BSEM research and evaluation
Grounded in Research, Proven in Practice
The Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) is grounded in evidence and backed by ongoing research. In partnership with the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne, BSEM continues to demonstrate measurable impact on student outcomes, staff practice, and whole-school culture.
Ongoing Partnership with the University of Melbourne
Our long-standing collaboration with the Melbourne Graduate School of Education ensures rigorous evaluation of BSEM across both mainstream and specialist schools. Studies use a range of methodologies - quantitative and qualitative - to examine student behaviour, engagement, wellbeing, and academic achievement.
Global Thought Leadership
BSEM is informed by the ground-breaking work of leading researchers in trauma, wellbeing, and education, including Bessel van der Kolk, Martin Seligman, Lea Waters, Carol Dweck, and Helen Stokes.
BSEM strengthens school culture, supporting improvements in student wellbeing and learning.
Evaluation reports
In 2014, Berry Street invited the Youth Research Centre (University of Melbourne) to undertake a research and evaluation project examining the effectiveness of the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) when used to engage young people in mainstream schools.
This report provides a three year evaluation which details the findings and identifies limitations and recommendations for the future.
Read the report into Trauma Informed Positive Education: Research and Evaluation of the Berry Street
The ‘Young People’s Voices, Young People’s Lives’ Project (YPVYPL) is a 12-month study that documents and examines the impact of the BSEM on four cohorts of young people in four Victorian schools.
BSEM is currently being implemented at Collingwood College, a P-12 facility in inner Melbourne, as part of the Yarra Communities that Care (CTC) initiative.
BSEM is currently being implemented in Darebin in northern metropolitan Melbourne. The implementation is part of the Darebin City Council’s Community of Practice initiative, that has as its focus supporting and bringing schools together.
Find out more about the Berry Street Education Model Darebin Schools Program
Research Articles
- Bailey, B. & Brunzell, T. (Eds.) (2019). Special Issue: Trauma-informed Practice in Schools. Teacher Learning Network Journal, 26(2).
- Brunzell, T. (2014). A trauma-informed positive education: Perspectives on hope, healing and growth. Developing Practice: The Child, Youth and Family Work Journal, 40, 72-78.
- Brunzell, T. (2019). Trauma-aware teaching: Strengthening teacher practice so all of our students can learn. Teacher Learning Network Journal, 26(2), 3 - 5.
- Brunzell, T. (2020). A journey to trauma-informed positive education. In D. Quinlan and L.C. Hone (Eds.), The Educators' Guide to Whole-School Wellbeing. Oxford, UK & New York, NY: Routledge.
- Brunzell, T. (2020). Resistance, reconnection, re-engagement: Trauma-informed teaching in Steiner education. Journal for Waldorf Rudolf Steiner Education, 22, 4-11.
- Brunzell, T., & Abbott, L. (2015). Pre-emptive and Pro-active Practice: Trauma-Informed Teaching and Learning. ACTUAL-Australian Childhood Trauma Group, 6, 10-11.
- Brunzell, T., Stokes, H., & Waters, L. (2015). Trauma-Informed Positive Education: Using Positive Psychology to Strengthen Vulnerable Students. Contemporary School Psychology, 20, 63-83.
- Brunzell, T., Stokes, H., & Waters, L. (2019). Shifting Teacher Practice in Trauma-Affected Classrooms: Practice Pedagogy Strategies Within a Trauma-Informed Positive Education Model. School Mental Health, 11, 600-614. DOI: 10.1007/s12310-018-09308-8
- Brunzell, T., Waters, L., & Stokes, H. (2015). Teaching with strengths in trauma-affected students: A new approach to healing and growth in the classroom. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 85(1), 3–9. https://doi.org/10.1037/ort0000048
- Brunzell, T., Waters, L., & Stokes, H. (2021). Trauma-informed teacher wellbeing: Teacher reflections within trauma-informed positive education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 46(5), 91 - 107.
- Brunzell, T., Witter, M., & Abbott, L. (2020). Toward meaningful engagement: Trauma-informed positive education strategies for struggling students. Australian Journal of Middle Schooling, 20(1), 35-44.
- Greig, J., Bailey, B., Abbott, L., & Brunzell, T. (2021). Trauma-Informed Integral Leadership: Leading School Communities With a Systems-Aware Approach. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 17 (1), 62-97.
- Greig, J., Bailey, B., Buchanan, A., & Brunzell, T. (2019). A primer on healing school systems. Teacher Learning Network Journal, 26(2), 31 -32.
- Stokes, H., & Brunzell, T. (2019). Professional learning in trauma informed positive education: Moving school communities from trauma affected to trauma aware. School Leadership Review,14(2), 1-12.
- Stokes, H., & Brunzell, T. (2020). Leading trauma-informed practice in schools. Leading & Managing, 26(1), 70-77.
- Witter, M. & Brunzell, T. (2020). Increasing Hope and Self-Efficacy in our Flexible Learning Students. Australian Association for Flexible and Inclusive Education (AAFIE). Retrieved from https://aafie.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSD-Witter-and-Brunzell_Blog-Post-Self-Efficacy-and-Hope_July-2020_FINAL.pdf
- Stokes, H., & Brunzell, T. (2024). Implementing trauma-informed pedagogies for school change: Shifting schools from reactive to proactive. Emerald Publishing Limited.
- Stokes, H., Brunzell, T., & Howard, J. (2023). Editorial: Trauma-informed education. Frontiers in Education, 8:1264629. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2023.1264629 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2023.1264629/full
- Langley-Freeman, M., Langton, G., & Brunzell, T. (2023). Deepening understandings of our stress-responses: Empowering students to become ready to learn. Education Today / Teacher Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.educationtoday.com.au/news-detail/Deepening-Understand-6002#
- Norrish, J., & Brunzell, T. (2023). How is trauma-informed education implemented within classrooms? A synthesis of trauma-informed education programs. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 48(3). https://doi.org/10.14221/1835-517X.6159
- Brunzell, T. (2022). Centring Steiner education values, pedagogy and curriculum within trauma-informed positive education strategies in our schools. Steiner Education Australia Annual, 17, 14.
- Brunzell, T., Kelleher, R., & Fletcher, L. (2022). Supporting young people managing homelessness with access to trauma-informed education. Parity, 35(4), 8 - 9.
- Brunzell, T., Waters, L., & Stokes, H. (2022). Teacher perspectives when learning trauma-informed practice pedagogies: Stories of meaning making at work. Frontiers Education, 7: 852228. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2022.852228
- Howard, J., Brunzell, T., Brown, M., Dawson, C., L’Estrange, L., & Langton, G. (2022).
The Eucalypt Way: Trauma-informed education for Australia. Berry Street Education Model &
School of Early Childhood and Inclusion, Queensland University of Technology.
Empowering Educators
BSEM builds staff capacity by providing practical, trauma-informed strategies that can be applied immediately. Educators report improved confidence in supporting student behaviour, emotional regulation, and engagement.
A Whole-School Approach That Works
The success of BSEM lies in its whole-school approach. By involving all staff - not just classroom teachers - and using a shared language across the school, BSEM helps create a consistent, supportive environment that benefits every student.
