Student Learning & Wellbeing

Understanding Responses to Traumatic Experiences

Stress responses and common reactions in young people

  1. Whilst this link is for parents, educators will find this booklet helpful in understanding how to identify and support young people aged 5 to 25yrs responding to a crisis Red Cross: Helping children and young people cope
  2. When might a student need more help from professionals? Emerging Minds: When to get help
  3. The Emerging Minds Community Trauma Toolkit is grouped into the timeframes surrounding a natural disaster or traumatic event: preparedness; immediate; short-term recovery; and long-term recovery. The resources are tailored to a range of audiences including Parents and Caregivers, and Educators, which you can select after choosing your timeline:

Immediate - 0-4 weeks after a disaster or traumatic event

Short term - 1-4 months following a disaster or traumatic event

Long term - four months or more after a disaster or traumatic event

Ongoing -disaster or trauma that continues for months or years

Student Learning, Teaching & Wellbeing

Supporting Students to Cope with the impact of the Bushfires

Over the coming weeks there will continue to be much discussion and media coverage on the devastating impact of the recent bushfires. There will be many students who will wish to share their experiences and discuss the recent events. There will also be many students very concerned about the impact on the environment and will feel the need for action and discussion on a global, national and local level. Navigating these conversations in the classroom will need to be done with great sensitivity as some students will find the discussions distressing and it may be difficult to determine the level of distress students are experiencing.

Research indicates that for children and young people who have had a traumatic response to an event such as the recent bush fires, returning to 'normal' with regular school and home routines is very important.

A few things to consider:

  • Some students will be a bit more emotional than usual, they might have big reactions to things or need extra help getting organised at school or completing home work.
  • We need to acknowledge the recent bush fires and their devastating impact but it is also very important to try to avoid exposing students to unnecessary media coverage of the event or sharing images of the fires as this could result in re-traumatising through triggers. Teacher initiated whole class in-depth discussions on the bush fires or lessons centred around the bush fires is not advisable.
  • Be careful not to make assumptions about how students are feeling or coping – it’s better to ask them or observe behaviour patterns and changes. If you notice a student in your class is having difficulty in the coming weeks, check in with them (or their parent) and if necessary, consult with the school counsellor.
  • If students express concern or distress about the recent events, let them know that any anxiety they’re feeling is understandable and a normal response. When there’s a threat, their amygdala kicks in, and that means it’s working as it should be.
  • Be mindful of age appropriate conversations regarding the environment.
  • Some students will feel the need to take action, this is a positive way for them to channel their feelings into something positive and productive, e.g. by supporting local initiatives such as requests for practical assistance or raising funds.

Finally, during this time of recovery, it is vital to take an optimistic and positive approach . Most importantly, school can be a safe place, helping students to feel safe by showing empathy and awareness.


General tips for supporting students (excerpt from NSW Department of Education website):

The ways to support students after a traumatic event are:

  • Listen/Look – listen to the student’s story and look for changes in their behaviour and check in regularly with any students that you are worried about.
  • Protect – remind and reassure them school is a safe place to be.
  • Connect – return to classroom/school routines and activities as soon as possible.
  • Explore ways to links students together if they have been relocated.
  • Encourage students to reach out to friends for support as well as adults.
  • Answer questions in a simple honest way, using language that is age-appropriate.
  • Highlight your student’s and communities’ strengths and resilience, be hopeful and optimistic for the future.
  • Provide information about access to student counselling services and other outside school support services such as headspace/Kids Helpline.
  • Any staff concerned about a particular student should consult with the school counselling and support staff.


Talking about the traumatic event

The following information is an excerpt from Emerging Minds resource How educators can help in the classroom, this three page factsheet is highly recommended for educators.

There is a common misconception that talking about the traumatic event can cause more problems or lead a child to develop distress reactions. Although it is important to consider how you talk to the young person who has experienced trauma (and what sort of reactions and coping strategies you model), talking about the traumatic event and the child’s feelings does not generally lead the child to develop problems.

Tips for talking to children about the trauma or natural disaster:

  • Place rules around ‘disaster talk’ to limit potential modelling of distress and inappropriate coping mechanisms (e.g. set 10 minutes at the start of class for talking about the disaster).
  • Contain any conversations which encourage fear. Remain calm and convey a clear message that the threat/danger is over, and that now the focus is on recovery and rebuilding.
  • Schedule these sessions when you have some extra support in the classroom. An aide may provide support for both the educator and students if needed.
  • It is very important for educators to maintain the ‘educator’ role as they support the child. Remember you can draw on other supports within the school if you feel a child needs extra support.
  • Focus on positive changes, as well as the strengths and positive coping strategies the child has demonstrated since the traumatic event.
  • For younger children, talking about the event may be difficult. Some children might respond better to drawing or playing games as a way of communicating.
  • For older children, talking can include more complex issues and how they have affected the family.
  • Talking can still be a useful exercise for children who have lost loved ones during the event. It is important, however, to be aware of the child’s circumstances where possible to pre-empt and plan for emotional reactions.


Australian Red Cross 'Emergency Recovery Lesson Plans'

The Red Cross have partnered with teachers and a psychologist experienced in emergency recovery, and experienced emergency managers to develop a suite of lesson plans with content designed to assist students to reflect on what has happened and be aware of the feelings they may have after an emergency.

Important note: It is recommended that you seek the advice of a school counsellor or psychologist before proceeding with these lesson plans as your students may have experienced a variety of emergencies and may have varying degrees of psychological stress. When doing so, discuss what reactions might be expected from students who have experienced an emergency and what to implement if these reactions are displayed.

You should also inform parents that you are undertaking these activities, so that they can watch for any reactions and support their children.

Emergency Recovery Lesson Plans: Years 1 to 3

Emergency Recovery Lesson Plans: Years 4 to 6

Emergency Recovery Lesson Plans: Years 7 to 9

Emergency Recovery Lesson Plans: Years 10 to 12


Primary


Secondary

Useful Website links