Trauma-Informed Practice • Gowrie Victoria

What is Trauma-Informed Practice?

At Gowrie, we recognise that a trauma-informed approach is essential to supporting the wellbeing, development and learning of every child in our care. Trauma-informed practice invites educators to take a holistic view of each family, considering the many factors that shape how they experience the world.

Trauma in early childhood can be caused by a one-off event, such as a natural disaster, or by suffering from abuse, neglect or maltreatment. We support our teams connect contemporary theory and research with their practice, by translating this thinking into practical, everyday strategies they can apply with confidence. We then work collaboratively to capture and communicate what they have put into practice, and making it accessible to the wider sector.

Trauma-Informed Practice in our Centres

We build relationships with children and their families by grounding them in safety, trust, predictability and connection. This means:

predictable routines and gentle transition warnings, so children know what’s coming next, delivered with calm voices and unhurried body language
recognising behaviour as communication, and responding with curiosity rather than judgement instead of correction
strong, respectful and culturally sensitive communication with families to understand each child’s context and needs
educators managing their own stress and staying emotionally regulated, so they can model calm and support children’s co-regulation with children.

Professional Learning on Trauma-Informed Practice

Based on the experience in our services, we developed the Trauma-Informed Practice Guide with the Alannah & Madeline Foundation and other sector-leading experts. From this foundation, we created a specialised professional learning program for the sector. Developed with the Gowrie Broadmeadows Valley team, the program brings together a six-part eLearning course, workshops, webinars and coaching. In this program, you will learn to:

Identify different types of trauma and how they affect child development
Understand how trauma shapes the brain, behaviour, and relationships
Describe the core principles of trauma-informed practice in early childhood settings
Recognise how your own responses and environment impact a child’s sense of safety
Apply trauma-informed strategies in their daily practice

The program can be accessed via Coaching on the School Readiness Funding menu or as a standalone professional learning program.

School Readiness Funding (SRF) Coaching

How our teams use a trauma-informed approach

Our trauma-informed environment empowers children through consistency, respect, and understanding, fostering a strong sense of safety and belonging. This supports children to build confidence, actively participate and achieve positive learning outcomes.

Claudia

Early Years Leader

By educating using a trauma-informed lens we utilise the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ to best understand practices. Building trusting, respectful relationships with the family as a whole allows for children to feel safe and secure in their environment to ensure they can learn to their full potential. I know to educate children for the best outcomes I need to ensure I am regulated myself, so utilising strategies such as regulation walks, breathing techniques, debrief sessions with colleagues to regulate myself is crucial in my work to educate children.

Teagan

Practice Coach