Trauma-Informed Schools in a Fragmented Policy Landscape: Evidence and Implications for Newcomer Students

Abstract

In a policy context characterized by both supportive initiatives (e.g., school-based mental health services) and enforcement-oriented approaches that may contribute to student stress, schools are increasingly tasked with addressing trauma-related needs. A rapid umbrella review was conducted on existing systematic reviews of trauma-informed school practices. The umbrella review synthesized findings from multiple systematic reviews to provide a comprehensive assessment of the evidence, identify areas of consensus or inconsistency, and explain discrepancies across studies. Fifteen reviews met the inclusion criteria of a systematic or scoping review of mental health and academic outcomes associated with trauma-informed school practices. Nine of these included studies with newcomer students. Overall, most reviews reported positive associations between trauma-informed practices and student outcomes, including reductions in trauma symptoms and behavioral problems, as well as improvements in resilience, engagement, and academic performance. Evidence was strongest for targeted clinical interventions delivered by trained mental health professionals, while classroom and schoolwide approaches showed promising but less conclusive results due to methodological limitations. Findings suggest that while trauma-informed approaches are beneficial, their implementation remains fragmented and often incremental. Greater attention to cultural, linguistic, and relational dimensions of displacement, along with improved cross-system coordination and rigorous evaluation, is needed. Trauma-informed school practices represent a promising but underdeveloped strategy for supporting newcomer students within complex and evolving policy environments.

1. Introduction

Globally, unprecedented levels of forced displacement have prompted governments to develop policies that manage population movement, determine legal status, regulate access to services, and define pathways to integration. Within this context, education policies—the laws, regulations and funding mechanisms that govern how educational systems operate—play a critical role in shaping opportunities for learning, social inclusion, and long-term mobility. However, educational access and experiences are often influenced by broader migration policies, public discourses, and institutional practices that may either facilitate or constrain participation. Across countries, newcomer students encounter varying degrees of inclusion, protection, and support, reflecting differences in national priorities, political climates, and educational systems. These dynamics raise important questions about how education policies define access and opportunity, how they influence the lived experiences of newcomer students, and how schools respond to issues of equity, language, belonging, and integration. Understanding these relationships is essential as educators and policymakers seek to create learning environments that support the educational success and well-being of newcomer student populations.

Schools are increasingly recognized as critical institutions for supporting the educational success, social inclusion, and long-term integration of newcomer students. Despite policies promoting educational access, these students often face disproportionate challenges related to trauma exposure, displacement, language acquisition, interrupted schooling, discrimination, and socioeconomic disadvantage (Dryden-Peterson 2016; Taylor and Sidhu 2012). Research consistently documents gaps in academic achievement, school belonging, and access to support services among newcomer learners, highlighting the importance of educational approaches that address both psychosocial well-being and learning outcomes (Dryden-Peterson 2016; Koyama and Turan, forthcoming; Taylor and Sidhu 2012). Trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices may therefore play an important role in helping schools meet the complex needs of newcomer students.

In this policy context, trauma-informed school practices that recognize how trauma (such as abuse, violence, or chronic stress) impacts a student’s nervous system, behavior, and ability to learn are especially important for newcomer students, who may experience traumatic events before, during, and/or after migration such as violence, family separation, and bullying. Such traumatic experiences can significantly affect learning and behavior (Bailey et al. 2023). Integrating a trauma-informed approach is essential to building successful relationships with students (Bartlett and Bajaj 2023). Trauma-informed practices shift how educators interpret and respond to student behavior. Rather than viewing disengagement, withdrawal, or behavioral challenges as defiance or lack of motivation, trauma-informed approaches recognize these as adaptive responses to stress and disrupted environments. By emphasizing relationship-building, emotional regulation, and culturally responsive support, trauma-informed schools help restore a sense of trust and stability that is foundational for both learning and mental health.

Over the past decade, schools have increasingly adopted trauma-informed frameworks, often integrating them with existing initiatives such as multi-tiered systems of support, social–emotional learning, school safety efforts, and school climate improvement strategies. Historically, school responses to trauma focused on individual clinical interventions, later expanding to include peer support and psychoeducation models that emphasize understanding the effects of stress on well-being. While school-based clinical interventions resemble traditional mental health treatment, trauma-informed schools represent a broader organizational approach (Watson and Astor 2025). A trauma-informed school is one in which all members of the community, including educators, administrators, staff, students, families, and community partners, understand and respond to the behavioral, emotional, relational, and academic effects of trauma on individuals within the school (National Child Traumatic Stress Network 2017).

Concurrently, research on the impacts of trauma-informed school practices has expanded greatly in the past ten years, with the publication of more than a dozen systematic reviews. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to synthesize these findings, particularly as they relate to newcomer children. The research question is: Do trauma-informed school practices lead to improved mental health and academic outcomes in newcomer children?

2. Materials and Methods

A rapid umbrella review was conducted. Rapid umbrella reviews synthesize findings from multiple systematic reviews to provide a comprehensive assessment of the evidence on a topic, identify areas of consensus or inconsistency, and explain discrepancies across studies. Their growing use reflects both the increasing volume of published systematic reviews and the demand for timely evidence to inform policy and practice, making them an efficient approach for summarizing existing knowledge without duplicating prior review efforts. Rapid reviews are a streamlined approach to evidence synthesis that attempt to accommodate evidence-informed decisions quickly. The guidelines for conducting umbrella reviews include defining the research question(s); systematically searching the literature for systematic reviews on the topic; setting inclusion and exclusion criteria; extracting and organizing data; and integrating conclusions using evidence synthesis (Aromataris et al. 2024). In this review, the primary rapid adaptation was that the author as sole researcher conducted all stages of the review, including study search and screen, data extraction, and synthesis. Further, the quality of the systematic reviews was not evaluated. Additionally, since this study did not aim to produce quantitative estimates, overlaps among the primary studies within the reviews were not assessed.

Searches were conducted in EBSCO, ERIC, and Google Scholar using the string “(review OR meta-analysis) AND “(trauma informed schools OR trauma sensitive schools OR trauma aware schools)”. These databases were selected because they provide broad coverage of education, psychology, social work, and mental health research, while also capturing relevant peer-reviewed and gray literature on trauma-informed school practices. Studies were included if they were systematic or scoping reviews of students’ mental health and academic outcomes associated with trauma-informed school practices, published since 2015. After study selection, data were extracted on study characteristics including settings, student populations, the trauma-informed practice(s), and outcomes. Following data extraction, findings from the included reviews were organized according to the type of trauma-informed intervention (clinical, classroom-based, and schoolwide approaches) and the outcomes examined (e.g., mental health, behavior, academic functioning, and educator outcomes). Similarities and differences across reviews were then identified and synthesized narratively to summarize the overall state of the evidence.

3. Results

The initial search identified 68 potential studies for inclusion. After removing duplicates, 61 studies were screened by title and abstract. Of these, 45 were excluded due to not meeting the inclusion criteria, and 16 were reviewed in full text. Fifteen were determined eligible for inclusion and data extraction. Study details are shown in

Table 1. Included Studies.

Study	Review Objective(s)	Number of Studies Included	Type(s) of Studies Included	Countries of Studies Included	Newcomer Students Included	Student Characteristics	Intervention Description	Findings	Authors’ Appraisal of Included Studies	Direction of Evidence
Avery et al. (2020)	Investigate empirical evidence for school-wide trauma- informed approaches	4	Randomized, qualitative, mixed methods	USA	No	Predominantly African American high-need populations in low socio- economic areas, ages 6–18	All the studies used education about trauma impacts to shift teachers’ attitudes about student behavior, change discipline practices and prioritize relational-focused practice. Models focused on the safety needs of students to reduce behavioral escalation, including sensory and calming supports. Most studies provided additional support to teachers to embed trauma- informed practices.	All studies reported varied but predominantly positive outcomes including behavioral change, trauma symptoms, self-esteem and increased staff knowledge of trauma.	All the studies were rated as weak on the risk of bias assessment	Positive impact
Berger (2019)	Explore evidence on multi-tiered, trauma- informed approaches to address trauma in schools.	13	Studies which provided evidence of a multi-level approach to trauma-sensitive care in schools, including interventions across teachers, parents and/or students. Qualitative, quantitative methods.	USA, Chile, Bosnia, Australia	Yes	Preschool to secondary	Three or four tiers of school-based support and training about childhood trauma.	Studies reported positive improvements in student academic achievement and behavior, reduced depression and PTSD symptoms and increased self-perceived knowledge and confidence of staff.	Only one study was a randomized controlled trial with most using weak pre-post designs	Positive impact
Cohen and Barron (2021)	Identify reviews of empirical studies that explore the efficacy of trauma- informed approaches in high schools in the US	9	Studies that evaluated trauma-informed interventions in high schools. Research designs were varied.	USA	Yes	High school	Identifying students with trauma, creating trauma-informed responses to discipline, and articulating specific methods for working with students with trauma	Participants’ subjective experience indicated progress, whether teachers experiencing professional development or adolescents experiencing curriculum and/ or support. Trauma-informed education for professionals and adolescents may be promising.	Research designs were mostly exploratory with little ability to assess the efficacy of interventions	Positive impact
Fondren et al. (2020)	Systematically review papers detailing trauma- informed and trauma- responsive practices within schools	62	The publication must have detailed and evaluated an intervention program administered within the school setting in response to the exposure or risk of exposure to a trauma	Palestine, Sri Lanka, Israel, Türkiye, Lebanon, USA, Australia, Denmark, Indonesia, Uganda, Sudan, Japan, Iran, Bosnia	Yes	Preschool to secondary; experienced war or political violence, natural disaster, community accident, or multiple traumas	Various	Of the pre-test to post-test outcomes, the integration of trauma-informed approaches within a school system was associated with increases in teachers’ self- reported confidence and competence to deal with children’s behaviors as well as knowledge about trauma and trauma-related behaviors, increases in child resilience measures as well as decreases in problematic behaviors in the classroom, and decreases in children’s trauma- related symptoms and psychopathology.	None of the studies adequately addressed the effectiveness of the programs in comparison to control groups or other intervention/ prevention models.	Positive impact
Herrenkohl et al. (2019)	Take stock of existing programs used in schools to address the social, emotional, and academic needs of children with trauma histories.	30	Articles were included if programs were classified as trauma-informed school-based interventions and included research findings relevant to program efficacy. Descriptive case studies, pre- experimental or quasi-experimental group-based designs, and a small number of randomized trials.	USA, UK, Canada	Yes	Preschool to secondary	Individual, group, classroom, school-wide interventions	The studies showed improvements in students’ PTSD symptoms and resilience, decreased suspensions and disciplinary referrals, and increased knowledge of trauma and trauma-sensitive practices among school staff.	Evidence supporting the use and impact of classroom and school-wide intervention is generally weak according to accepted standards for scientific rigor	Positive impact
Lembke et al. (2024)	Provide a systematic review of international studies on concepts of trauma- sensitive schools that aim to support traumatized students with a refugee background.	41	Publications that provide theoretical guidelines and guidance for implementing trauma-sensitive school concepts; programs and studies with an underlying approach that is or has been implemented in practice. Mixed-methods, pre-post, quasi-experimental, qualitative	USA, Australia, Cambodia, Türkiye, UK	Yes	Elementary and secondary refugee students	17 concepts of trauma-sensitive schools relevant to refugee students were identified.	No concepts were identified for which effectiveness regarding students with a refugee background was reported.	High risk of bias	No evidence about impact
Maynard et al. (2019).	Assess trauma-informed approaches in schools on trauma symptoms/ mental health, academic performance, behavior, and socioemotional functioning	0	No studies met the inclusion criteria					No studies were experimental or quasi- experimental	No studies were experimental or quasi- experimental	No evidence about impact
Newton et al. (2024)	Provide an overview of studies depicting and evaluating trauma- informed programs implemented in Australian schools, with particular focus on the programs’ theoretical foundations, design, implementation and efficacy.	4	Qualitative, non-randomized, mixed-methods	Australia	No	Preschool to secondary	ReLATE trauma-informed model; Trauma-Informed Behaviour Support Program; Trauma-Informed Positive Education Program	All four studies reported positive outcomes, with similar outcomes found across studies. Two studies reported increased knowledge and understanding of trauma, which changed teachers’ practices. Improved relationships and learning environments were reported in three studies, and behavioral improvements were reported in two studies.	Adequate	Positive impact
Record-Lemon and Buchanan (2017)	Examine international research regarding trauma- informed practices in schools.	27	Studies that were empirical investigations that utilized clearly stated methodology; were primarily conducted in a school setting; investigated trauma-informed practices; were published in peer-reviewed journals; and were published in English. Quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, meta-analysis	Netherlands, Israel, USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Norway, Türkiye	Yes	Elementary and secondary; diverse ethnic backgrounds and SES	Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS); Bounce Back; Enhancing Resiliency Amongst Students Experiencing Stress (ERASE-Stress); Overshadowing the Threat of Terrorism; Children and War: Teaching Recovery Techniques; Heart of Teaching and Learning; Mental Health for Immigrants Program; Stress- Inoculation Training; School Reactivation Program	Most studies seem to demonstrate that trauma- informed practices have potential for significant benefit and value for students, school personnel, and/or families.	Methodologically rigorous means of investigating TIPs were used, including experimental or quasi- experimental designs. These designs were seen primarily in studies that investigated cognitive- behavioral-therapy-based interventions	Positive impact
Roseby and Gascoigne (2021)	Conduct a systematic review of the existing literature regarding trauma- informed education programs and their impact on academic and academic- related outcomes.	15	Studies were included if they involved a trauma-informed education program being implemented at a whole school level; targeted participants who have been exposed to childhood adversity whether directly or indirectly; measured an academic or academic-related outcome; published in English. Qualitative and quantitative	USA	No	Preschool to secondary	ARC model, Berry Street model, multitier supports, PACE model, Risking connection model, school-based collaboration, HEART model	Although results were not always consistent, improvements were found regarding students’ internalizing behaviors, self-regulatory abilities, resilience, achievement, attention, and attendance, with a reduction in suspension rates also noted.	Not described	Positive impact
Stratford et al. (2020)	Describe the published literature addressing trauma in schools.	91	Studies described a specific intervention or set of interventions; the intervention targeted trauma- related outcomes; the target of the intervention was students or adults working in a K-12 education setting. Experimental studies, quasi-experimental studies, systematic reviews, literature reviews, and descriptive	USA	Yes	K-12	Counseling services, skill development, psychoeducation related to trauma, and parent engagement.	Several trauma- focused programs, including Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) and Trauma- Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), are well supported by rigorous evaluations across multiple studies with diverse groups of students.	There is a relative lack of empirical evaluation of whole-school approaches and interventions intended to be delivered by non-clinical staff.	Inconclusive or mixed impact
Thomas et al. (2019).	Determine the dominant framework used for promoting and practicing trauma- informed care in schools and the effectiveness of school-based support for trauma-affected youth to identify implications for changing teaching practice.	33	Included studies were empirical; school-based; addressed trauma specifically; and included an intervention. Quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, quasi- experimental	Colombia, USA, Israel, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Türkiye	Yes	Preschool to secondary	Trauma-Informed Leadership Teams, Building Resilience Intervention, Cultural Adjustment and Trauma Services, HEART, Teaching Recovery Techniques, others	32 of the 33 studies found their respective interventions to be effective to some degree.	Much of this work was pilot studies and preliminary studies rather than extensive randomized trials that provide more rigorous illustrations of effectiveness.	Positive impact
Watson and Astor (2025)	Identify relevant empirical evidence of trauma- informed approaches in schools.	14	The article must be in a peer-reviewed journal, in English, present results from an empirical study, and relate to improving outcomes for school staff, students and the community in a K-12 population. Qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, case studies	USA, Australia, UK	No	K-8	Whole-school approaches	The most studied component of whole-school, trauma-informed approaches is training for staff. However, the focus to date has been on changes in attitudes toward trauma- informed care. There is now a need to move beyond this focus to explore and assess changed behaviors across all school functions, including teaching and discipline, as well as related outcomes for staff, students and their families.	Most studies were qualitative or mixed- methods case studies.	Inconclusive or mixed impact
Wilson-Ching and Berger (2024)	Evaluate the research literature regarding relationship-building strategies that have been implemented within educational systems as part of their trauma-informed practices.	13	Studies within the education system, from preschool to high school, that included connectedness to school through relationship- building as part of a trauma- informed practice protocol.	USA, Australia	No	Preschool to secondary	Relationship- building practices	The review found predominantly positive outcomes relating to relationship-building strategies, including improved relationships with teachers, better relationships with other students, greater use of relationship- building practices, increased willingness of teachers to develop better relationships with their trauma- affected students, and improved relationships with families.	Randomized controlled trials are lacking, and most research involves case studies and qualitative designs.	Positive impact
Zakszeski et al. (2017)	Describe the implementation and evaluation of trauma- focused school practices as represented in the published literature	39	Included studies reported original empirical outcome data on an intervention targeting prevention of or symptoms of psychological trauma implemented in a school setting with children between the ages of 5 and 12.	Argentina, USA, Israel, Sri Lanka, Palestine, UK, Lebanon, Denmark, Indonesia, Türkiye	Yes	Ages 5–12; war/political violence; natural disasters	Most reviewed interventions were high-intensity ones implemented in response to commonly experienced traumatic events (e.g., natural disaster, political violence), in pull-out settings, and by external clinicians or researchers.	Most studies reported positive treatment outcomes (typically, reduced symptoms of trauma and internalizing problems).	Future research should strive to employ rigorous experimental designs and adequate sample sizes as well as consistently report effect sizes to clarify treatment outcomes.	Positive impact

.

The studies encompassed preschool through secondary school students in numerous countries affected by acute or chronic trauma, including adverse childhood experiences, war or political violence, and natural disasters. A broad range of interventions were reported at the individual, small group, classroom, and school level. Nine of the fifteen reviews (60%) included studies with newcomer students. Overall, 11 of the 15 systematic reviews reported consistent positive outcomes linked to trauma-informed school practices, though all authors characterized the underlying research designs as weak to moderate. The remaining four reviews, which limited study inclusion to rigorous designs only (e.g., randomized controlled trials) found effects to be inconclusive, citing insufficiently rigorous evidence.

Reported student outcomes included reductions in trauma symptoms and depression, improved classroom behavior, enhanced resilience and attention, and gains in academic achievement. Findings related to teachers highlighted gains in knowledge, confidence in handling challenging student behaviors, and willingness to develop better relationships with trauma-affected students. Trauma-informed school practices were associated with decreases in disciplinary referrals, while increasing teachers’ relationship-building practices. Schools implementing these practices frequently reported improved school climate, stronger relationships with families and students, and lower suspension rates.

Consistent with the historical development of trauma-informed school practices, empirical support was strongest for clinical interventions targeted for students showing trauma symptoms and delivered by trained mental health professionals. Herrenkohl et al. (2019) found that individual and small-group trauma-focused interventions, primarily grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), led to improvements in PTSD symptoms, resilience, and reductions in suspensions and disciplinary referrals, along with increased staff knowledge. Similarly, Record-Lemon and Buchanan (2017) and Stratford et al. (2020) identified strong evidence for CBT-based approaches, including counseling, skill-building, psychoeducation, and parent engagement, often supported by rigorous designs. Zakszeski et al. (2017) also reported largely positive outcomes across 39 studies of clinician-delivered interventions for elementary students.

In contrast, classroom-level interventions implemented by teachers showed less conclusive evidence, largely due to reliance on pilot and qualitative studies. These approaches emphasize relationship-building, routines, emotional support, and inclusive environments, with reported improvements in student relationships and teacher engagement (Wilson-Ching and Berger 2024; Cohen and Barron 2021). Schoolwide approaches integrating trauma-informed principles across policies, leadership, and culture demonstrated promising outcomes such as improved behavior, engagement, and staff capacity, but had the weakest empirical base due to limited samples and methodological rigor (Avery et al. 2020; Berger 2019; Fondren et al. 2020; Newton et al. 2024; Roseby and Gascoigne 2021). Across all 15 reviews, there was agreement that the evidence to date warrants implementation and rigorous evaluation of these practices.

4. Discussion

This rapid umbrella review highlights key tensions within the education policy landscape. Although trauma-informed school practices are associated with improvements in student well-being, behavior, and academic outcomes, they are implemented within systems shaped by multiple, and sometimes competing, policy priorities. Schools are increasingly expected to address newcomer student trauma while operating in environments beyond their direct control. Research on mental health services for refugee youth reflects this tension, showing that while schools serve as central sites for support, services remain fragmented and unevenly implemented (Lloyd et al. 2025). Similarly, a systematic review of how schools implement migrant integration policy found that implementation is shaped by fragmented initiatives, limited resources, and unclear guidance (Ginicolo et al. 2026).

National, regional, and local systems shape policy and practice in ways that are not always aligned, requiring schools to balance trauma-informed approaches with mandates related to safety, compliance, and enforcement. Within this context, clinical interventions play an important role in supporting student engagement and well-being (Lloyd et al. 2025). However, a full trauma-informed approach must extend beyond individual support to address relational and institutional dynamics such as classroom interactions and exclusionary practices that shape daily school experiences (Boukhari 2025). Comprehensive trauma-sensitive schooling is a multi-level, eco-systemic process spanning macro-level policy, meso-level community partnerships, and micro-level classroom relationships (Casale and Linderkamp 2024).

Implementation of trauma-informed school practices remains largely incremental. They are often added onto existing structures rather than integrated systemically, limiting their impact. Mullin and Sharkey (2024) found that the most consistent barriers and facilitators to trauma-informed practice implementation are located within schools’ internal organizational setting, including staff access to knowledge, available resources, and implementation climate, rather than in the design of the interventions themselves. Similarly, Wassink-de Stigter et al. (2022) identified sustained professional development, implementation planning, and leadership support as the most consistent facilitators of trauma-informed practice, while noting that these organizational supports are frequently the first casualties of resource-constrained school environments.

For newcomer students, addressing cultural, linguistic, and relational dimensions of displacement is vital. Otherwise, trauma-informed approaches risk reproducing subtle forms of exclusion through “neutral” practices that overlook structural inequities (Boukhari 2025; Koyama and Turan, forthcoming). These findings point to the need for continued investment in trauma-informed practices alongside stronger cross-system coordination. Collaboration among key stakeholders, including schools, mental health providers, newcomer service agencies, public health organizations, and state and local education agencies, can facilitate coordinated screening and referral, educator training, culturally responsive service delivery, data sharing, and continuity of supports across systems, thereby strengthening implementation of trauma-informed practices for newcomer students.

This umbrella review has several limitations. All stages of the review were conducted by a single researcher, which may have increased the potential for bias in study selection and interpretation. Although the search strategy captured the major terminology used in the trauma-informed school literature, some relevant reviews may have been missed. In addition, no formal quality appraisal of the included reviews was conducted. Finally, considerable heterogeneity across interventions, populations, outcomes, and review methods limited direct comparisons and precluded quantitative synthesis. Future research should examine the role of moderator variables such as age, gender, and school setting (Roseby and Gascoigne 2021).

5. Conclusions

State and local school boards are encouraged to continue to adopt trauma-informed policies. This includes revising in-service teaching standards to incorporate trauma-informed practices and updating teacher preparation requirements to ensure preservice educators receive appropriate training. In addition, state boards are encouraged to establish a licensure endorsement specifically focused on trauma-informed practice (Reddig and VanLone, 2023).

The evidence supports the likelihood that newcomer students will benefit from universal trauma-informed school practices. Ideally, however, these efforts should include targeted attention to the unique experiences of newcomer students by integrating culturally and linguistically responsive approaches, training educators on forced migration-related trauma, and fostering school environments that promote belonging and inclusion. Without such adaptations, trauma-informed policies risk overlooking the complex, multi-layered needs of newcomer students and may fall short of achieving equitable outcomes. Additionally, greater alignment across education, health, and resettlement systems, along with clearer implementation frameworks and outcome measures, will enhance the effectiveness of these practices with newcomer students (Lloyd et al. 2025).