At Kairos Community College, we believe meaningful and lasting change for young people begins with how we invest in our people. When staff are supported with the right knowledge, understanding and professional learning, the impact flows directly to the students and communities we serve.
As part of our Staff Week professional learning program, Kairos staff were privileged to welcome Leland Pasion from Complex Care as a guest speaker for a powerful session focused on trauma and attachment.
Drawing on his extensive experience in therapeutic practice and complex care support, Leland explored how early experiences of trauma can shape a young person’s relationships, learning pathways and overall wellbeing. The session encouraged staff to reflect on the ways trauma can present in educational settings and how consistent, relational approaches can positively influence outcomes for young people.
Using Kairos’ Ripple Model as a guiding framework, the session reinforced the idea that safe, predictable and trauma‑informed relationships are not only essential in the moment, but also create positive effects that extend well beyond individual interactions. These small, intentional practices can have a lasting impact on a young person’s sense of safety, belonging and self‑belief.
Staff were also guided through practical strategies to support secure attachment, emotional regulation and resilience, while being reminded that empathy, consistency and restorative practice are foundational to both education and care.
As we prepare for the start of term, our team leaves this professional learning with a deeper understanding of how trauma‑informed practice strengthens connection and creates safer, more supportive environments where young people can truly learn, grow and thrive.
This is the ripple in action.