Trauma and Trauma-Sensitive Schools
This page features a number of external and FFF resources on childhood trauma, responding to trauma and trauma-sensitive schools. Click the "For educators" box below to limit to resources that may be particularly helpful to school personnel. In addition to services and supports at schools, Virginia regional Community Services Boards offer behavioral health services for children and families. Emergency services and crisis response are among the supports offered by CSBs. Local CSBs can be found at http://www.dbhds.virginia.gov/community-services-boards-csbs.
Trauma Training Video Fact Sheets from FFF: Trauma Sensitive Approaches for Home and School
This set of three fact sheets are designed to support the Trauma Sensitive Responses at Home and School video series, available below.
Individual Fact Sheets are available as separate documents, and all three fact sheets in one document. Accessible text versions of all fact sheets are also available.
Fact Sheets for Videos 1 through 3
Video 1 Fact Sheet Understanding Trauma
Video 2 Fact Sheet Responding to Trauma
Video 3 Fact Sheet Trauma Sensitive Schools
Video 1 Fact Sheet Understanding Trauma accessible version
Video 2 Fact Sheet Responding to Trauma accessible version
Video 3 Fact Sheet Trauma Sensitive Schools accessible version
Video Series
Trauma Training Videos from FFF – Trauma Sensitive Approaches for Home and School
Trauma Sensitive Approaches for Home and School videos– produced by Formed Families Forward as part of our work with the Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports project. Under 10 minutes in length, each video provides an introduction to critical trauma content.
The videos include:
1) Understanding Trauma
2) Responding to Trauma
3) Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools
Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event
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.
Childhood Trauma: Understanding, Supporting, and Preventing online modules
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.
FACT of Virginia trauma resources
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
Trauma-Informed Practices: Considerations for the IEP meeting
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 online course
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 a 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:
- explore the impact of trauma on students and
- understand the neuroscience behind the behaviours presented by students who have experienced complex trauma
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.
Trauma Sensitivity During the IEP Process
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.
Trauma Informed Agency Self-Assessment
From the Linking Systems of Care for Children Virginia project.
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
Resource Collection on Trauma Informed Care
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:
- Basic Information about Trauma
- What is Trauma Informed Care?
- Trauma and Specific Populations
- Building Trauma Informed Schools
- Responding to Disasters
From the national Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR).
Children and Trauma: What Can You Do? FFF Fact Sheet
Child traumatic stress refers to the physical and emotional responses of a child to events that threaten the life or physical integrity of the child or of someone critically important to the child (such as a parent or sibling). Traumatic events can overwhelm a child’s capacity to cope. Children may feel terror and powerlessness; they may act out. The fact sheet provides information to understand the types of trauma, potential responses to the trauma and ways to support a child who has experienced trauma.
Responding to Children Impacted by Trauma FFF fact sheet
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.
Information on Trauma-Informed Care
February 01, 2015There are 10 types of childhood trauma measured in the ACE Study. Information on Trauma-Informed Care from Dr. Allison Sampson-Jackson.
Understanding Trauma in Children and Youth video
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.
Hope & Healing through Animal Assisted Therapy
This booklet provides an overview of animal assisted therapy approaches and therapeutic benefits. Additional resources are cited.
Attachment and Trauma Network website
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.
Helping Foster and Adoptive Parents Cope with Trauma
Helping Foster and Adoptive Parents Cope with Trauma from the American Academy of Pediatrics
Fact Sheet on Recognizing Trauma
June 01, 2017What is Trauma?
Trauma is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that may overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope.
Potentially traumatic events may include:
- Abuse (physical, sexual or emotional)
- Neglect
- Effects of poverty (homelessness, food insecurity)
- Witnessing domestic violence/abuse
- Separation from a loved one
- War zone or refugee experience
- Natural or man-made disaster
Fact Sheet on Recognizing Trauma from SCAN of Northern Virginia
1-2-3 Care – A Trauma-Sensitive Toolkit for Caregivers of Children
The 1-2-3 Care Toolkit is intended to support caregivers on their journey towards trauma sensitivity. It is organized by topic, each offering a brief overview, specific tools that can be used with children, and where to find more information. Also included are handouts that can be used as teaching aids.
1-2-3 Care – A Trauma-Sensitive Toolkit for Caregivers of Children from Spokane WA Regional Health District
Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Trauma
Factsheets for Families from The Children’s Bureau, HHS: Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Trauma
CAPPD: Practical Interventions to Help Children Affected by Trauma guide
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