Knowledge, Skills, and Self-reflection: Linking Trauma Training Content to Trauma-Informed Attitudes and Stress in Preschool Teachers and Staff

Building Trauma Informed Teachers: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study of Remote Primary School Teachers’ Experiences With Children Living With the Effects of Complex Childhood Trauma

“…This is consistent with previous research (Berger and Samuel, 2020;Blitz et al, 2020;Reierson and Becker, 2020;Willis and Grainger, 2020;Miller and Berger, 2021). Training has been linked to increased confidence in working with children living with the effects of complex childhood trauma Loomis and Felt, 2020;Sonsteng-Person and Loomis, 2021).…”

“…In sum, the findings of this study also suggest that if teachers do not have access to ongoing professional development in trauma informed practices and cultural awareness, alongside strategies for managing curriculum and learning demands (Stacey, 2019), it will remain difficult for teachers in remote communities to navigate the complex landscapes they find themselves in and could grow tendencies towards blame, deficit discourses, stress, and burnout (Coetzee et al, 2017;Kim, 2019). It would also be difficult for teachers to continue to manage and support the behavior and learning needs of children living with the effects of complex childhood trauma (Loomis and Felt, 2020). It is important to acknowledge that teachers enter teaching with their own past histories and experiences, and this influences how they teach and interact with students (Loomis and Felt, 2020).…”

“…It would also be difficult for teachers to continue to manage and support the behavior and learning needs of children living with the effects of complex childhood trauma (Loomis and Felt, 2020). It is important to acknowledge that teachers enter teaching with their own past histories and experiences, and this influences how they teach and interact with students (Loomis and Felt, 2020). Universities and education systems can empower teachers at all stages of their teaching life course from pre-service to experienced with ongoing training and support so they can work effectively with children living with the effects of complex childhood trauma by using Building Trauma Informed Teachers.…”

A Review on Early Intervention Systems

“…Limited research presently exists on the impact of training about trauma for teachers and education staff and whether this contributes to overall well-being within early childhood settings. Loomis and Felt identify the foundations of successful trauma-informed practices, noting the relationship between trauma-informed training content, trauma-informed attitudes, and overall stress in their sample of 111 preschool staff [ 32 •]. They found that those educators who received further training on trauma-informed skills and also had opportunities for self-reflection had stronger, more effective, trauma-informed attitudes than those with only knowledge-based training and no reflection.…”

Supporting Young Children Exposed to Potentially Traumatic Events: Implications for Early Care and Education Policy

“…Professional development opportunities that build teachers’ ability to recognize and respond to the effects of trauma in the classroom are often cited as a key component to trauma-informed care (e.g., Loomis, 2018). However, a recent study (Loomis & Felt, 2021) examining the components of trauma-informed professional training suggests that not all training elements are equivalent. Specifically, training that emphasized self-reflective practices was superior in building trauma-informed attitudes, as compared to trainings focused only on gaining knowledge (i.e., basic information on trauma and its impact).…”