Complete Trauma Course for Early Childhood Educators
Sadly, many children in early education settings have experienced relational trauma. The impact of this can be widely felt, yet there is little guidance for educators on how they can help.
About This Course
Understand what trauma asks of us, and the difference you can make when you truly see a child's story.
Many children in early childhood settings have experienced relational trauma, trauma that happens within their closest relationships, through abuse, neglect or family violence. It shapes their developing brain, their behaviour and their sense of the world, often long before they have the words to explain why. Educators regularly sense that something deeper is going on, but aren't always given the understanding or the tools to respond in ways that truly help.
Dr Kaylene Henderson's Complete Trauma Course was created to change that. Across 8 self-paced modules, this medically trained child psychiatrist walks you through what trauma actually does to a developing brain, and more importantly, what children need from the adults around them to heal.
💛 A note about this course: This training is brought to you through a partnership between Phoenix Support for Educators and Dr Kaylene Henderson, one of Australia's most trusted child health specialists.
Who Is This Course For?
This course is designed for educators and leaders working across early childhood education and care in Australia, including family day care. Whatever your role, if you work with young children, this course speaks to you.
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In This Course, You'll Explore How To
✓Understand how a child's brain develops, and how trauma changes that development.
✓Recognise the difference between manageable stress and toxic, damaging stress responses.
✓Notice how trauma can show up in a child's behaviour, memory, and sense of self.
✓Build predictable, safe routines that help children's nervous systems settle.
✓Develop the kind of trusting, consistent relationships that support real healing.
✓Support new learning and skill-building once a child feels calm and safe.
✓Respond to vulnerable families with warmth, understanding, and practical support.
✓Reflect on what all of this means for your own practice, team, and setting.
What's Included
018 modules plus a Welcome session
02Approx. 1hr 20min of video with Dr Kaylene Henderson
03A printable handout for every module
04Self-paced access, learn in your own time
05Content built for the Australian ECEC context
Why This Course
How This Course Benefits You
Confidence, Not Just Compliance
Move beyond guesswork. Build the real understanding and practical skills to respond with confidence in the moments that matter, big feelings, triggers, and hard-to-reach behaviour.
See What's Beneath the Behaviour
Learn to look past the behaviour itself and recognise the stress response driving it, so you can respond to what a child actually needs in that moment.
Build Genuine, Trusting Relationships
Discover the small, consistent things that help children who've experienced trauma feel safe, seen, and understood, often for the first time.
Support Families Without Judgement
Extend the same safety-first, relationship-based approach to parents and carers who are doing it tough, so the whole family feels genuinely supported.
Bring the Neuroscience to Life
Understand what's really happening in a child's brain during stress and trauma, translated into plain language and strategies you can use straight away.
Leave Every Module with Something to Try
Each module ends with practical, low-cost ideas you can bring into your room this week, not just theory to file away for later.
Course curriculum
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Welcome
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Student walk through video
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How to use this platform
FREE PREVIEW -
About Dr Kaylene Henderson
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FAQ
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Agreement
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Complete trauma course for educators - Introduction
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Module 1 : 'Normal' brain development
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Module 2 : Defining stress and trauma
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Module 3 : Impact of childhood trauma
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Module 4 : Helping children heal - Safety
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About this course
- $227.00
- 18 lessons
- 1.5 hours of video content
Your Facilitator
Child Psychiatrist Kaylene Henderson
Dr Kaylene Henderson is a medically trained child health specialist and one of Australia’s leading parenting experts. She is also a grateful mother of three zany young kids.
Kaylene is passionate about ‘translating’ research-based information into practical tips and sharing these with you – parents and educators – since you’re the ones who spend the most amount of time with our next generation!
Popular for sharing her expertise in a warm and relatable way, Kaylene has created a range of resources, ensuring that you can access helpful, expert advice in the way that best suits you.
Here, you will find her popular online courses, ‘awesome’ advice packs, articles and upcoming event dates. Sign up to her newsletter and follow her Facebook page for regular tips and encouragement!
Together we can help the children we all care so much about… We’ve got this…
Why This Matters
Children who've experienced trauma aren't broken, and they aren't beyond reach. With the right understanding and the right relationships around them, healing is absolutely possible. This course exists because educators are often the safest, steadiest adults in a child's life, sometimes without even realising it. The more we understand what's happening beneath the surface, the better placed we are to be that safe harbour a child needs.
