Abstract
Objective: School mental health workers are ideally placed to respond to student trauma based on their mental health expertise and the impact of childhood trauma on learning, classroom behaviour, and school relationships. The current study aimed to explore the experiences, and support and training needs of school mental health workers regarding student trauma. Method: Thirteen school mental health workers, including school counsellors and wellbeing staff, participated in semi-structured interviews and their responses were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Although participants identified helpful factors, such as consistency in routines and procedural support from colleagues, the most prominent themes in participants’ narratives reflected the challenges of providing optimal training for staff, and support to students and staff regarding student traumatic exposure. Conclusions: The findings suggest a need for further research regarding the development and ongoing implementation of multi-tiered trauma-informed support, training practices and protocols for school staff and school mental health workers.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Australian Psychologist |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 2020 |
Keywords
- mental health workers
- schools
- students
- training
- trauma; trauma-informed
Cite this
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A qualitative analysis of the experiences, training, and support needs of school mental health workers regarding student trauma. / Berger, Emily; Samuel, Sarah.
In: Australian Psychologist, 2020.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - A qualitative analysis of the experiences, training, and support needs of school mental health workers regarding student trauma
AU - Berger, Emily
AU - Samuel, Sarah
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Objective: School mental health workers are ideally placed to respond to student trauma based on their mental health expertise and the impact of childhood trauma on learning, classroom behaviour, and school relationships. The current study aimed to explore the experiences, and support and training needs of school mental health workers regarding student trauma. Method: Thirteen school mental health workers, including school counsellors and wellbeing staff, participated in semi-structured interviews and their responses were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Although participants identified helpful factors, such as consistency in routines and procedural support from colleagues, the most prominent themes in participants’ narratives reflected the challenges of providing optimal training for staff, and support to students and staff regarding student traumatic exposure. Conclusions: The findings suggest a need for further research regarding the development and ongoing implementation of multi-tiered trauma-informed support, training practices and protocols for school staff and school mental health workers.
AB - Objective: School mental health workers are ideally placed to respond to student trauma based on their mental health expertise and the impact of childhood trauma on learning, classroom behaviour, and school relationships. The current study aimed to explore the experiences, and support and training needs of school mental health workers regarding student trauma. Method: Thirteen school mental health workers, including school counsellors and wellbeing staff, participated in semi-structured interviews and their responses were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Although participants identified helpful factors, such as consistency in routines and procedural support from colleagues, the most prominent themes in participants’ narratives reflected the challenges of providing optimal training for staff, and support to students and staff regarding student traumatic exposure. Conclusions: The findings suggest a need for further research regarding the development and ongoing implementation of multi-tiered trauma-informed support, training practices and protocols for school staff and school mental health workers.
KW - mental health workers
KW - schools
KW - students
KW - training
KW - trauma; trauma-informed
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85078296627&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/ap.12452
DO - 10.1111/ap.12452
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85078296627
JO - Australian Psychologist
JF - Australian Psychologist
SN - 0005-0067
ER -