“Now I know he's let me in…"Teaching Assistants’ Experiences of supporting Looked After Children: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Levels of teachers leaving the profession are high in the UK and globally, which may be partly due to the dual roles that teachers undertake both in teaching and pastoral roles and the psychological impact of these. This review aimed to examine the risk factors and mitigating factors of the psychological impact of teaching in particular relation to compassion fatigue (CF). Twelve studies were systematically identified, reviewed, and critically appraised using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool. Factors from these studies were grouped into three themes: demographic and personal factors, professional factors, and relationship factors. Although common factors were identified, there were also contradictions between studies, and no specific factor appeared to be the most prominent. Despite some contradictions, the review contributes tentative support to existing research on various factors that can help alleviate compassion fatigue. The findings support the effectiveness of self-care practices, specifically mindfulness, as well as certain professional relationships in mitigating CF. Furthermore, adopting a trauma-informed approach to teaching appears to be a protective factor against CF. The review also suggests that older and more experienced teachers may experience lower levels of CF and higher levels of compassion satisfaction (CS). By identifying risk and mitigation factors of compassion fatigue, educational institutions may be able to offer support and guidance to staff to improve well-being, absence, and attrition levels. Additionally, as research progresses, there is a possibility of reaching a greater consensus on how these concepts are defined and implemented.