Trauma-informed initial teacher education training: A necessary step in a system-wide response to addressing childhood trauma

Abstract

The growing prevalence of students affected by complex trauma, and the significant implications of unresolved trauma for these students later in life, highlights the imperative for a system-wide response to address the effects of complex trauma in student populations. An important step in this system-level response is increasing the knowledge of pre-service teachers in trauma-informed education practice through initial teacher education programs. Trauma-informed education settings are increasingly being recognised as critical in the resolution of complex trauma for impacted learners; however, trauma-informed training in pre-service teacher education is lacking. While a small body of recent research has shown promise in increasing pre-service teacher knowledge and confidence in teaching children and young people affected by complex trauma, there is scant longitudinal data that informs us of how pre-service teachers may be implementing the knowledge they have learnt in their practice after they have graduated. Through survey data, the current study explored the perceptions of 124 Australian pre-service teachers’ knowledge, self-efficacy, and resilience related to working with trauma-affected students before and after completing a 6-week initial teacher education unit in managing student behaviours related to complex trauma, and 1 year after graduating. Key findings indicated pre-service teachers’ knowledge, self-efficacy, and resilience in teaching students with complex trauma increased dramatically from pre- to post- study of the 6-week unit and this learning continued to be evident 1 year into their teaching career. However, the data also suggest that these attributes are not something that develops quickly or without ongoing professional learning and practice. Although pre-service and early career teachers seem keen to advance their trauma awareness, it is important they receive ongoing support to develop their skills into their early careers. These findings have implications for the design of trauma-informed initial teacher education and the importance of additional early career professional learning.

Experienced, trauma-informed teachers working in remote Australia: What is required for their work to be effective?

“…As a consequence of the lack of preparation of their colleagues, teachers participating in the current study felt because they were experienced and trained, their colleagues tended to rely on them to address the needs of students impacted by trauma which did impact on their wellbeing and their other work commitments. To date, there is a small body of research investigating pre-service training in trauma-informed practice (Davies and Berger, 2020;McClain, 2021;L'Estrange and Howard, 2022) and the findings of the current study further emphasize the importance of adequate preparation of remote teachers by identifying the impact that a lack of pre-service preparation can have on more experienced teachers. Teachers in the current study also expressed significant concern in relation to lack of cultural awareness training.…”

“…Trauma-informed practice embedded within culturally responsive pedagogy is emerging as a promising framework for schools and for the teaching profession (Chafouleas et al, 2021;Schimke et al, 2022). However, currently, it is not mandated in Australia for teachers to develop culturally responsive pedagogies (Morrison et al, 2019) or for initial teacher education to include traumainformed training (Longaretti and Toe, 2017;L'Estrange and Howard, 2022). These are difficult and complex systemic issues to address, 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.…”

“…University education in trauma-informed practice can increase favorable attitudes and knowledge of preservice teachers in this area (Brown et al, 2020;L'Estrange and Howard, 2022) but this is not available in all initial teacher education programs in Australia. Also, once working in schools, it is important for teachers to receive ongoing training as this can increase confidence and teacher emotional selfregulation for when they need to manage any challenging behaviors of trauma-impacted students (Stokes and Brunzell, 2019;Berger et al, 2021).…”

Transforming Learning Communities Through a Transdisciplinary, Trauma-Informed Approach to Classrooms as Communities

“…The tools and strategies included information about how trauma can affect students' behavior and learning as well as resources on vicarious trauma. Findings across these studies confirms the need for trauma-informed practices in teacher preparation and the willingness of candidates to receive such content (L'Estrange & Howard, 2022;Rodger et. al.…”

Compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress in teachers: How they contribute to burnout and how they are related to trauma-awareness

“…Children in Australia are increasingly showing symptoms of traumatic exposure and poor mental health with the number of mental health presentations to children's emergency wards increasing by 6.5% a year since 2009 pre-COVID-19 (Hiscock et al, 2018). These symptoms of childhood trauma and poor mental health are being seen more and more within classrooms and the wider school environment and each year the number of children displaying symptoms increases due to natural disasters, the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, and many other global and local factors (L'Estrange and Howard, 2022). This is in addition to the large number of children in Australia who are being subjected to Adverse Childhood Experiences each year (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2021).…”