Delivered within Oldfleet Primary School and Thrive Co-operative Learning Trust, the HU9 Pilot worked with teaching staff and local therapeutic provider Time to Listen to train and support staff to adopt a trauma-informed approach to better meet the emotional wellbeing needs of students. The HU9 ward was specifically selected due to elevated levels of deprivation and reported domestic abuse.
Led by Dr Victoria Burton (Principal Investigator), with Dr Helen Gibson and Sarah Donkin, the University of Hull’s evaluation team presented the phase 2 findings at the dissemination event. The impact of the approach has been significant, with staff attitudes to understanding trauma and their confidence increasing substantially over the 3-year evaluation period. Staff involved in the HU9 Pilot also have a high level of hope that they can make a difference to children.
Dr Victoria Burton commented: “This has been a fantastic, collaborative project between the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Humberside, Oldfleet Primary School, the University of Hull and Time to Listen. The evaluation outcomes suggest when trauma-informed approaches are done well and safely, there are benefits for all children and staff, demonstrating improved understandings of trauma, alongside enhanced support and compassion for children.
“Evidence also suggested that staff felt better able to support young people and make a difference to their lives and were better equipped to deal with the impact of secondary trauma on themselves, which can help to protect against burnout.”
The OPCC funded the work as part of their public health approach to preventing domestic abuse. To assess the effectiveness of the initiative, the University of Hull was commissioned to evaluate the pilot training package with a particular focus on how the model could be scaled up. The project aimed to understand how the training package helped staff to understand trauma, the impact on young people and the ways in which staff responded to and supported trauma-experienced young people.
Jonathan Evison, Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside, said: “The evaluation team at the University of Hull has produced an insightful report that identifies the first green shoots of progress towards trauma-informed schools. We’re not interested in short-term or tick-the-box interventions. We want to create sustainable, long-term positive change with a trauma-informed approach to help prevent children and young people from the harm of domestic abuse and other serious violence.”
Children attending school may have been exposed to a range of traumatic experiences including bereavement, mental health issues, abuse, substance misuse, domestic abuse and all the pervasive impact of poverty. A trauma-informed approach to education recognises the likely impact of traumatic experiences on child development and behaviour. It seeks to respond sensitively while making sure school systems and practices do not retraumatise children.
Research has previously established a link between childhood trauma and the long-term effects on health and education. The findings from the HU9 Pilot offer unique insights into the support that educational staff can offer young people and the impact of dealing with trauma.
Click the button below to read the initial report and current recommendations.
