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 search results to those 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 https://dbhds.virginia.gov/community-services-boards-csbs .

Virginia HEALS Systems of Care Virginia toolkit

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.

  • Toolkit, Virginia HEALS Systems of Care Virginia toolkit


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.

  • Website, Understanding Trauma in Children and Youth video

  • Webinar, Understanding Trauma in Children and Youth video


Hope & Healing through Animal Assisted Therapy

This booklet provides an overview of animal assisted therapy approaches and therapeutic benefits. Additional resources are cited.

  • Document, Hope & Healing through Animal Assisted Therapy


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.

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.

  • Website, Attachment and Trauma Network website

    ATN main website

  • Website, Attachment and Trauma Network website

    Part of ATN, this website features school-specific resources


Helping Foster and Adoptive Parents Cope with Trauma

Helping Foster and Adoptive Parents Cope with Trauma from the American Academy of Pediatrics

  • Guide, Helping Foster and Adoptive Parents Cope with Trauma


Fact Sheet on Recognizing Trauma
June 01, 2017

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.

 

  • Factsheet, Fact Sheet on Recognizing Trauma


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

  • Toolkit, 1-2-3 Care – A Trauma-Sensitive Toolkit for Caregivers of Children


Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Trauma

Factsheets for Families from The Children’s Bureau, HHS: Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Trauma

 

  • Website, Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Trauma

  • Factsheet, 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, PRESENTPREDICTABLE 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

  • Website, CAPPD: Practical Interventions to Help Children Affected by Trauma guide


Special Issue of Therapeutic Parenting Journal
December 22, 2015
ATN Therapeutic Parenting Journal, December 2015, Issue #5, is a Special Issue of Therapeutic Parenting Journal focused on Trauma-Sensitive Schools
  • Website, Special Issue of Therapeutic Parenting Journal


SCAN Fact Sheet on Trauma-Informed Organizations

What does it mean to be trauma informed? Trauma informed organizations make a commitment to understand trauma, how to respond to trauma, and how it affects those they work with. Being trauma informed is an organizational cultural change.

Fact Sheet on Trauma-Informed Organizations from SCAN of Northern Virginia.

  • Factsheet, SCAN Fact Sheet on Trauma-Informed Organizations


NCTSN Fact Sheet on Complex Trauma
  • Factsheet, NCTSN Fact Sheet on Complex Trauma

    Complex trauma: facts for caregivers

  • Factsheet, NCTSN Fact Sheet on Complex Trauma

    Complex Trauma in Children and Adolescents

  • Website, NCTSN Fact Sheet on Complex Trauma

    National Child Traumatic Stress Network


Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators

Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators from NCTSN

  • Website, Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators

  • Toolkit, Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators


Trauma Informed Classrooms article
February 01, 2016

Trauma Informed Classrooms article by Brian Cavanaugh, University of Maine at Farmington

  • Report, Trauma Informed Classrooms article


Improving School Climate for Children in Foster Care

Improving School Climate for Children in Foster Care webinar from the Legal Center on Foster Care and Education

  • Video, Improving School Climate for Children in Foster Care


Video: Tips for teachers for students in foster, adoptive and kinship families

Tips For Teachers from the Wisconsin Coalition for Children, Youth and Families share great suggestions for how teachers can adapt some typical class assignments.

Mary Grossnickle from The Coalition for Children, Youth and Families explain how teachers can adapt some typical class assignments to include any children they have who may be in out-of-home care or who have been adopted.

  • Video, Video: Tips for teachers for students in foster, adoptive and kinship families


Books: Trauma-Sensitive Schools: Learning Communities Transforming Children’s Lives, K-5

Trauma-informed practices in schools by Susan E. Craig: Trauma-Sensitive Schools: Learning Communities Transforming Children’s Lives, K-5

  • Book, Books: Trauma-Sensitive Schools: Learning Communities Transforming Children’s Lives, K-5


Unlocking the Door to Learning: Trauma-Informed Classrooms and Transformational Schools
December 01, 2014

Unlocking the Door to Learning: Trauma-Informed Classrooms and Transformational Schools from Education Law Center, PA.

  • Report, Unlocking the Door to Learning: Trauma-Informed Classrooms and Transformational Schools


Getting Curious (Not Furious) with Students
June 01, 2016

Getting Curious (Not Furious) with Students classroom management article on Edutopia.

  • Website, Getting Curious (Not Furious) with Students


Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Abuse or Neglect

Factsheets for Families from The Children’s Bureau, HHS: Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Abuse or Neglect

  • Factsheet, Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Abuse or Neglect