From the Child Mind Institute.
In the wake of a traumatic event, your comfort, support and reassurance can make children feel safe, help them manage their fears, guide them through their grief, and help them recover in a healthy way. This guide was assembled by psychiatrists, psychologists and mental health experts who specialize in crisis situations. It offers simple tips on what to expect, what to do and what to look out for.
A self-paced online module, created by the Military Families Learning Network’s Early Intervention team to explore childhood trauma, disability, and trauma-informed practices in early childhood settings.
The interactive module includes four units that cover the prevalence and impact of trauma, manifestation of trauma in young children, providing trauma-informed supports, and preventing future trauma. It is designed to be a high-level overview of the topic and a starting point for professionals working with young children and their families.
Slides from a 2011 National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) webinar presented by M. Elizabeth Ralston, PhD, Dee Norton Lowcounty Children’s Center
Lisa J. Bernard, EdS, Charleston County School District
Ben Atchison, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Western Michigan University
Audra Langley, PhD, UCLA
Full webinar recording is available at https://learn.nctsn.org/mod/nctsnwebinar/view.php?id=9454
Webinar slides
The Southwest Michigan Children’s Trauma Assessment Center was established to provide assessments for children who have experienced trauma and adverse childhood experiences. The CTAC team also provides professional training and coordinates projects in order to create trauma-informed systems and services.
The Center’s website includes a variety of resources as well as information about how to access the Center’s services.
The CreatingAFamily.org website compiles a list of fiction and nonfiction books about foster care and adoption. Books are described and suggested age ranges are listed. Books for adults are also suggested.
Best Adoption Books for Children and Adults (links to all book collections)
Suggested books for children, youth and adults on foster care
Suggested books for children, youth and adults on adoption
Suggested books for children and youth adopted from foster care
This 19-item measure assesses agency and individual factors related to trauma-informed systems. Appropriate for education, family, child welfare, health and other services systems. The linked article provides psychometric data re: the instrument.
Trauma-Informed System Change Instrument
Richardson et al., journal article re TCSCI
This schools checklist is designed by
Lesley University, Center for Special Education and the Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative of Massachusetts Advocates for Children and the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School
From the Virginia HEALS project of Virginia Department of Social Services.
The Trauma-Informed Agency Self-Assessment was created for agencies and organizations from a variety of fields (child welfare, behavioral health, public health, juvenile justice, education, early childhood development, housing, and victim advocacy) to assess where they fall in a continuum of trauma-informed care and to engage them in a process of setting agency improvement goals.
Trauma Informed Agency Self Assessment tool
These resources from Family and Children’s Trust Fund (FACT) of Virginia include issue briefs exploring trauma and trauma-informed care, including trauma informed schools.
FACT of Virginia issue briefs
This fact sheet from Kennedy Krieger Institute offers suggestions of trauma-sensitive practices and procedures for preparing for and holding Individual Educational Program (IEP) meetings. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that students who access special education services have a documented IEP.
The Trauma Aware Educator: Understanding the Science of Childhood Trauma and Its Impact on Students online course from the Australia-based Trauma Informed Positive Behavior Support (TIPBS).
This is an online course designed to answer frequently asked questions about the foundational concepts of trauma informed practice for educators and educational leaders.
Childhood trauma affects the physical, emotional, and social development of children and adolescents. In order to minimize harm, teachers and school leaders need to respond appropriately using trauma-informed practices and policies.
In this course, you will:
This course is a primer for the Trauma Informed Positive Behaviour Support (TIPBS) online course and is suitable for teaching staff and education leaders who want to improve their professional practice, and is relevant to most school contexts worldwide. It may also be of interest to health and social care workers.
This 4 page guide from the Federation for Children with Special Needs in Massachusetts offers information on Sharing Information, Trauma-Sensitive Evaluations, Trauma-Sensitive Meetings and Trauma-Sensitive IEPs.
This comprehensive collection of resources (documents, webinars, videos, websites) on childhood trauma, trauma-informed care, trauma sensitive schools and more is organized by topic. Topical collections include:
From the national Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR).
It is often difficult for parents and caregivers to know how best to respond to their children’s behavioral and emotional needs. Download our fact sheet for proven strategies for responding to children impacted by trauma.
A number of resources have been developed to support community and state-level implementation of the Virginia HEALS Model for the provision of services and referrals to children, youth, and families. The toolkit includes a family engagement guide, resource mapping, a screening tool for use with individuals who may have been victimized or have trauma impact, and a trauma informed agency assessment, among others.
From the Fairfax Trauma-Informed Care Network
This session gives a primer on the lasting effects of trauma, and provides practical strategies for developing positive coping skills in children and youth with a history of trauma. Participants will enhance their ability to understand and handle challenging behavior in young people and learn how to develop a trauma-informed environment, focusing on strategies that minimize triggers and emphasize effective, asset-focused behavior management.
At the Attachment & Trauma Network, it is our mission to: Promote healing of traumatized children and their families through support, education and advocacy. The Attachment & Trauma Network (ATN) is the nation’s oldest parent-led organization supporting families of traumatized children.
The ATN website features resources and links to training and other information about trauma-related therapeutic parenting, trauma-sensitive schools and other trauma and attachment content.
ATN main website
Part of ATN, this website features school-specific resources
Helping Foster and Adoptive Parents Cope with Trauma from the American Academy of Pediatrics
What is Trauma? Fact Sheet on Recognizing Trauma from SCAN of Northern Virginia
Trauma is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that may overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope.
CAPPD is an acronym developed by the Multiplying Connections Initiative that stands for CALM, ATTUNED, PRESENT, PREDICTABLE and DON’T Let the Child’s emotions escalate your own.
CAPPD: Practical Interventions to Help Children Affected by Trauma guide is put together by the Health Federation of Philadelphia