There are many studies documenting the negative impacts of trauma in childhood. However, despite schools and teachers being a known protective factor which have the potential to modify the negative impacts of complex trauma, limited research examining the perspectives of primary teachers working with traumatised children and their perceptions of preparedness to teach students living with complex trauma has been conducted. Thus a systematic literature review was conducted to collate and synthesise available empirical research on this topic. The review followed PRISMA guidelines and searches were conducted across academic databases for peer reviewed studies published between 2011 and 2022. Only articles which discussed complex trauma, teachers of primary-aged students, and perceptions of preparedness were included. Four articles were ultimately selected as meeting the criteria for review. The lack of available studies in this area is considered a notable finding in and of itself and highlights a need for further research into teacher experiences and perceptions as well as policies and protocols. The results of this review suggest a need for additional training, clarity regarding role of a teacher, support from colleagues and administration, and organisational self-care for school staff. The lack of trauma-specific training reported by teachers highlighted a need for trauma training for pre-service teachers as well as ongoing training for teachers already in the profession in order to assist traumatised students as well as the teachers who work with them.

IntroductionTeachers play an integral role in providing positive life experiences for their students and are especially crucial for students who are experiencing or have experienced a trauma in their lives. In Australia however, teachers are increasingly stating that they do not plan on remaining in the profession causing media and governments to warn of a teacher shortage. Several key factors for teacher attrition have been proposed, with burnout being described as a contributing factor). Studies which have focused specifically on teachers’ experiences working with students with histories of trauma have suggested links between lack of trauma-aware training and increased levels of compassion fatigue (CF), secondary traumatic stress (STS), and burnout.MethodsThis paper draws on established research into CF, STS and burnout as well as trauma awareness of teachers using a narrative topical approach to explore the challenges faced by teachers and students in a post-covid landscape.ResultsThe results of this review suggest a need for additional research into the impact on teachers of working with an increasingly traumatized student body.ConclusionThe lack of trauma-specific training reported by pre-service and current teachers indicate a need for higher education institutions and schools to better prepare teachers to support traumatized students while safeguarding their own wellbeing.

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