Session 2I
Tracks
Track 9
| Friday, October 30, 2026 |
| 11:30 AM - 1:05 PM |
| Meeting room A2, Arbour Level |
Overview
Meeting Room A2
Speaker
Mrs Sally Burnett
Global Professional Instructor
Crisis Prevention Institute
Trauma Aware Educator Wellbeing
11:30 AM - 12:15 PMAbstract
Aim:
To explore the concept of the Trauma Aware Educator using well established frameworks, positioning educator wellbeing as both a professional responsibility and a key protective factor in safe, supportive learning environments.
Background/Context:
Educators increasingly support students affected by complex trauma and emotional dysregulation, yet the impact on their own wellbeing is often overlooked. Grounded in the core values of care, welfare, safety and security, this session draws on trauma-informed principles and neurobiological insights into secondary and vicarious trauma, alongside emerging practices that prioritise staff regulation and resilience.
Relevance:
This presentation highlights the critical link between educator regulation, relational safety, and behavioural escalation, while distinguishing between trauma-informed and trauma-responsive practice. It reinforces the need for whole-school approaches that extend trauma awareness to staff wellbeing.
Contribution:
The session contributes practical, preventative strategies aligned with recognised models to strengthen professional boundaries, reduce burnout, and support sustainable practice. It promotes a shift toward systemic approaches that embed educator wellbeing within trauma-informed frameworks.
Description:
Using a practice-informed approach, the session integrates theory, reflective prompts, and applied strategies. It explores early warning signs of compassion fatigue and provides examples of embedding regulation, peer support, and reflective practice into school culture.
Engagement:
Participants will engage through guided reflection, real-world scenarios, and interactive discussion, supporting translation of concepts into practical strategies for diverse educational settings.
To explore the concept of the Trauma Aware Educator using well established frameworks, positioning educator wellbeing as both a professional responsibility and a key protective factor in safe, supportive learning environments.
Background/Context:
Educators increasingly support students affected by complex trauma and emotional dysregulation, yet the impact on their own wellbeing is often overlooked. Grounded in the core values of care, welfare, safety and security, this session draws on trauma-informed principles and neurobiological insights into secondary and vicarious trauma, alongside emerging practices that prioritise staff regulation and resilience.
Relevance:
This presentation highlights the critical link between educator regulation, relational safety, and behavioural escalation, while distinguishing between trauma-informed and trauma-responsive practice. It reinforces the need for whole-school approaches that extend trauma awareness to staff wellbeing.
Contribution:
The session contributes practical, preventative strategies aligned with recognised models to strengthen professional boundaries, reduce burnout, and support sustainable practice. It promotes a shift toward systemic approaches that embed educator wellbeing within trauma-informed frameworks.
Description:
Using a practice-informed approach, the session integrates theory, reflective prompts, and applied strategies. It explores early warning signs of compassion fatigue and provides examples of embedding regulation, peer support, and reflective practice into school culture.
Engagement:
Participants will engage through guided reflection, real-world scenarios, and interactive discussion, supporting translation of concepts into practical strategies for diverse educational settings.
Biography
Sally Burnett is an experienced educator and healthcare professional with over 20 years working at the intersection of health, education, trauma-informed practice, and workforce capability development. Her work focuses on supporting professionals across education, health, disability, and community services to respond effectively to individuals impacted by trauma, complex needs, and emotional dysregulation. As an Educator, Sally has designed and delivered training that strengthens both clinical competence and relational practice, with a strong emphasis on safety, wellbeing, and regulation. She has extensive experience across diverse settings, including hospitals, schools, aged care, NDIS services, and community organisations. Sally is particularly passionate about building trauma-aware systems that prioritise both participant and educator wellbeing, recognising this as essential to sustainable practice and positive outcomes.
Mr Justin Roberts
National Program Director
The MacKillop Institute
Improving Educator Wellbeing Within Student-Centred Practice
12:20 PM - 1:05 PMAbstract
Aim:
To equip educators and leaders with a practical way to strengthen educator wellbeing within student-centred, trauma-aware practice so that adult emotional regulation and relational stability are sustainable.
Background/Context:
The complexity of inclusive educators' work mean they face elevated stress, emotional fatigue, burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Across more than 3,000 educators in schools implementing the ReLATE Education Model, educator professional quality of life has improved alongside ongoing work to strengthen trauma-aware and inclusive teaching and learning.
Relevance:
Trauma-aware education depends on adults who can remain emotionally regulated, predictable and relational during complexity. This session focuses on the educator conditions that make trauma aware and inclusive practice possible at both classroom and whole-school levels.
Contribution:
Participants will learn from ReLATE’s Educator Wellbeing Framework, which organises personal, relational and collective practices that build compassion satisfaction and reduce burnout and secondary traumatic stress through everyday practice and culture.
Description:
This presentation will highlight what helps educators stay attuned to student needs, emotionally regulated during and after stressful incidents, remain connected to purpose and community, and keep improving practice without carrying the work alone. It draws on ReLATE implementation examples and practical insights.
Engagement:
Attendees will be provided with new ways to improve educator wellbeing using practical, real-world examples drawn from everyday school situations. Participants will be invited to connect these examples to their own context and to identify next steps that strengthen educator professional quality of life and student safety in their setting.
To equip educators and leaders with a practical way to strengthen educator wellbeing within student-centred, trauma-aware practice so that adult emotional regulation and relational stability are sustainable.
Background/Context:
The complexity of inclusive educators' work mean they face elevated stress, emotional fatigue, burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Across more than 3,000 educators in schools implementing the ReLATE Education Model, educator professional quality of life has improved alongside ongoing work to strengthen trauma-aware and inclusive teaching and learning.
Relevance:
Trauma-aware education depends on adults who can remain emotionally regulated, predictable and relational during complexity. This session focuses on the educator conditions that make trauma aware and inclusive practice possible at both classroom and whole-school levels.
Contribution:
Participants will learn from ReLATE’s Educator Wellbeing Framework, which organises personal, relational and collective practices that build compassion satisfaction and reduce burnout and secondary traumatic stress through everyday practice and culture.
Description:
This presentation will highlight what helps educators stay attuned to student needs, emotionally regulated during and after stressful incidents, remain connected to purpose and community, and keep improving practice without carrying the work alone. It draws on ReLATE implementation examples and practical insights.
Engagement:
Attendees will be provided with new ways to improve educator wellbeing using practical, real-world examples drawn from everyday school situations. Participants will be invited to connect these examples to their own context and to identify next steps that strengthen educator professional quality of life and student safety in their setting.
Biography
Justin Roberts is a teacher, former Principal and National Program Director for ReLATE at The MacKillop Institute. With 18 years’ experience across mainstream and specialist P–12 settings, he brings practical expertise in inclusive, trauma aware education. Justin was a founding leader of MacKillop Education’s specialist schools, where he helped pioneer the ReLATE model to support students disengaged from mainstream schooling. Now he works with schools nationally to embed the ReLATE Education Model, strengthening whole school wellbeing and student engagement through clear, evidence-informed practices.
