Aim To investigate the use of magnification in undergraduate endodontic teaching in dental schools within the UK and Ireland and identify factors that may impact on levels of adoption. Methodology An electronic questionnaire was distributed to teaching leads in undergraduate endodontics in all UK and Ireland dental schools. Results Completed questionnaires were received from 15 of 18 course leads. The study revealed magnification is not universally embedded within the undergraduate curricula, and the majority of schools had no expectation for students to use magnification, although it was encouraged. The study provided insight into teaching staff factors, student factors and institutional factors that impact upon the adoption of magnification in undergraduate endodontic teaching. Although course leads utilized magnification in their own practice, this did not translate into institutional expectation for students to use magnification. Barriers to adoption of such an institutional expectation included cost and lack of staff training. Conclusions Magnification has become viewed as an essential part of endodontic practice. The dental operating microscope has the most significant impact on endodontic visualization; however, the use of dental loupes in nonsurgical endodontics could be considered the minimum standard. The pedagogical dilemma faced by dental educators training undergraduates to behave in a manner that they themselves would not, cannot be rationalized on the basis of cost and lack of staff training. It is proposed that although significant, these barriers are not insurmountable and the use of dental loupe should become an expectation in undergraduate training in the UK and Ireland.

The experiences of remote teachers who work with children living with the effects of complex childhood trauma is under explored. Children from remote areas of Australia are vulnerable to complex childhood trauma as their communities can face the effects of colonization, higher rates of disadvantage and exposure to potentially traumatic circumstances, such as natural disasters and family and community violence. This is compounded by the tyranny of distance in accessing effective supports. In such contexts, the roles of schools and teachers in addressing the debilitating impacts of trauma are both vital and amplified. This article summarizes a qualitative study, incorporating constructivist grounded theory, that generated a new theory to explain social processes that teachers in remote schools undergo when working with the effects of complex childhood trauma. Data were collected from teachers in individual interviews (n = 23) and a focus group. Data were analyzed using constant comparative method, emergent themes were categorized, leading to the development of the grounded theory, Building Trauma Informed Teachers. This overarching theory consists of seven categories. This study contributes insights into the scope and nature of the work of teachers in remote schools and recommends ways in which cognate systems can prepare and support teachers for their professional work supporting and educating trauma-impacted children.

The National Guidelines for Trauma-Aware Education in Australia were developed in response to a rapidly growing interest in trauma-aware education across the country and to address the lack of site- and system-level guidance for application of trauma-aware practices in schools and early childhood services. Although research into trauma-aware education was increasing and resources and training and support programs were being developed across Australia, there were no nationally agreed upon guidelines providing consistency to thinking, policy, and practice. Drawing from public health and health promotion models for establishing guidelines for trauma-aware policy and practice, the Guidelines were developed through a thorough process of incorporating research evidence and expert and end-user input. The Guidelines were developed across 2017–2019 and were finalized in 2021 and provide an important first step in a national response to trauma-aware education in Australia. This article will describe the “story” behind the development of the Guidelines. It is hoped that this “story” will help others considering development of systemic resources to inform the establishment and enhancement of trauma-aware policy and practice in schools and early childhood education services.

IntroductionIn remote education settings in Australia, experienced teachers who can effectively support students impacted by trauma are essential. Remote communities are unique yet are in many ways vulnerable to trauma as they face higher rates of disadvantage and exposure to traumatic events, including natural disasters and domestic and family violence. This is compounded by a lack of access to effective supports due to the tyranny of distance. Also, First Nations peoples living in remote areas continue to endure the ongoing and traumatic impacts of a violent and disruptive colonization.MethodsThe qualitative research study detailed in this article explored the requirements for the work of experienced, trauma-informed teachers in remote Australia to be effective, adding an important and unique perspective to the research evidence that is not often considered. Seven teachers from remote Australia completed a short, online questionnaire and participated in a focus group interview which was analyzed thematically.ResultsThemes emerging from the focus group data indicated that specific and contextualized preparation and support for teachers is required for them to do their work effectively. For remote Australian settings this means preparing teachers with cultural awareness and relevant trauma-informed training. Further, the wellbeing of these remote educators is often compromised, and addressing systemic factors such as adequate preparation of their colleagues and support to access relevant ongoing professional learning is needed.DiscussionRemote teaching work in Australia is complex, and while the current study is small and exploratory in nature, the findings highlight some of the real-world impacts of these issues at a community and individual teacher level that have not been previously explored.

It is not unusual for school counsellors to be involved in trauma-aware education practice; however, their role is not uniformly defined in the literature nor consistently applied in professional settings. Trauma-aware education is relatively new but rapidly growing in Australia and beyond. It involves supporting students in a neuroscience-informed manner to address the impacts of complex trauma on their capacities to feel safe, to relate, to emotionally regulate, and to learn. Twenty-six school counsellors completed questionnaires, and eight of those joined focus group discussions to explore the role of school counsellors in trauma-aware practice in Queensland, Australia. Drawing on the voices of practitioners, the present report discusses categories of practice that are prioritised by school counsellors and recommends supports to effectively undertake trauma-aware practice in school settings.