Invisible Labour: Principals’ Emotional Labour in Volatile Times. Report Three: The Escalation of Violence in Schools and Its Repercussions for Principals’ Emotional Labour

This report provides findings from the ARC Discovery Grant (DP230100594) research project: Invisible Labour: Principals’ Emotional Labour in Volatile Times. A collaboration between Monash University, Deakin University and the University of Sydney, this third report explores the Escalation of Violence in Schools and Its Repercussions for Principals’ Emotional Labour. The report investigates the rising violence in Australian schools and its profound impact on the emotional labour of public-school principals. Drawing on 298 critical incident testimonies from 256 public-school principals, corroborated by stakeholder interviews, case studies and a policy audit, the research reveals how principals are increasingly expected to manage physical threats, gendered violence, and systemic neglect—often without adequate support or recognition.