Trauma: From Awareness to Action

You've probably had training on ACEs. The harder question is what it should change. Think of how you respond to a child in meltdown, or how the building feels to a child who's always on alert.

A psychotherapist who started out as a social worker answers it with a colleague who specialises in behaviour. They use five building blocks of a trauma-informed school: leadership, relationships, the physical environment, learning, and skilled practice. The ideas are specific. You'll walk in differently if you've been told "Johnny's really distressed" than if you've heard "John's kicking off". Movement can help children release trauma that's held in the body, and careful transitions help the children who find change hardest.

Hearing children's stories day after day takes its toll, so it looks at what staff need too, including proper supervision for those closest to the work.