Program Overview

The ‘Transforming Trauma’ Program aims strengthen the capacity of schools to meet the needs of young people in secondary schools who have experienced trauma, significant disruption and disadvantage.  Effectively meeting the needs of these students requires an understanding of the impact of their traumatic experiences on their emotional, psychological and behavioural functioning, which in turn impacts on their ability to learn and manage social relationships within the school environment.  These young people are often at risk of or disengaged from schooling. 

Through the ‘Transforming Trauma’ Program schools and Learning Services will enhance their capacity to respond effectively, flexibly and proactively to the individual needs of these young people within the school environment.

The Transforming trauma pages will be updated regularly.  Please visit this page again for further information and links to downloadable resources.

Where will ‘Transforming Trauma’ be delivered?

The ‘Transforming Trauma’ Program has been funded for three years, 2011 – 2013, through the Innovative Flexible Education Grants and will be delivered in the South East, South West and North of Tasmania.

Program Elements

The program includes the following elements:

Key Note Speaker Forum

The program was launched on Friday 27th May in Hobart.  This event brought together key individuals in child protection, child welfare and education services in Tasmania. Download presentations given at the forum by clicking here.

Professional Development Sessions

A series of professional development sessions will be delivered over the three years specifically for school psychologists and social workers. 

Professional Development Sessions for Schools

A tailored professional development program for secondary school staff will delivered over the three years of the program.  The learning outcomes for these sessions will include:

• Increased participant understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of trauma and disadvantage and its impacts on brain functioning and development
• Improved ability to conceptualise and apply a framework for assessing the impact of disadvantage and trauma on the cognitive, social and emotional functioning, with specific reference to learning and behaviour
• Enhanced practice skills in applying models of intervention with promote engagement, connection and recovery

• Improved ability to consider and develop ways to support school staff confidence and skill in responding to students who have experienced trauma and disadvantage

Provision of supporting resources to enable ongoing capacity building including:

• Access to the SMART (Strategies for Managing Abuse Related Trauma) online learning modules click here to access the online training
• The development and provision of 2 and 4 hour professional development packages for continuing use with whole staff groups Click here to access training packages
• 3 online discussion papers per year Click here to access the discussion papers

• Bi-annual online newsletters Click here to access the newsletters

Action research projects

School teams who attend the training opportunities are also supported to implement action research projects at their schools that seek to practically implement the theory and strategies provided in the professional development program.  Schools are supported throughout the research project and will also be given the opportunity to share the outcomes of these projects at an annual statewide showcase event.

Participating in Trauma Networks

Trauma Networks will be organised and led by each of the relevant Learning Services and supported by the Australian Childhood Foundation.

For more information

For further information about ‘Transforming Trauma’, please contact Beth Guy, Program Manager, Professional Education Programs, at the Australian Childhood Foundation at bguy@childhood.org.au.