Glossary
Source: gov.uk (2025-12-11)

A glossary of terms in this guidance.

Collaborate (https://collaboratecic.com/). A national not-for-profit consultancy focused on public service transformation and place-based, collaborative solutions.

Co-production. A term used to describe the process of working together in equal partnership with service users or others with lived experience, in order to design, deliver and implement a project, service or other piece of work.

Fulfilling Lives. An 8-year programme funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, which supported people experiencing multiple disadvantage.

Integrated Care Board (ICB). A statutory NHS organisation responsible for developing a plan for meeting the health needs of the population, managing the NHS budget, and arranging for the provision of health services in a particular area. See more information (https://www.england.nhs.uk/integratedcare/what-is-integrated-care/)

Integrated Care System (ICS). Local partnerships that bring health and care organisations together to develop shared plans and joined-up services. They are formed by NHS organisations and upper-tier local councils. They also include the voluntary sector, social care providers and other partners.

Multi-agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC). A multi-agency meeting convened to enable staff from different services to discuss high-risk domestic abuse cases.

MEAM Approach. The Making Every Adult Matter (https://meam.org.uk/) Network has supported partnerships across the country to develop coordinated approaches to tackling multiple disadvantage.

Multiple disadvantage. Multiple disadvantage, also called multiple and complex needs, refers to a combination of intersecting problems such as mental ill health, homelessness, substance use, domestic abuse, and offending.

People with lived experience. People who have direct knowledge of multiple disadvantage because of their life experiences, rather than second-hand knowledge gained via research, study or professional activity.

Police and Crime Commissioner. An elected official with responsibility for oversight of police services in England and Wales, who secures the maintenance of an effective police force in their area and holds the chief constable to account for delivery of the local police and crime plan.

Policy Lab. A body established in 2014 as part of the Civil Service Reform plan to make policy-making more open, which continues to assist government reform to create A Modern Civil Service (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-modern-civil-service). It provides support for policy-making across the civil service.

Protected characteristics. Traits or circumstances that form part of a person’s identity and are legally protected from discrimination. They include age, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marriage or civil partnership.

Racial trauma (also termed ‘complex racial trauma’ or ‘race-based traumatic stress’). The psychological impacts associated with repeated exposure (either as a direct victim or a witness) to harms associated with racism or racial discrimination, including systemic discrimination.

Reflective practice. The use by professionals of different learning activities, such as review meetings or peer-to-peer feedback, to enable role holders to learn from their work experiences and identify ways to improve.

Strategic alignment. The goal of ensuring that the local strategies, policies and priorities that shape funding and delivery in a local area are coordinated and collectively respond to the issue of multiple disadvantage.

Strategic leads. People in leadership roles, who are responsible for planning and overseeing their organisation’s strategy development or other strategic functions – such as determining vision and priorities, governance, setting budgets and commissioning decisions.

Trauma-informed practice. An approach to health and care interventions that is grounded in the understanding that trauma exposure can impact an individual’s neurological, biological, psychological and social development. It can encompass not only how workers interact with people, but also elements such as service environments, policies and processes.