✋ 5 Misconceptions About Trauma-Informed Practice
Debunking Common Myths About Trauma-Informed Practice in Schools, What Educators Need to Know
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Weekly strategies and insights for professionals supporting children with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs.
I’m Kieran, a former teacher and current Youth Justice Education Officer. Each week, I share evidence-informed tools, practical advice, and real-world reflections to help you create safer, more inclusive learning environments.
📌 In this post: I’m debunking some myths I’ve heard about being Trauma-Informed.
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Trauma-informed practice has become a buzzword in many schools, but what does it actually mean?
And more importantly, what does it not mean?
Let’s bust five common myths I often hear in staff rooms, training sessions, and policy documents 👇
❌ Misconception 1: “It means being soft or letting children get away with things.”
This is a biggie. Trauma-informed doesn’t mean being overly nice or avoiding boundaries. It means recognising that behaviour is communication, especially when it’s challenging.
A child who shouts, walks out, or withdraws is telling us something. Trauma-informed practice asks:
“What’s happened to this child?”
Instead of: “This child is always poorly behaved!”
🧠 Boundaries still exist, but they’re done with the child, not to them.
❌ Misconception 2: “It’s only for children who’ve experienced trauma.”
Nope. Trauma-informed approaches benefit every single pupil in your school 🏫
Why?
Because safety, connection, and consistency help all children thrive, not just those who’ve faced adversity. Plus, many children won’t disclose their trauma (or may not even recognise it), so universal trauma-informed practice makes your setting safer for everyone.
Think of it like ramps for wheelchair access, helpful for some, but beneficial for many (think: prams, crutches, luggage!).
❌ Misconception 3: “It’s only something teachers need to do.”
Trauma-informed practice is a whole-school culture.
It’s not just about classroom management. It’s about how we speak to each other, interaction, every day.
This includes:
🧑🍳 Kitchen staff
📞 Office admins
🧽 Cleaning teams
🧑🎓 Pupils you don’t teach
👀 Visitors and parents
🧑🏫 SLT and support staff
Here are some quick sentence swaps anyone can use today:
Instead of: “Stop fidgeting!
Try this: “I noticed you’re fidgeting. Is there something that would help you feel more comfortable?”
Instead of: “You’re late again!”
Try: “I’m glad you made it in. Is everything okay this morning?”
Instead of: “That’s not how we behave here.”
Try: “We’re here to keep everyone safe. Can I help you with that right now?”
❌ Misconception 4: “Once I’ve done the CPD, I’m trauma-informed.”
🛑 Trauma-informed isn’t a tick-box. It’s a way of being.
A one-off INSET won’t do it, because this work challenges our instincts, our systems, and often our own triggers.
It’s ongoing. It takes reflection. And it takes support from your setting to embed properly.
Here are 3 things you can start doing today that move you closer:
✅ Swap “Why are you doing that?” for “I noticed you’re doing X, is something going on, or is there something I can do to help?”
✅ Pause before responding to challenging behaviour. Take a breath. Ask: “Am I reacting, or responding?”
✅ Seek connection before correction. Can you check in before the lesson, meet them at the door, or simply greet them by name?
❌ Misconception 5: “It’s just about managing behaviour.”
Trauma-informed practice isn’t behaviour management. It’s relationship-building 🧩
Yes, it helps with behaviour, but that’s a byproduct, not the goal.
The goal is to create safe, regulated, and trusting environments where every child feels seen, heard, and valued.
This helps reduce exclusions, build resilience, and improve outcomes, especially for those who are often misunderstood or mislabelled.
🔁 Final Thoughts
Being trauma-informed is challenging, but it’s not impossible.
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to start.
Start with how you speak to pupils, how you handle stress, and how you support your colleagues, one interaction at a time.
✨ It's not about being soft. It's about being safe.
💬 Over to you…
Which of these 5 misconceptions have you heard in your school?
What helps you stay grounded in trauma-informed approaches on tough days?
Hit reply or drop a comment, I'd love to hear from you 💛
I’ve recently appeared on another Substack! If you haven’t already seen it, follow this link here.
I collaborated with Laura from Glimmers in Education. If you’ve not already seen her work, I’d recommend taking a look! She’s a great writer, focusing on English & Writing, but also posts about many other topics in Education!
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