About this professional learning
Trauma-informed educational organisations provide an environment that is free of stigma, assists recovery and promotes healing, nurturing, resilience, and connection. This provides a safe and predictable environment for children who are suffering trauma.
Trauma training is a reflective and ongoing process. It provides teachers and educators with an opportunity to understand and implement practices that assist in supporting and improving both learning outcomes and the social and emotional wellbeing of traumatised children.
Children affected by trauma who attend an early learning centre or primary school may exhibit behaviours such as hypervigilance, difficulty trusting others, self-destructive tendencies, secrecy, challenges in forming friendships, a heightened focus on survival, or seeming unusually mature for their age.
This online workshop will assist you to deepen your knowledge through a trauma informed lens of the above-mentioned behaviours, implement trauma-sensitive strategies, and respond effectively to the needs of traumatised children in your educational environment.
What you will take away from this professional learning:
- A deeper understanding of brain development and how trauma impacts a child’s neurobiological functioning.
- The effects of trauma on the nervous system by examining Polyvagal Theory (fight, flight, freeze) and how these responses manifest in children experiencing trauma.
- How to create predictable, supportive and safe trauma-sensitive educational environments with clearly communicated expectations and routines.
- Understanding the crucial role of emotional regulation and boundaries in a child’s recovery with strategies to assist children identify and manage their emotions.
- Initiate and share meaningful conversations and actions with children displaying the possible impact of trauma through distressed behaviour to create a sense of belonging and connection.
- Continuous reflection on your body language and spoken words with possible traumatised children to recognise potential triggers and prevent re-traumatisation.
- Develop Individual Education Plans (IEPs) based on a child’s strength and learning style, while recognising the importance of input, review, and collaboration with families and other professionals.
- Learn key ethical considerations when working with traumatised children in educational settings.
Details
Date: Friday, 24 October 2025.
Time: 9:30am to 2:30pm (AEDT).
Location: Online webinar. Attendees will receive their webinar access details the week of each webinar.
Speakers: Heather Irvine-Rundle ,clinical psychologist and director of The READ Clinic and Dr Mary Jo McVeigh OAM, social worker, director and founder of Cara House.
Ticket price: $250 per person, including GST.
Booking form: Download the booking form.
Purchase tickets: Purchase tickets
If you would like to purchase your ticket via bank transfer, please email (info@committedtochildcareconferences.com) the team and we will send you our banking details.
Who is this professional development suitable for?
This professional learning is suitable for all early learning and primary school professionals. This includes educators, teachers, SLSOs and support teams.
What’s included?
All participants will receive a copy of the slides and a certificate of completion.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
This presentation may meet the following Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:
Standard 1 – Know students and how they learn.
Standard 4 – Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments.
Standard 6 – Engage in professional learning.
About the speakers
Heather Irvine-Rundle
Heather is a senior clinical psychologist and the director of The READ Clinic, which is one of the largest psychology practises in Australia. As well as practising in Australia, Heather has also spent three years in the UK working with some of the most deprived families in Liverpool and London. She also led a service providing advice and consultations on mental health to all the schools in the South London area.As well as practicing for 19 years Heather has also found time to become a published author with her latest book Hello Baby. Heather speaks regularly on local ABC radio, has appeared on a number of television shows including 60 Minutes, and writes regular articles for print and digital media.
Dr Mary Jo McVeigh OAM
Mary Jo is the founding CEO of Cara House, which is one of Sydney’s leading trauma consulting and training agencies. She has worked in the field of trauma and child protection for nearly 40 years in Belfast, London, Auckland and Sydney.
Mary Jo has a Masters in Social Work and is a trained trauma therapist. She is recognised as an expert in the field of child protection, trauma therapy and leadership coaching.
Mary Jo is a lecturer at the University of Sydney and most recently completed a research PhD in Social Work at the university, focusing on children’s rights and participatory values.
Find out more about Dr Mary Jo McVeigh
Registration policy
Read our registration policy.