Exploration of the Barriers and Enablers of Mainstream Classroom Teachers Accessing Professional Development on Trauma Informed Classroom Pedagogy: The Nativity of the Embrace Framework

Exploration of the Barriers and Enablers of Mainstream Classroom Teachers Accessing Professional Development on Trauma Informed Classroom Pedagogy: The Nativity of the Embrace Framework

Over the past decade, considerable focus has been on the classroom and disciplinary responses that disproportionately affect students enduring adversity and disadvantage. A considerable body of research exists that supports the relational approach of trauma informed practice to mitigate the effects of risk factors in the lives of children with developmental trauma. It is an area that emphasises the interpersonal skills of adults rather than focusing on the knowledge and behavioural skills of the child. As part of an Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods research project, this project explores the barriers and enablers for mainstream classroom teachers engaging in professional development.

This exegesis discusses the methodology, rationale, and results for this research project through examining the qualitative research process undertaken with a group of sixteen mainstream primary school teachers through semi-structured interviews. This is followed by a quantitative study consisting of a forty-item online survey with 300 teachers to determine if the results from the qualitative study can be attributed to a wider population. This research project is a thesis by publication with two of three articles published and the third paper submitted and under review by the journal at the time of submission of this exegesis.

These results are consistent with the literature and highlight the problem being greater than single classroom teacher practice and possibly are amendable with policymakers and leadership staff making changes to practice, policies, and frameworks at a sector and school level. These results have significant implications for future framework implementation in school settings and the researcher has contributed to practice and knowledge in the sector through the development of a framework titled, 'The Embrace Framework' that is informed by the findings from this research project.

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