Moran, PaulAtherton, FrancesBamber, SallyHulse, BethanCulshaw, Aisling A.2025-06-112025-06-112025-02Culshaw, A. A. (2025). Examining perspectives of school staff on trauma informed practice and its influence on ‘behaviour management’ – a case study analysis [Unpublished doctoral thesis]. University of Chester.http://hdl.handle.net/10034/629456This thesis seeks to examine the perspectives of school staff on trauma informed practice and its influence on behaviour management within schools. My primary objective was to solicit the perspectives of school staff on trauma informed practice and examine how they felt it influenced their school community, as well as any benefits or challenges associated with its implementation. The genesis of the study stemmed from my experiences as a family support worker and educator, where my observations of marginalisation and the effects of trauma and adversity on children’s educational experiences, prompted an exploration of alternative approaches to how behaviour is understood and managed in schools. The concept of trauma informed practice and its restorative and reparative functions (McCluskey, 2018; Zehr, 2002; Evanovich et al., 2020; Mullet, 2014; United Nations, 2006) sparked an inquiry into whether such practices might offer a more compassionate and nurturing framework for supporting behaviour in schools, in contrast to punitive measures and zero-tolerance policies. To delve deeper into this research inquiry, I conducted a qualitative case study in a school that self-identified as trauma informed. To contextualise my study within current scholarly discourse on educational practice, I employed Foucauldian notions of power and knowledge (Foucault, 1977) to illuminate the various dynamics which shape how behaviour is managed in schools, both within the school and beyond. Furthermore, the theoretical frameworks of further key thinkers such as Bronfenbrenner and Bourdieu, helped to situate the concept of behaviour management in schools within broader societal and environmental influences and systemic beliefs. I employed an interpretive approach, utilising inductive reasoning to analyse interview data collected from school staff, followed by applying Braun and Clarkes reflexive thematic analysis (2006;2019) method, to select overarching themes detailing the importance of school staff demonstrating mutual respect, empathy, and effective leadership and support in fostering a trauma informed ethos within the school. My research identified that for effective learning to occur in schools, a framework of expansive learning, where continuous professional development and collaborative learning is prioritised, is central to this process. In response to these insights, and to propose a structured pathway for implementing alternative practice in schools, I used Engeström’s expansive learning cycle (2001), alongside a later adaptation by Lindley and Lotz-Sisitika (2019), to create ‘Engeström’s Expansive Learning Cycle – Suppor􀆟ng Trauma Informed Prac􀆟ce in Schools’. Whilst my study highlighted the positive influence of trauma informed practices within the school, it also underscored the challenges faced in maintaining such practices amidst demands for performativity and bureaucratic measures in education. Despite these challenges, my study exhibits the transformative potential of trauma informed practice in supporting staff to promote empathy, respect and understanding within school communities. As such, my study presents as a valuable resource for educators and policymakers seeking to create a more inclusive and equitable education environment for staff, children, and their families, particularly those who have been impacted by trauma or adversity.enAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/TraumaSchoolStaffThesis or dissertation2025-07-09Awaiting the Awards BoardThe full-text may be used and/or reproduced in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes provided that: - A full bibliographic reference is made to the original source - A link is made to the metadata record in ChesterRep - The full-text is not changed in any way - The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. - For more information please email researchsupport.lis@chester.ac.uk