In 2011 I assumed the role of State Manage of Children, Family and Community Services at Anglicare Tasmania. This role included the leadership and management of numerous programs that sought to support young people living with increased vulnerability. The Therapeutic Residential Care (TRC) program (see seperate post) was the largest contract ($3m per annum) and the most complex given it was a 24/7 services supporting children unable to live at home. In 2012, after six months of research, we settled on the decision to invest in a trauma informed model of care, The Sanctuary Model, that would support continuous improvement in the delivery of TRC. I resolved to apply this model across my suite of 20 social programs from 2012-2016.

The Sanctuary Model

At its heart, the model is a blueprint for organisations to build physically, socially, psychologically, and morally safe “therapeutic” communities that help people to heal from trauma. It is a trauma and attachment theory informed model that provides a structured approach for changing (or creation) an organisational culture. The model seeks to support all the members of the community – clients and staff – to learn to cope more effectively with stress and to understand how to respond to, and heal from, trauma. It is based around shared knowledge (the theory), shared values (the commitments), shared language (the problem solving framework), and shared practice (the tool kit).

For an overview of the Sanctuary Model in Australia see The Mackillop Institute 

For further material on the modal see the Sanctuary Institute.

Post Script

In April 2016, the organisation was restructured and I was removed from my leadership post. I maintained momentum with Sanctuary with a handful of staff that I was close to in my corner of the state. After 4 years, in excess of $200,000 in direct costs, and an equivalent amount in soft costs (staff time), the Sanctuary Model was terminated without notice by the executive. There was no evidence to suggest it wasn’t achieving its stated goals, in fact there was much qualitative material to indicate we were ready for accreditation with the US based, Sanctuary Institute. Instead, the program was labelled a cult, and I was its cult leader. It was grossly unfair, and inaccurate. Lives, careers, and the quality of service provided to clients were all enhanced by the alignment of practice to trauma and attachment theory. The organisation also missed the opportunity to be leaders in the implementation of the model across Tasmania and mainland Australia. Our peers at Mackillop Family Services in Melbourne embarked on this path and are now the recognised training provider in Australia (see link above). The deep dive I took in learning the theory and applying the model changed my leadership approach. A decade later I continue to apply what I learned and seek to live the Sanctuary Commitments of non-violence, emotional intelligence, open communication, democracy, social learning, social responsibility, and growth and change. In fact, every new team member I meet I share the commitments and explain the model to frame how I seek to operate as a leader.