Abstract
Exposure to different types of trauma has been associated with varying types and complexity of adverse outcomes, including adverse effects on cognitive functioning, attention, memory, academic performance, and school related behaviours. Educators are in a unique position to help learners who have experienced trauma, because they spend the majority of their time with learners. Educators are in a unique position to intervene and collaborate with parents, schools, and communities to assist children who have been impacted by trauma, (Mampane, 2018). The study was aimed at exploring teachers’ experiences with trauma informed care to support learners who have experienced trauma, and also to investigate what further support teachers may require to assist them in practising trauma-informed care within the school. Furthermore, it was aimed at exploring teachers’ understanding of the trauma informed care approach. This study used a single qualitative case study of a school in Diepsloot. According to Yin (2009), case studies are useful when an issue being investigated requires a more in-depth look and understanding, and they can also provide detailed information and insight for future research. Twelve teachers at the school were interviewed to get what their experiences with trauma informed care were. The findings of this study give an insight on how teachers are experiencing working with traumatised learners, and how are they experiencing trauma informed care within a classroom. It was found that almost half of the participants do not fully understand the role trauma informed care as an intervention to help learners who have been affected by trauma. The teachers who were interviewed indicated that they respond to the trauma of the learner through private conversations, referring to Life Orientation teachers, and referral to organisations outside the school. Furthermore, the participants pointed out that they need support from the school to better implement this model through training, workshops and counselling. Their experience with using the approach became a bit difficult because there is no specific policy within the school to help them work with learners and also to help them understand further what is required from them. Finally, the participants also pointed out that they found that the parents, and the outside environment hinder their efforts to assist learners who have experienced trauma, but nonetheless, they manage to continue supporting these learners.
M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)