
PhD (Queensland University of Technology)
Judith is a national leader in "Trauma-Aware Education". Judith has an extensive career history with state schooling in Queensland and commenced working for QUT in 2015. She has worked as a classroom teacher (primary), school Guidance Officer and behaviour support specialist. She has held both regional and state leadership positions with the Queensland Department of Education, overseeing policy development and school practice regarding student behaviour and has managing staff and a broad range of programs delivering behaviour support services to schools. Judith's teaching interests include Trauma-Aware Education, child and adolescent development, student behaviour, school and classroom behaviour management, behaviour management policy development and inclusive practice in schools. Judith's main interest involves the impact of early childhood attachment difficulties and complex trauma on the developing child and on future (primary and secondary) school behaviours. She coordinates the biennial "Trauma-Aware Schooling" conference https://traumaawareschooling.com.au/ and runs her popular MOOC: "Teaching students who have suffered Complex Trauma", three times each year. She continues to develop undergraduate and post-graduate education and training options on this important topic. Through her research, training seminars, and consultancy with educators, she continues to encourage schools and early childhood services to adopt a neuroscience informed approach to the behaviour management of students living with the outcomes of complex trauma.
Projects (Chief investigator)
- A Systemic Framework for Trauma-Aware Schooling in Queensland
- Trauma-informed pedagogical practice at QUT: Considerations for the education and support of students living with adversity, the impacts of trauma, and/or mental health concerns
Projects
- A longitudinal study examining the impact of pre-service teacher learning regarding complex childhood trauma on early career teacher resilience.
- Evaluation of Department of Education (Queensland) Metropolitan Region Trauma-Aware Community of Practice Project
- How do rural and remote primary school teachers experience their work with children living with the effects of complex childhood trauma?
- National Guidelines for Trauma-Aware Education
- The Guidance Counsellor's role regarding Trauma-Aware Schooling in Brisbane Catholic Education Schools
Additional information
Judith regularly engages with key state, national, and international colleagues and stakeholders to promote and develop trauma-aware schooling across Australia. She regularly speaks on the topic in keynote addresses and delivers training and seminars examining trauma-aware school practice and the impact of complex childhood trauma on child development and school behaviour and engagement. She has led the development of the "National Guidelines for Trauma-Aware Education".
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2022
- Details
- Australian Award for University Teaching: Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning
- Type
- Fellowship of a Learned Academy or Membership of AIATSIS
- Reference year
- 2020
- Details
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2019
- Details
- QUT Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching and Research Excellence (Individual)
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2004
- Details
- Master of Education High Academic Achievement Award (GPA: 7)
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 1996
- Details
- Australian College of Education Award
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 1996
- Details
- Queensland University of Technology Medal for Academic Excellence (GPA: 6.9)
- Howard, J., (2022). Trauma-aware education: Essential information and guidance for educators, education sites and education systems. Australian Academic Press. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/238193
- Brown, M., Howard, J. & Walsh, K. (2022). Building Trauma Informed Teachers: A constructivist grounded theory study of remote primary school teachers' experiences with children living with the effects of complex childhood trauma. Frontiers in Education, 7. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/232454
- Howard, J., L'Estrange, L. & Brown, M. (2022). National Guidelines for Trauma-Aware Education in Australia. Frontiers in Education, 7. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/232311
- Howard, J., L'Estrange, L. & Brown, M. (2022). The School Counsellor's Role in Trauma Aware Education. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 32(2), 243–253. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/227631
- L'Estrange, L. & Howard, J. (2022). Trauma-informed initial teacher education training: A necessary step in a system-wide response to addressing childhood trauma. Frontiers in Education, 7. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/234338
- Howard, J., (2021). National Guidelines for Trauma-Aware Education. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/207800
- Howard, J. & L'Estrange, L. (2021). The Guidance Counsellor's role regarding Trauma-Aware Schooling in Brisbane Catholic Education schools: Report for Brisbane Catholic Education. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/207801
- Howard, J., (2020). Trauma-aware early childhood education and care. Early Childhood Australia. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/200422
- Howard, J., (2019). A systemic framework for trauma-informed schooling: Complex but necessary! Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma, 28(5), 545–565. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/120275
- Howard, J., (2017). A Tier 3 approach to complex childhood trauma. Developing positive classroom environments: Strategies for nurturing adolescent learning, 261–277. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/114538
- THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELLOR IN SUPPORTING TRAUMA-IMPACTED STUDENTS IN JAVA, INDONESIA
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Meegan Brown
- Building Trauma Informed Teachers: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study of Remote Primary School Teachers' Experiences With Children Living With the Effects of Complex Childhood Trauma (2021)
- Examining the Primary School Experiences of Intercountry Adoptees: Perspectives of Adoptive Parents and Children (2017)