By Sarah Kilby, Inclusive Behaviour Manager
At MacIntyre, we’ve always believed that the best support starts with seeing every person as an individual, and getting to know their story, their strengths, and what matters most to them.
Being trauma-informed builds on that. It’s about understanding that the things people have been through can shape how they see the world, how they react, and what they need to feel safe and supported.
Why it matters
Trauma is far more common than many people realise and, sadly, for people with learning disabilities or autism, the chance of experiencing trauma is higher: things like bullying, neglect, or distressing times at school, in hospital, or simply in day-to-day life.
When someone shows behaviours of concern, it’s often their way of communicating how they’re feeling or trying to protect themselves from being hurt again. When we understand that, we start to see behaviour differently.
By being trauma-informed, we support people with compassion rather than judgment. We focus on creating safety, trust and connection, which helps people feel secure enough to learn, grow and move forward.
The five pillars of a trauma-informed approach
At MacIntyre, we talk about five pillars that guide every interaction and relationship:
- Safety – helping people feel physically and emotionally safe.
- Trustworthiness and Transparency – being consistent, honest and reliable.
- Choice – offering real options and involving people in decisions that affect them.
- Collaboration – recognising that healing and growth happen with people, not to them.
- Empowerment – focusing on strengths and building confidence and resilience.
How this looks in practice
You can see these pillars reflected throughout MacIntyre. Our DNA includes promises like “Everyone feels safe and in control” and “Everyone has a voice and is listened to.” These bring the ideas of safety and choice to life every day.
Our Great Interactions framework, built on warmth, respect and skilled communication, helps to build trust and genuine connection.
And our Compassion First Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) model brings everything together. It sees behaviour as communication and focuses on creating environments where people feel understood and supported, rather than reacting to crises
Being trauma-informed also means taking positive risks, both for the people we support and for ourselves. For some, that might mean trying something new, taking a step toward independence, or rebuilding confidence after a tough time. For us, it can mean reducing restrictions and trusting that, with the right support, people can flourish.
When we lead with compassion and understanding, we create places where people feel safe, valued and able to be themselves. And that’s what safeguarding really looks like.
Watch Michael's story to see how this approach has made a difference, in real life:
