The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) on Wednesday urged schools to approach students with more compassion as more children face distress from systemic traumas.
“Trauma-informed care invites educators, parents, school leaders, and community workers to look beyond behavior and consider the experiences that may lie beneath it,” the group said in a statement.
“This shift does not mean excusing harmful behavior or abandoning discipline,” it added. “It means responding with understanding, maintaining appropriate boundaries, and creating conditions in which individuals can regain a sense of safety, dignity, trust, and belonging.”
The association noted that children’s emotional burden usually stems from their homes, communities, and digital space. “These systemic traumas may arise from family conflict, child abuse, poverty, displacement, natural disasters, armed conflict, online exploitation, or the loss of a loved one.”
Violence in schools, such as bullying, is also one of the frequent sources of distress among young children.
“The effects of trauma are not always visible,” CEAP said. “A child who appears withdrawn, a student who struggles with concentration, or a young person who reacts with anger may be carrying experiences that adults do not fully understand.”
As the youth continue to face safety risks and challenges, schools are encouraged to establish concrete institutional practices that promote trauma-informed care among learners, especially those from communities affected by natural calamities, poverty, and displacement.
“Schools can mitigate this by establishing predictable routines, using restorative approaches to discipline, preventing bullying and humiliation, providing confidential avenues for seeking help, and equipping teachers to recognize signs of distress without prematurely diagnosing students,” the CEAP said.
A trauma-informed approach also reflects the core principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
“By viewing a struggling student not through the lens of fault, but through the lens of inherent worth as an individual made in the image and likeness of God, Catholic schools can transform classrooms into sanctuaries of grace,” the association said.
“This framework elevates trauma-informed care from a psychological strategy to a profound spiritual ministry, ensuring that the school community honors each child’s sacred path toward healing, resilience, and wholeness,” it added.
The Philippines has one of the highest rates of bullying in the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), with 47% of 15-year-old students reporting being victims of bullying at least several times per month in 2025.
PISA’s parent organization, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), reported that bullying prevalence in the country is also twice the 20% average among participating countries. — Almira Louise S. Martinez