Information about the college
Coleg Cambria is a large further education college in north-east Wales. The college was created following the merger of Deeside College and Yale College in August 2013. It has five campuses across Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire. The campuses that Coleg Cambria use are in Connah’s Quay, which includes the Deeside sixth form centre; Yale in Wrexham, which includes a sixth form centre; Bersham Road in Wrexham; Llysfasi and Northop. The college offers a wide range of courses delivering programmes from pre-entry level to Level 7 across a large geographical area, with opportunities available on most courses to progress to the next level, or to progress to apprenticeships and higher education. These courses include:
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A level
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Access to higher education
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Hairdressing, beauty, spa and complementary therapies
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Business
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Health and social care and childcare
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Construction, engineering and digital technologies
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Sport and public services
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Agriculture and animal care
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Foundation skills, skills and English for Speakers of Other Languages
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Media and creative industries
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Hospitality and catering and travel and tourism
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Independent living skills
The college has 11,701 learner enrolments, of these 8,154 are enrolled on further education provision. The college has 5,952 full-time and 2,217 part-time further education learners. Of the full-time learners, 4,541 follow vocational courses and 1,411 general education courses in the sixth form centres at Yale and Deeside. The college employs 1,294 staff.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
The college identified a significant increase in mental health and wellbeing disclosures and referrals since 2019-2020, with the pandemic clearly affecting a trauma response in many young people. Also, the numbers of disciplinaries for learners from the lowest decile exceeded those from other deciles. These are learners identified as most likely to have experienced adverse childhood experiences. As a result, the college implemented a comprehensive cross-college approach to Trauma Informed Practice which aligns to the emerging Trauma Framework for Wales.
These approaches have been developed through ‘Trauma Informed methodology’ and supported by specialist staff and an Inclusive College Strategy. The initiative ensures that staff are equipped to support both learners and colleagues. The college has developed and implemented a Trauma Informed action plan and a cross-college awareness raising and training schedule that has resulted in staff that are well trained and who use positive and effective strategies that support wellbeing and retention. Through in-depth training and research, wellbeing approaches, college processes and teaching and learning have been viewed through a ‘trauma informed lens’, resulting in early signs of improved wellbeing for both staff and learners.
Description of nature of strategy or activity
Coleg Cambria is a nominated trailblazer for the sector within Wales. This initiative is both forward thinking and relevant for the current mental health and wellbeing climate. It is a new approach to supporting staff and learners through trauma informed strategies whilst enabling a cross-college commitment to improving the experience and retention of people adversely affected by trauma. These approaches can be adapted and implemented in a range of learning environments.
As part of this initiative, the college commissioned the development of a bespoke PGCert in Trauma and Attachment. This enabled 14 key specialist staff to undertake extensive research within the college and beyond, focusing specifically on adolescence and adulthood and the impact of trauma on post-16 education.
The initiative demonstrates effective identification, management, internal/external referral and support processes for learners and staff with mental health issues. To identify learners who may benefit from support, learners undertake a wellbeing survey which acts as both a referral and a signposting service. Learner mental health support is triaged by the Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner, who has extensive experience in trauma informed practice. All learner referrals are managed and monitored proactively. The college has developed a Trauma Informed Mental Health Graduated Approach and referral process for staff and for learners.
Almost all tutors and support staff have undertaken comprehensive trauma training, and many have accessed the bespoke online training. Feedback indicates nearly all found the training informative and engaging and agreed that they felt more confident in supporting colleagues and learners in a trauma informed way after the training.
All specialist tutors now have a Level 7 PG CERT in Adolescent Trauma and are using this knowledge to develop practice and support learners appropriately. All say that this has made a significant difference in their understanding and assessment methods, especially with learners who would otherwise have been supported through ADHD strategies only.
This initiative is endorsed through the Senior Leadership Team and is aligned with the college Strategic Plan and the Health and Wellbeing Strategy. Progress towards completion of the targets within the action plan are reported to the Senior Management Team. All managers, senior managers, leaders and governors have undertaken Trauma Informed awareness training.
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
This initiative allows the college to get a deeper understanding of the experiences of all learners, and the ways in which it should approach each learner based on need. One of the strands underpinning its trauma informed approach is early intervention through a graduated support. Learner wellbeing is identified at three key stages of the academic year through supported surveys. This enables timely referral to support services.
This trauma informed approach has not only impacted the ways in which staff understand learners' relationship to trauma, but also their own. It places wellbeing and intervention to support mental health at the core of college activities, and staff and learners benefit from the holistic college wide focus on this. Since the implementation of a Trauma Informed Approach, and heighted focus on overall wellbeing the college has seen a reduction in staff days lost due to absence. It is also beginning to see an impact on learner disciplinary data and disciplinaries within the lowest decile are now equitable with those from the higher deciles.
The college has also invested in improving its wellbeing offer to support those who have experienced trauma. This includes the development of mental wellbeing spaces, employment of wellbeing assistants and a Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator.
A full, Trauma informed Approach has been piloted in one directorate, where all support and delivery staff have been trained in trauma and attachment. Feedback demonstrates an increase in understanding of emotional trauma and a greater confidence in staff ability to support learners in and out of the classroom. Feedback from staff states that nearly all staff felt more confident to support both learners and other staff following trauma informed training.
The Trauma Informed Approach is about holistically embedding strategies to support all to feel safe, regardless of their experience in the wider world. It is about making the college a safe and welcoming space, where they otherwise might not have this. This work helps ensure that whole college community is a welcoming, safe and secure place for all. College surveys indicate nearly all learners agreed they feel safe at college and are well supported. A further survey also confirms that most parents/carers feel their young person is well supported and knows who to speak to if they have concerns.
How have you shared your good practice?
The college has developed relationships with other Trauma Informed Practitioners and is part of a proactive, action-based network that includes the NHS, drug and alcohol misuse services and education providers. The college also regularly engages with Public Health Wales, community of practice and expert reference panels as part of sector working groups including other colleges and higher education settings. It aligns with the Future Generations Act to ensure mitigation and reduction of ACEs and trauma is a key focus for the college, and the college continues to lobby and support on this across the wider sector.