This masterclass presents research findings and offers practice guidance for listening to children and creating safety in trauma-aware education.

Creating schools where children feel safe is a central goal of trauma aware education. Safety is essential for the prevention and healing of trauma. However, safety is a multifaceted, contextual, and abstract concept that is subjectively experienced. Therefore, to create safe schools for students, we need to involve children and young people in exploring contextual experiences of safety. Attendees of this master class will (1) hear from young participant-researchers, and (2) participate in experiential activities designed by Connected Self Wellbeing Services that support deep exploration of the experience of doing and being safe in school. Participants will walk away with new ideas, practices, and challenging questions to listen to and promote children’s experiences of safety.

The Trauma Aware School Village (TASV) is a pilot intervention taking a Tier 1 whole-of-school approach to trauma-aware education in primary schools. Children’s experiences of safety were prioritised and investigated through a classroom-based program for students, as well as creative research methods supported by participant researchers.

This master class will present the findings and practices from TASV that centre around ‘doing’ safe and ‘being’ safe. These findings challenge the assumption that school spaces are safe, or even neutral, and instead argue that trauma-aware education must include creating physical and social spaces that enable children to do safe things as well as be (and feel) safe.