22 September 2023

On July 12th, distinguished professionals from various sectors, including Health and Justice, convened for our second annual virtual conference entitled “Supporting Sexual Assault Survivors: Trauma-Informed Care and Neurodiversity in Childhood.”

This event brought together experts from fields such as forensic healthcare, law enforcement, the criminal justice system, social services, safeguarding, the nonprofit sector, criminology, and psychology, providing invaluable insights into a wide spectrum of crucial subjects.

The conference commenced with a powerful saying from Dr Omar Hashmi, representing Mountain Healthcare “The understanding we gain about trauma-informed care and supporting children with neurodiverse needs is “like a key which unlocks barriers to get under the surface of what’s happening”. This statement set the tone for the day, emphasizing the importance of delving deep into these complex issues.

Here are Five Takeaways from the Conference:

Throughout the conference, attendees were treated to a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Here are five key takeaways that emerged from our discussions:

1. The Impact of Trauma is more than a psychological issue, it transcends the confines of psychological distress, effectively rewiring the entire body. Consequently, adopting a trauma-informed approach becomes paramount not only to policing and Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) but also for effective communication, particularly when dealing with neurodivergent survivors.
2. Trauma-informed support must encompass the multifaceted issues that arise from sexual violence, addressing aspects such as identity, goal setting, safety, and the mental and physical well-being of survivors. Furthermore, it is crucial to recognize that the tools required to address these issues should be tailored to each patient’s specific needs. This is especially important when considering neurodivergent survivors and the paediatric requirements within paediatric referral systems and beyond.
3. Bikers Against Child Abuse (B.A.C.A) is an international organization founded in 1995 which aims to remove fear from the lives of abused children. Highly trained volunteers provide unwavering physical support to children 24/7/365 – for whatever reason. This extraordinary form of support is unparalleled in its commitment to helping these vulnerable children. To learn more about their mission, please visit B.A.C.A. of United Kingdom | Breaking The Chains Of Abuse (bacaworld.org) 
4. Intermediaries play a pivotal role in assisting neurodivergent youths within the criminal justice system. They facilitate communication in an impartial manner, ensuring that vulnerable service users are granted a voice and a fair chance to be heard.
5. Trauma is unique, hence, the need for tailored and individualized approaches to trauma-informed care and support.

The conference was indeed a resounding success, we want to sincerely appreciate Ron Gutu, Managing Director, Mountain Healthcare for his exceptional leadership and support in making the Mountain Healthcare CPD-Certified Health and Justice Virtual Conference 2023 such a remarkable success.

Special thanks go to Emelia Spencer, our National SARC and Secure Estate Director, Mountain Healthcare and Dr Omar Hashmi –Medical Director, Mountain Healthcare for their exceptional chairing of the event.

We are extremely grateful to all the esteemed speakers: Sherrie Nash– Detective Chief Inspector Cambridgeshire Police Protecting Vulnerable People Department, Billy Scrimshire – Managing Director Communicourt, Dr Samilia Ekeocha – Clinical Director Mountain Healthcare, Maisie Johnstone – Mental Health Practitioner and Trainee Psychologist, Aldine House Secure Children’s Home, Dr Susy Ridout- Author, Mentor, Associate Lecturer, Independent Researcher and Survivor Fields of autism, neurodiversity and sexual violence, Dozer – United Kingdom President, Bikers Against Child Abuse (B.A.C.A), Ruth Radford – Speech and Language Therapist, Aldine House Secure Children’s Home, Emily Chalmers – Safeguarding Advisor for the Learning Disability and Autism Team, Surrey County Council, Sarah Cave – Safeguarding Advisor for the Transition Team under 25s , Surrey County Council, who shared their invaluable insights into various trauma-informed interventions, care practices, and safeguarding techniques aimed at supporting children who have endured sexual assault, including those with neurodiverse needs.

We express our appreciation to everyone who attended, as your participation and engagement made this event so meaningful.

Delegate Feedback: An Overwhelmingly Positive Response

We are thrilled to share that the feedback from our esteemed delegates was overwhelmingly positive. A remarkable 94% of respondents rated the conference as “excellent” or “great,” highlighting the exceptional quality of the event and were extremely impressed by the great collection of speakers. Furthermore, an astounding 90% of delegates believed that the knowledge gained would have a positive impact on patient care going forward highlighting that each session was highly informative and engaging. We are humbled by the appreciation expressed for our diverse panel of speakers, who left an impression on attendees.

As we conclude this reflection on the resounding success of the Mountain Healthcare CPD-Certified Health and Justice Virtual Conference 2023, we can’t help but wonder: What groundbreaking insights, inspiring speakers, and transformative moments will next year’s conference bring?

Until then, let’s keep the conversation going and the anticipation building.

Thank you for being a part of the Mountain Healthcare Community.

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