November 2, 2023 How To Address War and Traumatic Experiences With Children Children always look to their caregivers for a sense of safety during scary and vulnerable times. Oftentimes, the caregivers are informing their children how to respond in these situations. Therefore, parents and caregivers must have the right resources to help their children process and work through these big emotions. Between war, conflict, and traumatic experiences happening in and out of the home, there are several new and scary experiences children are being exposed to. ZERO TO THREE has free resources for families and caregivers, and professionals who support them, that offer guidance on helping young children grieve and process traumatic experiences. Learn More How To Talk To Your Children About Conflict and War, UNICEF A Big Impact on Little Kids: Understanding How Traumatic Experiences Affect Very Young Children, ZERO TO THREE How To Talk To Your Children About War, ZERO TO THREE Little Listeners in an Uncertain World, ZERO TO THREE Helping Toddlers Cope With Grief and Death, ZERO TO THREE Mindfulness and Self Care: Building a Resilient Community and Culture of Caring, ZERO TO THREE Children’s Book: Once I Was Very Very Scared by Chandra Gosh Ippen, available in several languages Related Resources Discussing Violence, Protests, and Police Brutality with Young Children Understanding Child Trauma, NCTSI Complex Trauma: Facts for Caregivers, NCTSN Social-Emotional Development: Family Resources
July 11, 2023 The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Prevention Tactics Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have a lasting impact on a child’s life. Fortunately, agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide strategies and resources to help define ACEs and to help caregivers and child care providers prevent traumatic experiences as much as possible before they happen, identify children whom have experienced ACEs, and respond to these experiences using trauma-informed approaches. What are Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)? ACEs are traumatic events or circumstances that occur during childhood. These experiences can range from physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, household substance abuse, domestic violence, and parental separation or divorce, among others. Through research conducted by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente, it has been revealed that traumatic experiences have a tremendous impact on future violence victimization and perpetration, and lifelong health and opportunity. ACEs can vary depending on the child and environment in which the child grows and learns. Some experiences can be witnessed directly, such as experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect or witnessing violence in the home or community. These experiences can also include aspects of the child’s environment that take away from a child’s sense of safety, stability, and bonding. ACEs and associated social determinants of health, such as living in under-resourced or racially segregated neighborhoods, can cause toxic stress (extended or prolonged stress). Toxic stress from ACEs can negatively affect children’s brain development, immune systems, and stress-response systems. Recognizing and addressing ACEs is important for promoting individual and societal well-being. Creating safe and nurturing environments for children, ensuring access to quality healthcare and mental health services, and implementing trauma-informed approaches in various settings are vital steps in preventing and addressing ACEs. Risk Protective Factors Risk factors are defined as things that increase the likelihood of experiencing ACEs. Protective factors are defined as things that protect people and decrease the possibility of experiencing ACEs. Individual, family, and community factors can affect the likelihood of these experiences, but they may or may not be direct causes of ACEs. Because ACEs include many different types of experiences and traumatic events, there are many risk and protective factors that apply to the range of different ACEs. Learn more about Individual, Family, Community Risk and Protective Factors from the CDC. Prevention Strategies for Children CDC has developed a resource to help states and communities take advantage of the best available evidence to prevent ACEs. It features six strategies from the CDC Technical Packages to Prevent Violence. Strengthen Economic Supports to Families: Community organizations such as faith-based and youth-serving organizations can promote policies that support families facing financial problems or help parents balance work and family responsibilities, which reduce stress and allow parents to meet children’s basic needs. Promote Social Norms That Protect Against Violence and Adversity: Encourage community organizations such as youth-serving and faith-based organizations, coaches, and caregivers to promote non-violent attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Ensure a Strong Start for Children: Involved parents, strong preschool programs, and good quality childcare get children started on the right foot and help them succeed later in life. Youth-serving and faith-based organizations can contribute to this as well. Teach Healthy Relationship Skills: Children and caregivers can both learn how to create healthy relationships and manage their emotions. Connect Children to Caring Adults and Activities: Community organizations connect young people with positive role models and provide activities for young people to learn leadership and other new skills. Communities can help young people grow and succeed at school and in life, such as getting children involved in after-school activities. Intervene to Lessen Immediate and Long-Term Harms: When ACEs occur, community organizations, can offer services and support to reduce harms and help break the cycle of adversity, including providing therapy to reduce symptoms of depression, fear or anxiety, and behavior problems. By recognizing and addressing ACEs, parents and child care providers can create a bright future for children and promote resilience, healing, and well-being. Visit the CDC website for more information about childhood trauma prevention and ACEs Resources.
January 20, 2022 Teaching Children Through a Trauma Lens Join Trying Together for the upcoming session, “Teaching Children Through a Trauma Lens”. Research continues to show the detrimental effects that complex trauma has on the developing brain with our most vulnerable population. Over time, these young children are at risk for developmental delays, limited positive relationships, and a host of other difficulties. Our early education classrooms can create safe, responsive, and equitable environments to assist in reducing these harmful effects. This presentation will identify different types of trauma, how young children with trauma may present in the classroom, and supportive strategies teachers can implement to foster environments that encourage healing. UnConference: Creating a Safe Place with Trauma-Informed Care This session is a part of Trying Together’s upcoming UnConference. Between February 8-18, expert-led workshops will share content related to trauma-informed care. We begin the UnConference with keynote speaker Dr. Veirdre Jackson and dive into how we can create an environment of healing through equity and trust. Following the keynote, workshop sessions include how to identify family stressors, how to provide responsive care-giving for children experiencing trauma, and an overview of the recently launched Rapid Response Team from Trying Together. Individuals can learn more and register on Trying Together’s website.
Registration Open for UnConference: Creating a Safe Place with Trauma-Informed Care Registration is now open for Trying Together’s “UnConference: Creating a Safe Place with Trauma-Informed Care,” which will be held February 8 to February 18, 2022. Between February 8-18, expert-led virtual workshops will share content related to trauma-informed care. We begin the UnConference with keynote speaker Dr. Veirdre Jackson and dive into how we can create an environment of healing through equity and trust. Following the keynote, workshop sessions include how to identify family stressors, how to provide responsive care-giving for children experiencing trauma, and an overview of the recently launched Rapid Response Team from Trying Together. Registration is now open and specific workshop dates and times will be added. For a flat fee of $25, you may attend as many sessions (keynote or workshops) as you like. Sessions will also be recorded for viewing after the UnConference has completed. You must register for the UnConference in order to access session recordings. PNC Grow Up Great is the series sponsor. Featured Sessions Keynote: Co-Creating A Healing Community of Equity & Trust Tuesday, February 8, 2022 | 6:30 – 8 p.m. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Veirdre Jackson, Living Strong Consulting Communities, however defined, are made up of people who bring a range of experiences and histories. Remaining open, curious, and culturally humble is essential to understanding a community’s resilience, strength, and wisdom. Claudia Woody says, “Inclusion means not ‘just we’re allowed to be there,’ but we are valued there.” Participants will explore the 5 Blocks of Building Restorative Relationships that allow caregivers to create holistic and supportive spaces that are responsive to historical trauma and equity literacy which holds us accountable to doing the work of learning together, seeking understanding, and creating a safe, valued, and heard community. Rapid Response Team: Reducing Expulsions and Suspensions in Early Childhood Education Thursday, February 10, 2022 | 6:30 – 8 p.m. Presented by: Alicia Sebastian, Trying Together This session will discuss the ongoing and growing issue surrounding expulsion and suspension in early childhood education that have been linked to staff implicit bias, challenging behaviors, and staffing issues. The presentation will guide parents, caregivers, directors and staff working with children ages 0-5 on how to prevent expulsion and suspension in early childhood education. The session will discuss ways to implement evidence-based strategies to promote positive behavior support, self-regulation, and positive mental health. We will share community resources and programs for children and families in Allegheny County. Self-Care Isn’t Selfish, It’s Necessary: Practical Tools for Early Childhood Educators to Reduce Stress and Avoid Burn-Out Monday, February 14, 2022 | 12:30 – 2 p.m. Presented by: Tracy Larson, Director, Early Childhood Partnerships, Office of Child Development In this session, participants will learn why self-care is necessary, how to recognize when they need to be more intentional about self-care, and research informed strategies and activities to reduce stress and avoid burn-out. At the end of the session, participants will create a personalized self-care plan. Talking to Listen: Exploring Family Stressors and Creating Positive Relationships to Support Families Tuesday, February 15, 2022 | 6:30 – 8 p.m. Presented by: Patrick M. McKelvey, MS, NCC, National Youth Advocate Program Inc. Children react differently to stress and trauma, which can sometimes exhibit itself as challenging behaviors in the classroom. This workshop helps educators understand the impact that family stressors (such as a death, food insecurity, changes in placement, community violence, etc.) can have on both children and their caregivers. Participants will learn how to notice these family stressors; how to communicate with caregivers to build relationships that provide a supportive environment for young children; and self-regulation strategies to manage strong emotions when having difficult conversations with caregivers. Teaching Children Through a Trauma Lens Thursday February 17, 2022 | 6:30 – 8 p.m. Presenters: Amanda Harrison, MA, LPC, NCC, Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant with the PA Keys Research continues to show the detrimental effects that complex trauma has on the developing brain with our most vulnerable population. Over time, these young children are at risk for developmental delays, limited positive relationships, and a host of other difficulties. Our early education classrooms can create safe, responsive, and equitable environments to assist in reducing these harmful effects. This presentation will identify different types of trauma, how young children with trauma may present in the classroom, and supportive strategies teachers can implement to foster environments that encourage healing. Registration Registration for the UnConference: Creating a Safe Place with Trauma-Informed Care can be found on our UnConference page. For a flat fee of $25, you may attend as many sessions (keynote or workshops) as you like. Sessions will also be recorded for viewing after the UnConference has completed. You must register for the UnConference in order to access session recordings. Participants will receive PQAS and/or Act 48 hours. More Information For questions about the UnConference, contact Yu-Ling Cheng at conference@tryingtogether.org. For additional information, including FAQs, visit our UnConference page.
January 18, 2022 New Heal PA and Resilient PA Website Resilient PA and HEAL PA have launched their joint website. The website hosts of all of their shared materials, a place for trauma-informed champions to collaborate, and a place for the general public to learn about trauma-informed care and resilient communities. About Resilient PA and HEAL PA strive to foster resilient Pennsylvania youth, families and communities through promoting trauma informed care and systems across sectors as well as promoting efforts to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors for youth and families to break cycles of family and community trauma. Visit the new website.
November 3, 2021 Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education Join edWeb.net for their upcoming webinar, “Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education“. This edWebinar will present a fresh take on trauma-informed practices, with takeaways for teachers, school leaders, and anyone else who is invested in making change in education. Alex Shevrin Venet, author of Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education, will introduce participants to the key understandings of the Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education framework, sharing stories from her work as a teacher and supporting schools with trauma-informed education. Participants can expect to leave with a new understanding of their role in trauma-informed education and ideas for how to get started. This edWebinar will be of interest to PreK-12 educators, school leaders, district leaders, chief equity officers, and at-risk coordinators. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.
