Teresa Pockett

Awarded for service to education and training; community advocacy and inclusion

Born: 23 September 1967

Entered on roll: 2023

"Standard setter in Trauma Informed Education"

Teresa Pockett is recognised nationally for her work in Trauma Informed Practice in education.

Children’s welfare, wellbeing and engagement in learning has been at the heart of Teresa’s thinking and actions since she was appointed as a Department of Education teacher in 1988. Her commitment to inclusion for all children is evident in her leadership, especially in staff capacity-building.

In the 1990s, Teresa was the inaugural Local Government Coordinator in the Jordan River area in South East Tasmania, and brought together school principals, non-government organisations, and local government representatives to ensure families in need could receive the support necessary to maintain and/or build student engagement in learning. Later, working as a principal in this area, Teresa continued reducing barriers to school attendance and engagement and was recognised in 2015 when the Jordan River Learning Federation Principals won a Tasmanian Department of Education Excellence Award.

In 2013-2014 Teresa was awarded a Hardie Fellowship to study at Harvard University in the United States. Upon returning, Teresa completed a Master of Education focusing on building staff capacity through understanding trauma informed practice in education. Teresa led professional learning in this area across several schools and organisations in southern Tasmania.

Teresa collaborated with Pastor Norm Reed to implement the Onesimus Foundation with Risdon Prison to support children and families of offenders. Teresa has shared professional learning to about 1,000 Tasmanian professionals and volunteers through the Hidden Sentence Training program as well delivering the Practitioner Training for Children Affected by Parental Offending.

Teresa’s advocacy for increasing awareness and support for trauma-informed responses to children and young people who have been sexually abused or present with harmful sexual behaviours gained the support of Professor Simon Hackett. This has enabled the Department to embed Hackett’s Continuum across the educational service when responding to harmful sexual behaviours.

Currently, Teresa is focusing on collaboration with Department staff, to review and examine the supports across the State for students who are experiencing mental health and wellbeing challenges.