Supporting Women in Prison and Beyond – Through Trauma Recovery, Self-Advocacy, and Systems Change.
BeyondTrauma Academy CIC delivers survivor-led, trauma-informed support for women in custody, at risk of custody, and transitioning back into the community, while working alongside services to improve how systems respond.
If you are in custody, at risk of custody, or transitioning into the community, you can access safe, trauma-informed spaces to connect, be heard, and take part in change.
Share your experience to help shape trauma-informed support for sentenced women.
We partner with organisations across criminal justice, healthcare, social care, and education to deliver trauma-informed programmes, co-design services, and strengthen responses to trauma through lived experience.
BeyondTrauma Academy CIC is a survivor-led social enterprise specialising in trauma recovery and systems change. Our work with women impacted by the criminal justice system recognises the complex realities many face, including trauma, abuse, exploitation, and unmet mental health needs.
We deliver support that is safe, structured, and empowering, alongside working with organisations to create more effective, trauma-informed responses across custody and community settings.
We provide trauma-informed, psychoeducational programmes designed to support women to stabilise, understand their experiences, and begin moving forward — without needing to revisit traumatic events.
Our approach focuses on:
We also deliver the BeyondTrauma Voice, Rights & Self-Advocacy Model, supporting women to:
We work with organisations across criminal justice, healthcare, social care, and community services to deliver trauma-informed support and improve outcomes for women.
Our work includes:
We support services to move beyond awareness into practical, effective, trauma-informed responses.
Why This Approach Works
Creating Meaningful Change
Real-world programmes and partnerships delivering trauma-informed change across custody and community settings.
Trauma-Informed Co-Design for Sentenced Women (HMPPS)
BeyondTrauma Academy CIC is currently delivering work in partnership with HMPPS as part of a funded project focused on improving support for sentenced women.
This work centres on co-designing trauma-informed approaches by directly engaging women with lived experience of custody and the criminal justice system.
Through structured focus groups and facilitated sessions, we are:
These insights are being translated into:
This work contributes to wider efforts to improve outcomes for women in custody by ensuring their voices directly inform how services are designed and delivered.
Trauma Recovery & Self-Advocacy Support for Women
Alongside systems work, we deliver trauma-informed programmes directly to women impacted by the criminal justice system, both in custody and in the community.
Our programmes are designed to:
Through the BeyondTrauma Voice, Rights & Self-Advocacy Model, we also support women to:
This approach supports long-term empowerment and independence, not just short-term support.
Strategic Partnership: Trauma-Informed Support for Children in Prison (Uganda)
BeyondTrauma Academy CIC is currently developing a strategic partnership with Prisha Charity Foundation to support children living within prison environments alongside their mothers.
This work focuses on building a trauma-informed support model from the ground up, ensuring that children are supported in safe, consistent, and psychologically informed ways from the very beginning.
As a Strategic Trauma-Informed Programme Partner, BeyondTrauma Academy CIC is contributing to both the design and delivery of this initiative, bringing expertise in trauma recovery, safeguarding, and programme development.
This partnership reflects BeyondTrauma Academy CIC’s wider commitment to addressing the intergenerational impact of trauma, ensuring that both women and children affected by incarceration are supported in ways that reduce long-term harm and create pathways for healing.
Our work supports women to stabilise, rebuild confidence, and engage more effectively with services, while also strengthening how systems respond to trauma.
Whether you are seeking support or looking to partner with us, this work is about creating safer, more effective systems and stronger pathways for women to heal and move forward.
This work forms part of our wider mission to improve responses to trauma across systems — including healthcare, social care, education, and criminal justice.
