Trauma-informed Education Practices

Trauma-informed approaches recognise that many students carry invisible injuries from adverse experiences, and that punitive responses often compound rather than resolve these wounds. Rather than asking “what’s wrong with this student?”, trauma-informed practice asks “what happened to this student—and how can we help them feel safe enough to learn?” Rooted in neuroscience, human dignity, and educational equity, trauma-informed schools prioritise relationships, regulation, and repair. They shift from compliance-based control to compassionate co-regulation, acknowledging that dysregulation is not defiance, but a nervous system in survival mode. This approach equips educators to respond to challenging behaviour with curiosity and care, transforming classrooms into spaces of healing rather than harm.