Trauma informed practice

It is estimated that a significant percentage of children and young people will experience at least one potentially traumatic event by the age of 16.

Definition

Trauma-informed practice does not mean that teachers are trained to treat trauma, but rather that they understand the wide-ranging impact that trauma can have on children, their development, their wellbeing, and their ability to succeed and thrive at school.

Relevance

Traumatic experiences in childhood can impact a child’s mental, physical, social, or emotional wellbeing and their ability to function in school and other settings. Exposure to trauma and adversity can have serious short- and long-term impacts for children and young people.

State of the evidence

Research is clear that exposure to trauma early in life can result in neurological, psychological, physical, social, and learning challenges across the lifespan. Recent research has also shown that, when teachers respond sensitively to the impact of trauma, it helps children better engage in school, gives them a sense of belonging, and helps to reduce disruptive behaviours.

In practice

It is important to ensure that teachers, leaders, and other school staff know about the prevalence and consequences of childhood trauma. The more that teachers know and understand about childhood trauma, the more confident and better equipped they are to appropriately support students who have experienced trauma.

Guiding questions

How can we build teachers’ knowledge and understanding about childhood trauma?
Do we have policies in place to support students who have experienced trauma?
How can we support teachers to develop classroom practices that are responsive to students who have experienced trauma?