Warning: The content on this website discusses trauma and may be distressing to some readers. If you find this topic distressing, please prioritise your well-being and choose whether to engage with the material.
It seems like we hear about trauma everywhere these days, including in the EYLF V2.0.* This framework lays out what is expected of early childhood education (ECE) service providers, teachers, and educators and describes trauma-informed practice as a responsive practice relating to childhood trauma. This is an important new inclusion.
However, trauma does not only impact children. It impacts all people. A trauma-informed approach in ECE should therefore acknowledge the prevalence of trauma more broadly, including its impact on service providers, teachers and educators, and its impact on teachers’ and educators’ interactions with children, families, and colleagues.
From this perspective, trauma-informed practice must include supportive strategies that promote therapeutic spaces across the entire ECE service to create a responsive educational environment for children. However, achieving this in practice is complex. Addressing trauma in the early years requires specialised knowledge and skills, most of which are not included in teacher education programs and are costly if accessed via professional learning programs. Many professional learning programs also focus exclusively on developing practitioners’ skills for responding to child behaviours arising from trauma.
We invite you to join us for a program of experiences that have been designed using interdisciplinary perspectives and that will support you to navigate the emotional journey of implementing trauma-informed practice in early childhood settings. The program consists of a series of free online and face-to-face events, with associated resources, that will include an on-campus symposium at Charles Sturt University Albury-Wodonga in 2025.
Across all events, we prioritise the wellbeing of those working in, or studying to work in, early childhood settings. Together, let’s slow down, listen from the heart, and challenge traditional curricula to create spaces of unconditional positive regard. We see you. We hear you. We understand the layers of complexities you face. We care.
At the on-campus gathering you will meet others who share your passion. You will have time to experience techniques for deeper exploration and learning.
We are continually creating content and adding it to the website and a range of topics will be explored including:
*Reference
Australian Government Department of Education (2022). Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (V2.0). Australian Government Department of Education for the Ministerial Council.
