Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T08:19:04.327Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evaluating frameworks for practice in mainstream primary school classrooms catering for children with developmental trauma: an analysis of the literature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 October 2020

Simone Collier Open the ORCID record for Simone Collier [Opens in a new window] ,
India Bryce Open the ORCID record for India Bryce [Opens in a new window] ,
Karen Trimmer  and
Govind Krishnamoorthy
Simone Collier*
Affiliation:
Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women, School of Education, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomb, Australia
India Bryce
Affiliation:
Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women, School of Education, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomb, Australia
Karen Trimmer
Affiliation:
Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women, School of Education, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomb, Australia
Govind Krishnamoorthy
Affiliation:
Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women, School of Psychology and Counselling, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomb, Australia
*
Author for correspondence: Simone Collier, Email: simone.collier@usq.edu.au
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Integral to the protection of children against ongoing abuse and neglect and trauma experiences are teachers and school-based staff. This paper aims to discuss and reflect on the practice frameworks, models, approaches and programs that exist in mainstream school contexts to address the developmental and learning needs of children in primary schools who have experienced trauma in their early childhood years. This paper explores the importance of enablers, finding exceptions to the practices that often limit the support of ongoing protection of children in schools and the importance of the willingness, confidence and capacity of school-based staff. This paper proposes areas of future research to address the identified gaps existing for children with developmental trauma trying to learn and exist in a schooling system that is struggling to meet their needs.

Keywords

developmentaltraumaeducationframeworkspracticeabuseneglectmaltreatment
Type
Articles
Information
Children Australia , Volume 45 , Special Issue 4: Special Issue: Poverty and Child Abuse , December 2020 , pp. 258 - 265
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing.Google Scholar
Bartlett, J. A., Griffin, J. L., Spinazzola, J., Goldman, J., Fraser, J. G., Nocona, C. R., Bodfian, R., Todd, M., Montagna, C., & Barto, B. (2018). The impact of a state-wide trauma-informed care initiative in child welfare on the well-being of children and youth with complex trauma. Children and Youth Services Review, 84, 110–117. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.11.015 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beddoe, L., De Haan, I., & Joy, E. (2018). “If you could change two things”: Social workers in schools talk about what could improve schools’ responses to child abuse and neglect. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 30(1), 45–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berger, E. (2019). Multi-tiered approaches to trauma-informed care in schools: A systematic Review School Mental Health. Science and Business Media, 11, 650–664. http://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-019-09326-0 Google Scholar
Blitz, L. V., Yull, D., & Clauhs, M. (2020). Bring sanctuary to school: School climate as a foundation for culturally responsive trauma-informed approaches for urban schools. Urban Education, 55(1), 95–124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bloom, S., & Farragher, B. (2013). Restoring sanctuary: A new operating system for trauma-informed systems of care. New York: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Vol. I. Attachment (2nd ed., Vol. 1). Basic Books. https://doi.org/10.1177/000306518403200125 Google Scholar
Bradshaw, C. P., Koth, C. W., Bevans, K. B., Ialongo, N., & Leaf, P. J. (2008). The impact of school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on the organizational health of elementary schools. School Psychology Quarterly, 23(4), 462–473. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0012883 Google Scholar
Bradshaw, C. P., Mitchell, M. M., & Leaf, P. J. (2010). Examining the effects of schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports on student outcomes: Results from a randomized controlled effectiveness trial in elementary schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 12(3), 133–148. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300709334798 Google Scholar
Bradshaw, C. P., Waasdorp, T. E., & Leaf, P. J. (2015). Examining variation in the impact of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports: Findings from a randomized controlled effectiveness trial. Journal of Educational Psychology, 107(2), 546–557.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Briere, J. N., & Lanktree, C. B. (2012). Treating complex trauma in adolescents and young adults. SAGE Publications.Google Scholar
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Brunzell, T., Stokes, H., & Waters, L. (2016). Trauma-informed flexible learning: Classrooms that strengthen regulatory abilities. International Journal of Child Youth & Family Studies, 7(2), 218–239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brunzell, T., Stokes, H., & Waters, L. (2018). Why do you work with struggling students? Teacher perceptions of meaningful work in trauma-impacted classrooms. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 43(2), 116–142. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2018v43n2.7 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bryce, I., Robinson, Y. & Petherick, W. (2019). Child abuse & neglect. Forensic issues in evidence, impact, and management. Elsevier.Google Scholar
Campbell, M., & Colmar, S. (2014). Current status and future trends of school counselling in Australia. Journal of Asia Pacific Counselling, 4(3), 181–197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cannon, Y., Gregory, M., & Waterstone, J. (2013). A solution hiding in plain sight: Special education and better outcomes for students with social, emotional and behavioural challenges. Fordham Urban Law Journal, 41(2), 403–497.Google Scholar
Caringi, J. C., Stanick, C., Trautman, A., Crosby, L., Devlin, M., & Adams, S. (2015). Secondary traumatic stress in public school teachers: contributing and mitigating factors. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, 8(4), 244–256. https://doi.org/10.1080/1754730X.2015.1080123 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chafouleas, S. M., Johnson, A. H., Overstreet, S., & Santos, N. M. (2016). Toward a blueprint for trauma-informed service delivery in schools. School Mental Health, 8(1), 144–162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-015-9166-8 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Childs, K. (2014). Brevard Public Schools. School Safety and Climate Study: Developing knowledge about what works to make schools safe. University of Central Florida.Google Scholar
Christian-Brandt, A. S., Santacrose, D. E., & Barnett, M. L. (2020). In the trauma-informed care trenches: Teacher compassion satisfaction, secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and intent to leave education within underserved elementary schools. Child Abuse and Neglect, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104437 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cicchetti, D., & Toth, S. (2005). Child maltreatment. Annual Reviews of Clinical Psychology, 1, 409–438. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.1.102803.144029 Google ScholarPubMed
Crone, D. A., Hawken, L. S., & Horner, R. H. (2015). Responding to problem behaviour in schools: The behaviour education program. Guilford Press.Google Scholar
De Bellis, M. D. (2001). Developmental traumatology: The psychobiological development of maltreated children and its implications for research, treatment, and policy. Development and Psychopathology, 13(3), 539–564.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Elias, M. (2013). The school to prison pipeline. Teaching Tolerance, 43. https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/spring-2013/the-school-to-prison-pipeline Google Scholar
Fabiano, G. A., & Pyle, K. (2019). Best practices in school mental health for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A framework for intervention. School Mental Health, 11, 72–91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-018-9267-2 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Felitti, V., Anda, R., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D., Spitz, A., Edwards, V., Koss, M., & Marks, J. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death on adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) study. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 14(4), 245–258.Google Scholar
Figley, C. R. (1995). Compassion fatigue: Toward a new understanding of the costs of caring. In Stamm, B. H. (Ed.), Secondary traumatic stress: Self-care issues for clinicians, researchers, and educators (pp. 3–28). The Sidran Press.Google Scholar
Figley, C. R. (2013). Compassion fatigue: Coping with secondary traumatic stress disorder in those who treat the traumatised. Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ford, D. H., & Lerner, R. M. (1992). Developmental systems theory: An integrative approach. Sage.Google Scholar
Fox, R. K., Dodman, S., & Holincheck, N. (2019). Moving beyond reflection in a hall of mirrors: developing critical reflective capacity in teachers and teacher educators. International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives, 20(3), 367–382.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grohol, J. M. (2012). Final DSM 5 approved by American Psychiatric Association. Psych Central. http://psychcentral.com/blog/archieves/2012/12/02/final-dsm-5-by-american-psychiatric-association/ Google Scholar
Gubi, A. A., Strait, J., Wycoff, K., Vega, V., Brauser, B., & Osman, O. (2019). Trauma-informed knowledge and practices in school psychology: A pilot study & review. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 35(2), 176–199. http://doi.org/10.1080/15377903.2018.1549174 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haskett, M. E., Nears, K., Ward, C. S., & McPherson, A. V. (2006). Diversity in adjustment of maltreated children: Factors associated with resilient functioning. Clinical Psychology Review, 26, 796–812.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hawtin, A., & Wyse, D. (1988). Child protection. Education, 26(3), 15–22.Google Scholar
Heitzeg, N. A. (2009). Education or Incarceration: Zero tolerance policies and the school to prison pipeline. Forum on Public Policy.Google Scholar
Horner, R. H., Sugii, G., & Anderson, C. M. (2010). Examining the evidence base for school-wide positive behaviour support. Special Education, 42(8), 1–14.Google Scholar
Hurren, E., Jenkins, B., Bartlett, D., & Stewart, A. (2018). Family and child connect (FaCC) implementation and impact evaluation. Griffith Criminology Institute Final Report.Google Scholar
Hydon, S., Wong, M., Langley, A. K., Stein, B. D., & Kataoka, S. H. (2015). Preventing secondary traumatic stress in educators. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 24(2), 319–333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2014.11.003 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kelm, J. L., McIntosh, K., & Cooley, S. (2014). Effects of implementing school-wide positive behavioural interventions and supports on problem behaviour and academic achievement in a Canadian elementary school. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 29(3), 195–212. https://doi.org/10.1177/0829573514540266 Google Scholar
Kisiel, C. L., Fehrenbach, T., Torgersen, E., Stolbach, B., McClelland, G., Griffin, G., & Burkman, K. (2013). Constellations of interpersonal trauma and symptoms in child welfare: Implications for a developmental trauma framework. Journal of Family Violence, 29, 1–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Luther, S. S. (2003). Resilience and vulnerability: Adaptation in the context of childhood adversities. Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maguire, S. A., Williams, B., Naughton, A. M., Cowley, L. E., Tempest, V., Mann, M. K., & Kemp, A. M. (2015). A systematic review of the emotional, behavioural and cognitive features exhibited by school-aged children experiencing neglect or abuse. Child: Care, Health and Development, 41(5), 641–653.Google ScholarPubMed
Masten, A. (2003). Commentary: Developmental psychopathology as a unifying context for mental health and education models, research, and practice in schools. School Psychology Review, 32(2), 169–173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maynard, B. R., Farina, A., Dell, N., & Kelly, M. (2019). Effects of trauma-informed approaches in schools: A systematic review. Campbell Systemic Reviews, 15(1–2). https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1018 Google Scholar
McIntosh, K., Kelm, J. L., & Canizal Delabra, A. (2016). In search of how principals change: A qualitative study of events that help and hinder administrator support for school-wide PBIS. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 18(2), 100–110. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300715599960 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milner, J., & Blyth, E. (1988). Coping with child sexual abuse: A guide for teachers. Harlow.Google Scholar
Mitchell, B. S., Hirn, R. G., & Lewis, T. J. (2017). Enhancing effective classroom management in schools: Structures for changing teacher behaviour. Teacher Education and Special Education, 40(2), 140–153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morgan, A. (2017). Cultivating critical reflection: educators making sense and meaning of professional identity and relational dynamics in complex practice. Teaching Education, 28(1), 41–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2016.1219335 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morgan, A., Pendergast, D., Brown, R., & Heck, D. (2015). Relational ways of being an educator: Trauma-informed practice supporting disenfranchised young people. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 19(10).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O’Gorman, S. (2017). The case for integrating trauma-informed family therapy clinical practice within the school context. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 46(5), 557–565.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perry, B. (2009). Examining child maltreatment through a neurodevelopmental lens: Clinical applications of the neurosequential model of therapeutics. Journal of Loss and Trauma: International Perspectives on Stress and Coping, 14(4), 240–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perry, D., Dunne, M., McFadden, L., & Campbell, D. (2008). Reducing the risk for preschool expulsion: Mental health consultation for young children with challenging behaviors. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 17, 44–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-007-9140-7 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pinkelman, S. E., Mcintosh, K., Rasplica, C. K., Berg, T., & Strickland-Cohen, M. K. (2015). Perceived enablers and barriers related to sustainability of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports. Behavioral Disorders, 40(3), 171–183. https://doi.org/10.17988/0198-7429-40.3.171 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Powell, T., & Davis, J. P. (2019). Addressing the social emotional needs of children in chronic poverty: A pilot of the journey of hope. Child & Youth Services Review, 98, 319–327.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Purvis, K., McKenzie, L., Becker Razuri, E., Cross, D., & Buckwalter, K. (2014). A trust-based intervention for complex developmental trauma: A case study from a residential treatment centre. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 31(4), 355–368.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quin, D. (2017). Longitudinal and contextual associations between teacher-student relationships and student engagements: A systematic review. Review of Educational Research, 87(2). http://doi.org/10.3102/0034654316669434 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rahim, M. (2014). Developmental trauma disorder: An attachment-based perspective. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 19(4), 548–560.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Raver, C. C. (2013). Emotions matter: Making the case for the role of young children’s emotional development for early school readiness. Social Policy Report, 16(3), 3–19.Google Scholar
Raver, C.C., & Zigler, E. (1997). Social competence: An untapped dimension in evaluating Head Start’s success. Early Child Research Quarterly, 12(4), 363–385.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ross, S. W., Romer, N., & Horner, R. H. (2012). Teacher well-being and the implementation of school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 14(2), 118–128. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300711413820 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scannapieco, M., & Connell-Carrick, K. (2005). Understanding child maltreatment. An ecological and developmental perspective. Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Seligman, M. (2014). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA). (2014). SAMHSA’s concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach (HHS publication No. SMA 14-4884). Rockville, MD.Google Scholar
Thomas, M. S., Crosby, S., & Vanderhaar, J. (2019). Trauma-informed practices in schools across two decades: An interdisciplinary review of research. Review of Research in Education, 43(1), 422–452. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X18821123 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tillbury, C., Osmond, J., Wilson, S., & Clark, J. (2007). Good practice in child protection. Pearson Education Australia.Google Scholar
Walsh, K., Howard, S., Hand, K., Ey, L., Fenton, A., & Whiteford, C. (2019). What is known about initial teacher education for child protection? A protocol for a systematic scoping review. International Journal of Educational Methodology, 5(1), 19–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weed Phifer, L., & Hull, R. (2016). Helping students heal: Observations of trauma-informed practices in the schools. School Mental Health, 8, 201–205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-016-9183-2 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weitzman, J. (2005). Maltreatment and trauma: Towards a comprehensive model of abused children from developmental psychology. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 22(3–4), 321–341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wessells, M. (2015). Bottom-up approaches to strengthening child protection systems: Placing children, families and communities at the centre. Child Abuse & Neglect, 43, 8–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wessells, M., Kostelny, K., & Ondoro, K. (2014). A grounded view of community-based child protection mechanisms and their linkage with the wider child protection system in three urban and rural areas of Kenya: Summary and integrated analysis. London England Save the Children.Google Scholar
Wicks-Nelson, R., & Israel, A. C. (2016). Abnormal child and adolescent psychology. DSM-5 update. Routledge.Google Scholar
Wiest-Stevenson, C., & Lee, C. (2016). Trauma-informed schools. Journal of Evidenced-Informed Social Work, 13(5), 498–503.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed