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.
June 4, 2020 Taking Personal and Professional Responsibility for Anti-Racism Work As caregivers, community members, and early childhood educators, we have a responsibility to ensure each child, family and caregiver is safe from racism and discrimination and has equitable opportunities to thrive. In order to do this, we must begin with ourselves. Set aside time in your day to do a personal inventory. What thoughts, feelings, and behaviors have you contributed to upholding systems of racism? What assumptions are you making? What actions or inactions have you taken that contribute to systems of oppression? Next, consider your family and your friends—what behaviors, statements, or jokes have gone unchecked? What actions or inactions have you taken within your interpersonal relationships that have contributed to an unsafe community for our black and brown children, neighbors and colleagues? How might you begin to lead by example within your own family or community? Anti-racism work is something that has to be attended to an ongoing way. In order to support you in this work, we have compiled a new webpage of resources to combat racism. Learn More with Upcoming Discussions June 5, 2020 at 8:30 p.m. | “I [STILL] can’t breathe”: Supporting kids of color amid racialized violence June 6, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. | CNN and ‘Sesame Street’ to host a town hall addressing racism June 9, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. | Virtual Parents Event: Talking to Children Authentically About Race and Racism June 10, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. | Race, Police, and Unarmed Civilian Deaths: What Can Be Done?
“I [STILL] can’t breathe”: Supporting kids of color amid racialized violence Join EmbraceRace on June 5 for their webinar, “‘I [STILL] can’t breathe’: Supporting kids of color amid racialized violence.” About Black, Brown, Native, and low-income individuals talk with children about how to interact with police. They file formal complaints against abusive officers, take cellphone videos that go viral, share their stories with media outlets, file lawsuits, and protest with allies at their side. With COVID-19 as a backdrop, some predict a “long, hot summer.” Others see a promising new determination by many white individuals to become a vigorous part of the solution. In this complicated context, what conversations about policing, violence, safety, justice, and race should parents and caregivers be having with their children of color? Join EmbraceRace on June 5 for that discussion. Questions and insights are encouraged. Registration To register, visit the event webpage. More Information Please note that this event is high in demand. Those who are unable to get onto Zoom will be direct to the live broadcast on EmbraceRace’s Facebook page. A recording of the event will be available at a later date for those who are unable to attend. For questions, please contact EmbraceRace through their contact form or on Facebook.
August 15, 2019 Author Discussion: Michele Borba’s “Unselfie” On November 11, the South Hills area will be hosting author Michele Borba to speak on her new book, “Unselfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World.” About Through a partnership between Saint Paul’s Episcopal Nursery School and Episcopal Church and the Community Foundation of Upper Saint Clair (USC), with additional support from the USC School District and the USC Wellness and Youth Steering Committees, the South Hills area will be hosting renowned author and speaker, Dr. Michele Borba, on Monday, November 11. In her most recent book, “Unselfie,” Dr. Borba explains what parents and educators need to do to combat the “growing empathy crisis among children today.” The book includes a nine-step empathy-building program, providing tips to help caregivers guide their children from birth through college and beyond. This event is free and open to the public. Learn More For more information, contact Eileen Sharbaugh at 412.531.2644 or esharbaugh@stpaulspgh.org. To learn more about empathy and the author, watch this video or Michele Borba’s Ted Talk.
June 13, 2019 Supporting Families Impacted by Incarceration & Domestic Violence Join the Partnerships for Family Support Office of Child Development on July 23 to learn how to recognize and support children and families impacted by incarceration and domestic violence. This training is for staff of centers in the Allegheny County Family Support Network. About Living in a household with domestic violence is a source of trauma for children. Even if the children don’t see the domestic violence, they are affected by the conflict in their family. Having a parent in jail or prison is also a source of trauma, as parental incarceration may include witnessing a parent being arrested, adjusting to their parent being gone, and adjusting to the return of their parents after serving a sentence. When exposed to situations of domestic violence or incarceration, children can develop serious emotional and behavioral difficulties, many of which aren’t always recognized by parents or caregivers. As a result, children do not always get the help they need. In this training, participants will learn how to recognize, and support children and families impacted by these traumas. Registration & More Information To learn more, ask questions, and register, visit the event page.
May 23, 2019 Addressing Domestic Violence in ECE Programs Join Promising Futures on May 30 for a webinar exploring ways in which early childhood professionals and programs can support children and families affected by domestic violence. About Domestic violence harms many families with young children. However, early childhood teachers and caregivers can help children heal. Further, early childhood programs can support healthy development and work to stop domestic violence in their communities. Join Promising Futures for this upcoming webinar to learn how early childhood programs can help families affected by domestic violence. Presenters will share strategies, tools, and resources created in partnership with The National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement. Presenters: Virginia Duplessis, MSW, Program Director, Futures Without Violence Mie Fukuda, MA, Senior Program Specialist, Futures Without Violence Registration To register for this event, visit their webinar page. Questions For more information, contact Graciela Olguin at golguin@futureswithoutviolence.org. Share this flyer with your network.
May 9, 2019 Resources for Families in the Wake of Tragedy In response to the violent events happening in communities throughout the United States of America, Trying Together hopes to support young children, their families, and the caregivers who interact with them by recognizing available community-based and online resources. Trying Together extends our heartfelt sympathy to the families and friends of those lost and to those injured or traumatized by such horrific events. Thank you to all of the public health and safety professionals who respond and provide service to affected communities across America, and thank you to the organizations and individuals that extend your hands and services in support. Mental Health Services and Supports resolve Crisis Services A 24-hour, 365-day crisis service, free to all residents of Allegheny County, that provides crisis counseling and support, referrals, and intervention services for adults, teens, and their loved ones: 1-888-796-8226 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline A network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1-800-273-8255 For Deaf and Hard of Hearing: 1-800-799-4889 En Espanol: 1-888-628-9454 Be Well Pittsburgh Identifies free or low-cost mental health services in Pittsburgh, including hotlines, warm lines, counseling, support groups, and more. Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh Counseling & Other Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Low Cost/Sliding Scale Mental Health Treatment Services Locator Highmark Caring Place Peer Support Group for children, adolescents, and families who have lost a loved one The Compassionate Friends: Pittsburgh Chapter Support Group for those who have lost children, grandchildren, or siblings UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Supportive Care Department Bereaved Parent Support Group Articles and Resources Israel Trauma Coalition Practical Advice for Parents: How to Help Your Child Following a Trauma American Counseling Association Coping in the Aftermath of a Shooting Fred Rogers Productions Thoughts from Fred Rogers: Tragic Events Anti-Defamation League Gun Violence and Mass Shootings Empowering Young People in the Aftermath of Hate (In English and En Espanol) Fran Sherman in USA Today How to talk to your kids about school shootings Dr. Debi Gilboa in NEXT Pittsburgh How to talk to your kids about the mass shooting in Pittsburgh PA Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) Helping Children and Families Cope After a Traumatic Event Helping Children After a Traumatic Experience A Caregiver Guide Coping with Grief After Community Violence Helping Children Cope With Trauma At School Talking to Children about Hate Crimes and Anti-Semitism The Psychological Impact of the Recent Shooting Tips for Parents on Media Coverage Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth after the Recent Shooting Helping School-Age Children with Traumatic Grief: Tips for Caregivers Helping Youth After Community Trauma: Tips for Educators After a Crisis: Helping Young Children Heal Guiding Adults in Talking to Children About Death and Attending Services Child Trends Resources to help children in the wake of a school shooting The National Child Traumatic Stress Network How to talk to children about hate crimes and antisemitism Additional Lists Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s list of information and resources