Key points
- A Monash-led review identifies schools as an effective environment for delivering trauma support to students exposed to conflict and war
- Research highlights that "wraparound" care involving teachers and parents is more effective than isolated clinical therapy
- Experts call for greater investment in culturally adapted trauma-informed programs to support Australia's refugee student population.
As global displacement reaches record levels, new research from Monash University has found that the classroom is a vital environment for helping children recover from the psychological scars of war.
The study, published in Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, reviewed global interventions for students aged 3-18 who have experienced war or armed conflict. It found that school-based programs are uniquely positioned to restore a sense of safety, routine and normalcy for child survivors, many of whom may never access traditional mental health services.
Associate Professor Emily Berger, from the Faculty of Education, says that while schools are the ideal setting for support, many educators feel under-equipped to handle the complex trauma of displaced students.
"Our research shows that when we integrate mental health support into the daily classroom experience through trauma-informed education, we aren't just teaching, we are providing a lifeline for recovery," Associate Professor Berger said.
"The evidence suggests that the most successful interventions are those that involve the whole school community, ensuring that teachers and parents are supported alongside the students to create a 'wraparound' environment of safety."
As Australia welcomes thousands of humanitarian migrants from regions such as Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan, the research highlights that schools play a role far beyond academic instruction. For many newly arrived children, the classroom offers a stable environment, making it an ideal setting for delivering trauma-informed support.
Co-Director of the Monash Virtual School, Professor Michael Phillips, noted that the use of digital tools and creative arts can bridge linguistic and cultural barriers often faced by refugee students.
"By using diverse methods like storying and arts-based interventions within a trauma-informed framework, schools can help students process their experiences in ways that traditional talk therapy might not reach," Professor Phillips said.
The researchers are calling for a national shift in educational policy to prioritise the implementation of evidence-based, culturally adapted trauma-informed care in Australian schools.
Read the research paper: https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380261439144
