Key messages from the research
- Overall, school staff perceived training to have had a positive impact on their schools in a range of ways, including on pupil wellbeing and relationships, engagement and learning.
- Attachment and trauma awareness training is not a ‘quick fix’ – incorporating attachment and trauma awareness into a school’s ethos is an ongoing process rather than a one-off event and change is gradual.
- A whole-school approach promotes consistency of practice and can seed a school-wide ethos around attachment and trauma awareness.
- All schools should expect to face challenges along the way such as the logistics of training all staff; engaging resistant or reluctant staff members; and introducing new practice when schools face competing priorities and demands.
“It has to be evolution rather than revolution. Just as we’ve got to try and bring these kids along slowly, you have to bring members of staff along very slowly.”
"Not an intervention for half a dozen children, its actually how we can be inclusive in how we support all of our children."