Our Shared Language

Having a shared language is important to us as we want to work together as a whole workforce for children and families. This means our shared language will:

strengthen how we work together
help us have a shared understanding of need, risk and vulnerability
help us to have a shared understanding of success for every child

Using a shared language:

Our key phrases have lots of examples of the language we need to be using. This is a working document and will continue to grow and develop as we become more familiar with Our Way of Working. Send in any examples you are using. Share how your language is changing as a result of Our Way of Working.

The glossary explains what words and acronyms mean in our different organisations.

Send all examples to PiP.Admin@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

Our Key Phrases

In using a trauma lens we are able to start to describe the behaviours that we see, not define the person through their behaviours (McClure, 2017). We can reflect this through our written words, daily conversations and all our work with children, young people and their families

Current language, thinking, phrases and labels	Moving to	New language and understanding
Aggressive	What does this tell me	Frightened
Attainment		Recognising every step of achievement
Attention seeking	Implies demanding and controlling	Attachment seeking
Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)		Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC)
Avoidant	Seeing as being difficult to engage - What does this mean?	In flight survival mode
Case	Statement does not imply value	Child/Family
Challenging behaviour	Identifying the person through their behaviour. Consider what this means?	Distressing behaviour
Choosing to do this/voting with their feet …	Implies that this is a choice and associates blame	What is the child or young person telling me? Are they experiencing fear, trauma, being threatened/coerced, exploited?
Compliance and consequences		Understanding the root causes of behaviour and working with, not done to
Defiant		Fight response, coping with a threat
Demanding, challenging, difficult, absorbing professionals time		Relentless compassion – finding innovative solutions
Did not attend		Was not brought, unable to make the meeting/appointment/has missed the appointment today…
Disguised compliance	Implies blame	Name the worries and concerns, with examples without blame or shame
Done to …		Work with …
Doesn’t take/needs to take responsibility		Trauma experiences have impacted on their readiness to change at this time
Drug running Work, Recruit, Run	Implies choice … not reflective of the cohesion and control threats, violence exploitation, experiencing	The child or young person is being criminally exploited Child criminal exploitation (CCE) The child is being trafficked for purpose of criminal exploitation
‘I am disappointed in you ’….		‘I am curious about/help me to understand about’ ….
Impairment		Difference
Labelling / making assumptions/ unable to change	Reinforces person’s internal belief through language	Build self-efficacy to support, build confidence and motivation
Non engagement/non compliant	Implies blame and shame	Does not feel safe yet
People with Autism		Autistic People
Promiscuous behaviour, child prostitution, prostituting themselves	Implies choice … not reflective of the cohesion control, threats, violence exploitation, grooming being experienced	The child / young person is being trafficked for the purpose of criminal exploitation The child is vulnerable to being sexually exploited The child is being sexually exploited
Putting themselves at risk	Blaming statement implying there is choice or control	Why has this happened? What does this mean? What is the root cause? The child may have been groomed A perpetrator may exploit the child’s increased vulnerability The child is not in a protective environment The situation could reduce the child’s safety The location is dangerous to children The location/situation could increase a perpetrator’s opportunity to abuse them It is unclear whether the child is under duress to go missing There are concerns that the child may be being sexually abused It is unclear why the child is getting into cars There are concerns that there is a power imbalance forcing the child to act in this way There are concerns regarding other influences on the child
Rude	What does this really mean?	Self protective
Treat and deal with ….	Implies lack of value and respect	Respond and enable ….
Shame Blame Guilt		Nurturing Healing Understanding
Unacceptable behaviour	Behaviour is not responding to the expectations of the environment	Understandable behaviour (seeing behaviour in the context of the individual’s trauma) Co-regulate/regulate, relate, reason
Using number/patient/or case to identify a child or person		See me for who I am, talk to me and refer to me as an individual
Violent child/ young person		Expressing traumatised behaviour in fight survival mode
What is wrong with you?	Implying blame to understanding root causes	What has happened to you?
Withdrawn	What does this mean?	Cautious – survival response

References

Beacon House, 2019 https://beaconhouse.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/What-We-Say-Comic-1.pdf

Child Exploitation Language Guide Child Exploitation Language Guide | The Children’s Society (childrenssociety.org.uk)

Interface Enterprises Ltd, 2019 https://www.interfaceenterprises.co.uk/

McClure, K, 2017 https://www.relias.com/blog/what-is-trauma-sensitive-language
Research in Practice, 2020 https://www.researchinpractice.org.uk/ & https://www.researchinpractice.org.uk/media/4166/autism_inclusive_practice_web_fr.pdf

The Glossary

The glossary aims to support and develop a shared language and understanding.

We need your help to grow this glossary. Please send your organisation/agency contributions to PIP.admin@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

For more information about wider services and forums within West Cheshire please refer to the following site: West Cheshire Local Offer

Acronym	Description
ABE	Achieving Best Evidence
ACE	Adverse Childhood Experience
AP	Alternative Provision
ASC	Autism Spectrum Condition
BIA	Best Interest Assessor
CAMHS	Child and Adolescent Metal Health Service
CCE	Child Criminal Exploitation
CCG	Clinical Commissioning Group
CE	Child Exploitation
CEOP	Child Exploitation and Online Protection
CIC	Children in Care
CICC	Children In Care Council
CIN	Children in Need
CPP	Child Protection Plan
CSC	Children’s Social Care
CSP	Children’s Safeguarding Partnership
CYP	Children and Young People
DBT	Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
DDP	Dyadic Development Psychotherapy
EBSN	Emotional Based School Non Attendance
EET	Education Employment or Training
EHC	Education Health and Care Plan
EHP	Early Help and Prevention
ELSA	Emotional Literacy Support Assistant
FASD	Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
FCW	Family Case Worker
FNP	Family Nurse Partnership
i-ART	Integrated Access and Referral Team
IDVA	Independent Domestic Violence Advocate
IHA	Initial Health Assessment
IPS	Individual Placement Support
LAC	Looked After Child
MARAC	Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference
MCA	Mental Capacity Act
MECC	Making Every Contact Count
MHFA	Mental Health First Aid
MI	Motivational Interviewing

Acronym	Description
NAI	Non Accidental Injury
NEET	Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training
NSSI	Non Suicidal Self Injury
OFSTED	The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills
PCF	Parent Carer Forum
PCF	Professional Capabilities Framework
PH	Public Health
PPU	Public Protection Unit
PTSD	Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
RIC	Risk Indicator Checklist
RPA	Raising of the Participation Age
SCIE	Safeguarding Children in Education
SEF	Self-Evaluation Form
SEN	Special Educational Need
SGO	Special Guardianship Order
SHARP	School Help and Reporting Page
SSYP	Safer Schools and Young People Partnership
TAF	Team Around the Family
Thrive	Cheshire West and Chester Council Corporate Objectives
Thrive	Emotional Health and Wellbeing for Children and Young People
TIP	Trauma Informed Practice
VS	Virtual School
WDP	Westminster Drug Project
WNB	Was not brought
YOS	Youth Offending Service