Secondary School Staff Perspectives on Psychological Trauma in Students from Refugee Backgrounds

Abstract

Ongoing conflict in parts of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa has resulted in the resettlement of several thousand people from refugee backgrounds in Australia, and the enrolment of many students from refugee backgrounds into Australian secondary schools. Many of these refugee students have experienced traumatic events, and may be undertaking their schooling whilst bearing the ongoing effects of psychological trauma. As a result, teaching and support staff in schools are under increasing pressure to cater for a growing diversity of students with complex needs. Using a qualitative methodology, this study explored the perspectives of ten teachers and support staff working in South Australian public secondary schools to shed light on how staff understand trauma, how trauma affects refugees in the secondary school setting, and what challenges are associated with supporting refugee students. Thematic Analysis was used to generate three themes: “Those Things are Really Going to Impact on You,” “I Can See the Trauma,” and “There’s No Support.” This study provides insight into how staff conceptualise the connection between traumatic events and psychological trauma, the ways in which psychological impacts of trauma are seen to behaviourally manifest in the secondary school setting, and the systemic barriers and facilitators to providing refugee students with adequate support. Findings have the potential to inform systemic changes that could be made in the South Australian public secondary education system to improve support for both refugee students and their teaching and support staff.