wong, Oxford University
  • Co-investigator - Emma Ford - Strategic Public Sector Leader (Northwest) | Advocate for Children, Young People, and Families
  • Senior research fellow - Dr Sadie Rodell
  • Patient and public involvement and engagement lead -​​​​​​​ David Graham MBE - National Director of The Care Leavers' Association and Visiting Researcher, Dept of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge