Designed by dynamic duo Tony Vallance, Australian Education Awards, Teacher of the Year (2019) and Sian Chambers-Vallance, Creative Counsellor, Consultant and Clinical Play Therapist.

Short Description

Trauma SMART schools recognise that emotional intelligence and social-emotional skills are the foundation of improved student academic outcomes and resiliency.

If a brain has been affected by early trauma or prolonged stress, the wiring of the brain and nervous system can be affected. A student’s ability to focus, learn and recall can be greatly affected by prolonged stress or trauma. 

The Trauma Smart Schools Program builds capacity in the whole school community to create sustainable, lasting change. With evidence-based strategies and practical techniques, the training toolbox is designed to yield maximum outcomes to benefit your school community. Teachers, students and the parent community all receive relevant and accessible training as part of the Trauma Smart Schools Program. Upon completion, the school becomes accredited as a Building Better Brains Australia Trauma Smart School. 

The program will cover essential neuroscience and provide practical classroom, home and personal strategies to help your school build a sustainable, trauma informed school community. 

What’s inside?

Self-Paced Webinar Series (2 consultants) – Primary Schools Topics Covered:

Educator Session 1: The Brain and Behaviour Toolkit (2-Hour On-Demand Webinar)

Demystify behaviour as you explore essential neuroscience and interpersonal neurobiology for the classroom. Understand why behaviour is a symptom of a dysregulated nervous system and explore a range of evidenced based strategies that help improve safety, connection and regulation. 

Educator Session 2: The Elephant in the Room – Trauma and Toxic Stress (90-Minute Webinar)

We explore how trauma presents in the classroom, the neuroscience of trauma and toxic stress, how trauma affects brain, behaviour, learning, nervous system regulation and relationships and provide an evidenced based toolbox of strategies to aid dysregulation and grow safety and connection in your classroom.

Educator Session 3: Regulation Toolbox for Classroom Success (90-Minute Webinar)

Learn practical evidenced based strategies and tools to build calmer, more regulated classrooms and strengthen relationships which are the basis of pro social functioning and academic resilience. Tools include: rhythmic regulation, brain breaks, sensory tools, calm mind practice, Peace Spaces, music, breathing techniques, and movement. This can assist with transitions, dysregulated behaviours, switching on the ‘learning brain,’ and strengthening rapport and connection in the classroom.

Educator Session 4: Beyond Burnout – Sustainable Practice and Educator Self-Care (90-Minute Webinar)

Adults are the physiological anchor for the students in the room and do the essential support work with children of trauma and all others. In this workshop we explore how schools can build a foundation of wellbeing for their staff, address burnout and encourage sustainable, emotionally intelligent professional practice by becoming the role models for change, self-regulation, compassion and self care. Full of lots of practical and reflective activities this topic is an essential foundation for Trauma Smart Schools.

Every Trauma Smart Schools Full Day training package includes parent / caregiver workshop on Brain, Behaviour and Trauma for your community.

Parent Session: Demystifying Brain, Behaviour and Trauma – 90 minutes, 2 Presenters

Learn how stress and trauma impact brain and behaviour, regulation capacity and relationships. Explore practical ideas that can help restore regulation, calm, safety and connection to your family and help process the traumatic events. This workshop will be delivered LIVE online in an evening session so that it is most accessible to your parent/caregiver community.

Student Training Program: The Brain and Behaviour Super Skills Toolbox 

15-module structured class program with student manual, class activities and educational videos.

The Superskills Toolbox is designed to support your students with a broad range of age appropriate mental health issues facing them today and help empower your students to understand their own brain, behaviour and coping strategies available.

The Superskills Toolbox is designed to be easy to use by teachers and features fifteen core video modules and a practical reflection, team based activities and student manual. The accompanying student manual is available in pdf or editable pdf versions and collaborative tasks are to be completed by students after each module during class time.

This on demand, self paced, fully downloadable student centred program is an essential informative, collaborative and practical toolbox for all primary school students to help them deal with a broad range of age appropriate and mental health issues facing them today.

Topics include helping children understand their own brain and behaviour, stress responses, teaching coping and resourcing strategies, tools for building emotional intelligence, cognitive flexibility and calm brains…All delivered in a fun and engaging format.

A Training Certificate will be available upon completion.

Who is it for?

Whole School Communities – Educators, parents and students themselves.

These workshops are available as self directed online training for your community or as in person live workshops (or via zoom).

On demand webinars and the Student Superskills Classroom Program can also be purchased individually.