Authors: Katy Bignold and Henry Wood-Downie
Published: 2025
Publication: Educational Psychology Research and Practice

This essay explores how use of an ecological systems model of resilience (Ungar & Theron, 2020) can help schools to minimise the risks and mitigate the impact of trauma in autistic children and young people. Autistic children and young people are at higher risk of experiencing adversity and trauma than the general population and may encounter, experience and process trauma differently to their neurotypical peers. Given the rising number of autistic children attending mainstream schools, it is vital that education professionals understand how schools can support through reducing risk and increasing resilience. The essay discusses risk and resilience with reference to the research literature. Neurodiversity-affirming practices and trauma-informed relational approaches are identified as improving children’s quality of life, helping them achieve personally important goals, and promoting connection and belonging, which is important for resilience. Interventions and approaches to help autistic children develop emotional regulation, self-efficacy skills, self-understanding and self-esteem will also contribute to resilience when delivered from a neurodiversity-affirming perspective. Limitations in the current literature are acknowledged. Further research is urgently needed to explore the views and experiences of autistic people, and to evaluate school-based, trauma-informed, relational and neurodiversity-affirming approaches to building resilience in autistic children and young people. Research in both of these areas will be vital to inform the development of policy and practice at all levels of the ecosystem and improve outcomes for autistic children and young people.

Bignold, K. and Wood-Downie, H. (2025). An Ecosystemic Perspective on Trauma, Risk and Resilience in Autistic Children and Young People Attending Mainstream Schools. Educational Psychology Research and Practice. 11(2). https://doi.org/10.15123/61d7-jm30

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