Understanding childhood trauma and supportive sporting environments

In Australia, millions of people of all ages have experienced trauma or are affected by it in some way.

As a coach, there's a good chance you've already worked with children or young people who have been through trauma, even if it hasn’t been obvious.

To support these young people, we need to create environments that feel safe, supportive, and inclusive. And that starts with becoming trauma-informed.

These resources were developed as part of the partnership between the Department for Child Protection and the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing to provide the community sport and recreation sector with an understanding of the needs of children and young people who may have experienced trauma, as well as with a range of practical trauma-informed strategies and tools tailored for use in sport and recreation settings.

As a coach or volunteer, you’re not expect to have all the answers. But by showing up with empathy and understanding, and equipping yourself with a little bit of knowledge about trauma and how the brain works, you can make a lasting difference in a child’s life.

Trauma Training Learning Package

Additional Resources

Do you want to know more?

The Centre for Healing and Justice Through Sport has resources as well as a ‘Nothing Heals like Sport – A Playbook for Coaches’ guide full of coaching tools.

Centre for Healing and Justice through Sport. (n.d.) Nothing Heals like Sport: a new playbook for coaches. https://chjs.org/resources/read-nothing-heals-like-sport-a-new-playbook-for-coaches/.

Australian Sports Commission. Modern Coaching Approach: Shaping the future of community sport in Australia. [Fact sheet]. https://www.sportaus.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/1048302/Modern-Coaching-Approach-fact-sheet.pdf.

Ayre, K. & Krishnamoorthy, G. (2020). Trauma informed behaviour support: A practical guide to developing resilient learners. Toowoomba: University of Southern Queensland. https://usq.pressbooks.pub/traumainformedpractice/.

Batlle, I.C. (2017). ‘It’s not what sport children play, but how they play it that matters’. The Conversation [news article]. https://theconversation.com/its-not-what-sport-children-play-but-how-they-play-it-that-matters-72827.

Bruce, L. et. al. (2019). Physical activity engagement among young people living in the care system: A narrative review of the literature. Children and Youth Services Review, vol. 103, pp. 218-225.

Centre for Excellence in Therapeutic Care & Department for Child Protection. Caring for children and young people with trauma – for foster carers. [Training manual].

Cowan, N. (2014). Working Memory Underpins Cognitive Development, Learning, and Education. Educ Psychol Rev. 1;26(2):197-223.

de Thierry, B. (2016). The Simple Guide to Child Trauma: What it is and how to help. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Department for Child Protection & Berry Street. Trauma Awareness – Level 1. [DCP online learning module].

Emerging Minds. 24 January 2018. What is trauma? [video]. https://emergingminds.com.au/news/what-is-trauma/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_4aE8Ka-hgMVtalmAh0bRyX7EAAYAiAAEgLJNfD_BwE.

Emerging Minds. (n.d.) The impact of trauma on the child [eLearning module]. https://learning.emergingminds.com.au/course/the-impact-of-trauma-on-the-child.

Emerging Minds. (n.d.) Supporting children who have experienced trauma [eLearning module]. https://learning.emergingminds.com.au/course/supporting-children-who-have-experienced-trauma

Hughes, D. & Baylin, J. (2012). Brain-based parenting: The neuroscience of caregiving for healthy attachment. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

Hunt, R. & Cox, A. (2024, 28 August). Stories from Berry Street: Episode 2 Healing childhood trauma. [Podcast]. https://www.berrystreet.org.au/about-us/stories-from-berry-street-podcast/healing-childhood-trauma-ep-2.

Kezelman, C. & Stavropoulos, P. (2017). Talking about trauma: Guide to everyday conversations for the general public. Blue Knot Foundation.

Ludy-Dobson, C.R. & Perry, B.D. (2010).The role of healthy relational interactions in buffering the impact of childhood trauma.In Gil, E. (Ed.), Working with children to heal interpersonal trauma: The power of play. New York: The Guilford Press. 26–43.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (n.d.). Complex Trauma—Effects. https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/complex-trauma/effects.

Perry, B.D. (2006). The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics:  Applying principles of neuroscience to clinical work with traumatized and maltreated children. In Webb, N.B. (Ed.), Working with Traumatized Youth in Child Welfare. New York: The Guilford Press. 27-52.

Perry, B. & Winfrey, O. (2021). ‘What Happened To You?’: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing. London: Pan Macmillan.

Siegel, D.J. & Hartzell, M. (2014). Parenting from the Inside Out: How a deeper self-understanding can help you raise children who thrive. Penguin Random House.

Wade T.J., Bowden J., Jane Sites H. (2017). Child Maltreatment and Motor Coordination Deficits among Preschool Children. J Child Adolesc Trauma. 11;11(2):159-162.