Shackman Ellen provide therapeutic support to those affected by trauma and bereavement. We are experienced in the design, delivery, evaluation and accreditation of services and training related to trauma, crisis and victim support. We provide training and advice to the public sector, not-for-profit organisations and private companies in the UK and overseas.
Our extensive knowledge and skills have been developed over many years, supporting people affected, injured or bereaved by violent incidents and traumatic events and from leading major research projects into victim/survivor issues.
We believe passionately that those affected by traumatic incidents should receive the best possible aftercare and we have a particular interest in what helps build resilience in those affected, using a trauma informed approach.
Research shows that immediate post-incident support and assistance, delivered sensitively and effectively, has a highly positive effect on recovery.
Jane and Paula jointly led a major EU research and training project into the service and support needs of victims of terrorist attack. Following publication, this was adopted as a model of best practice by victim assistance services across Europe.
Jane Shackman
Jane is a qualified social worker, with many years’ experience providing psychological support following trauma and bereavement in the UK and overseas. She has carried out consultancy and training for international NGOs, including programme planning and evaluation of the psychosocial effects of conflict in Somaliland, Rwanda, Bosnia, Sudan and the former Soviet Union. She was the psycho-social advisor on the Kosovo evaluation team, has designed and delivered teaching programmes internationally, and worked on a community mental health programme in Sierra Leone. She worked as a short-term expert in Turkey developing training for probation officers supporting victims of sexual violence and other crimes.
In the UK Jane has worked for not-for-profit and other organisations including Freedom from Torture, the Open University, the BBC World Service, the Prison Reform Trust, Save the Children, Clarity Stress and Trauma and the Ministry of Justice. She developed peer support programmes and training for people working in war zones, and for those bereaved by drugs and alcohol. She is the author of many publications on human rights issues.
Jane has increasingly focussed on direct support and response work with people affected by major incidents and/or traumatic bereavements in the UK and overseas, for example following terrorist attacks and other violent incidents, the Grenfell Fire, and those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Paula Ellen
Paula was a therapist in the NHS specialising in psychological trauma, before moving to manage the largest London Crown Court service assisting victims and witnesses of serious crime. She then spent twelve years working for Victim Support, supporting policy and victim-based service development and training across the UK which included responding to the needs of people after a major incident, as well as establishing a risk led approach to supporting victims of domestic and sexual violence.
She has been employed as a UK victims expert on high-profile European Commission and Ministry of Justice projects, assisting the Romanian and Turkish Governments to develop their support to victims in line with EU standards. Paula acted as a UK expert for the European Forum for Restorative Justice and the International Institute Tilberg, developing EU standards for assisting victims of terrorist acts. She was an adviser to the Social Care Institute of Excellence on the production of their published guidance, Caring in a Crisis, and is an expert member of the European Forum for Traumatic Stress.
Paula has delivered training on an extensive range of victim-related issues and has a particular interest in the support of victims of workplace violence and trauma. She has provided consultancy to the Police, the Crown Prosecution Service and a range of other public, private and voluntary sector organisations.