The thesis offers a broader view of the complexity surrounding the issue of (non)recognition of complex trauma and the adverse childhood experiences. In order to understand the necessity of recognizing trauma in children and providing early assistance and support, various areas are covered, such as: the effects of early trauma on the developing brain, and consequently on cognitive, psychological/mental, and physical levels; Slovenian police statistics on domestic violence and a Slovenian study on adverse childhood experiences; and the social consequences of trauma, illustrated with figures and amounts, such as economic loss due to reduced work productivity, increased social and healthcare costs, and the strain on the judicial system. Due to its reach and early involvement in children's lives, schools play a significant protective role. The thesis further explores the foundations of a trauma-informed school, the role of the school community as a protective factor, the response procedures of Slovenian schools when violence against children is detected, and relevant articles of Slovenian legislation related to this topic. As the school plays such an important protective role, its professional staff were the central focus of our research. We sought to understand how aware (future) teachers are and how much knowledge they receive on this topic during their studies. We were also interested in how the procedures of reporting violence are carried out in practice, the experiences and opinions of those involved in the process, the identification of problematic areas, good practices, and potential ideas for improving the system of support for children and raising teacher awareness. To answer these questions, the research was divided into two parts – the first involved an analysis of the education of (future) primary school teachers. The second, empirical part of the research, presents the results of semi-structured interviews with thirteen individuals from different fields of work. The aim of the diverse range of participants was to gain a broader picture of a problem that needs to be addressed from multiple perspectives in order to be better understood. The fields of work involved were related to the response system for detecting violence by school staff, social workers, psychologists, and others who helped us to understand the functioning of the school system.
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