Trauma-Informed Practices in Early Childhood Education

TRAINING MODULES Trauma-Informed Practices in Early Childhood Education

The Center for Child and Family Studies at WestEd offers the following training modules to help early childhood caregivers learn to use strategies that are sensitive to children who may have experienced trauma. All modules can be customized or combined, and can be delivered as half- or full-day trainings.

Overview of Trauma and Its Impact about burnout, compassion fatigue, and the Prerequisite for all Trauma-Informed Practices in Early importance of self-care and they will begin Childhood Education (TIP-ECE) Modules to explore strategies they can use to support Participants learn about trauma, the impact themselves in work with high-needs children of trauma and traumatic stress on children’s and families. development, several trauma-informed early childhood practices that support Impact of Trauma on Children’s children’s healing and resiliency, and the Brain Development and Behavior use of the Adverse Childhood Experiences Participants learn how trauma impacts (ACES) index. young children’s brain development, arousal states, and behavior; increase their Compassion Fatigue and Self-Care sensitivity to understanding the meaning for the ECE Workforce behind challenging behaviors they observe, Participants are guided to build awareness and gain simple strategies to utilize right about their own experiences with trauma and away. Participants learn about the different how this impacts their current practice and regions of the brain and how they operate, work with children. Participants will also be the impact of trauma on the developing supported in understanding their own trig- brain of a child, the long-term impacts of gers around children’s behaviors and strate- trauma and some key strategies on trauma- gies to support themselves with awareness, informed care around building supportive reflection, and self-care. Participants will learn relationships and nurturing environments.

(continues on next page)

For more information, visit WestEd.org/service/trauma-informed-practices or email us at [email protected]. Trauma-Informed Practices in Early Childhood Education: Module Descriptions

Strategies to Support Children Developing a Trauma-Sensitive Affected by Trauma: Relationships Behavior Plan: Trauma-Sensitive and the Environment Intervention Strategies and Writing Participants learn how to develop caring Trauma Informed Behavior Plans to and attuned relationships with young chil- Support Children — Part 2 dren with histories of trauma. Participants After learning to use behavior observation also learn trauma-sensitive strategies for and documentation of children’s behavior arranging the environment in the home or in Part 1, participants will learn to write a early learning programs. Participants also behavior plan using trauma-informed and learn TIP best practices and key strategies trauma-sensitive promotional, prevention, that support children’s healing and resiliency, and intervention strategies. and that strengthen protective factors. Trauma-Informed/Trauma- Sensitive Programs, Agencies, Strategies to Support Children and Systems Affected by Trauma: Building Sensory and Body Awareness and Leaders, supervisor, and/or administrators Strengthening Emotional Literacy of an organization will team together to and Self-Regulation conduct a self-assessment of their organization that will help them walk away with a Participants learn how to support children to strategic plan identifying current practices develop sensory awareness and emotional and next steps for building a trauma-sensi- literacy — skills that support children to tive and responsive organization. manage strong emotions and develop self-regulation. Embedding Trauma-Sensitive Practices into Leadership and Developing Observation Skills Supervision for Individual Children: Trauma- For supervisors, agency leaders and administrators. Sensitive Intervention Strategies and Writing Trauma-Informed Participants learn a range of trauma-in- Behavior Plans to Support Children formed practices that support attunement — Part 1 and relationship-building in the workplace with an emphasis on reflection and inquiry, This is part one of two in a going-deeper parallel process, and reflective supervision series on developing behavior plans for grounded in relationship-based practice. children with histories of trauma. Participants learn to observe behavior, identify triggers, determine the meaning of a child’s behavior, Racial Equity and Trauma-Informed and use data to inform the development of Practices in Early Childhood trauma-sensitive behavior plans, specifically Participants examine trauma through a lens for children who have experienced trauma of equity and social justice. Topics include and/or have persistent challenging behaviors. (continues on next page) Trauma-Informed Practices in Early Childhood Education: Module Descriptions

systemic oppression, racial equity, implicit/ this TIP module supports the understanding unconscious bias, the importance of asset/ of those strategies through a trauma-sensitive strengths-based, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed lens. We work with trauma-informed practices in work with chil- your program to identify the key social- dren, families, and communities. Participants emotional strategies you use and to under- learn how to support young children’s social, stand how to implement those strategies emotional competence and strategies to with a trauma-informed lens. The module is create early learning programs that disrupt uniquely designed for your program based inequitable disciplinary practices including on your needs and the social-emotional suspensions, expulsions, and pushouts. curriculum used in your program.

Mindfulness and Mindfulness Tech- Trauma-Informed Practices to niques for Staff and Young Children Support Equity and Inclusion for Participants learn strategies to integrate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgen- trauma-sensitive mindfulness practices into der, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Children their classrooms and programs to create and Families calm, regulated, and healthy learning and Drawing on knowledge of trauma-informed working environments for young children practices, participants learn about the and the adults that care for them. unique forms of traumatic stress LGBTQ+ children and families experience. Participants Creating Trauma-Sensitive also strengthen their understanding of Environments for Young Children: the language, policies, practices, systems, Going Deeper and family engagement strategies in early learning programs that respect, support, and Participants plan changes in their classroom celebrate LGBTQ+ children and families. environments to make them trauma-informed and developmentally supportive for all children. Changes include the use of Integrating Trauma-Informed private spaces that allow children to “get Practices into Family and away,” tools to support optimal regulation, Community Engagement Initiatives visual schedules and visual cues, room and Strategies design, and other strategies to support chil- Participants learn strategies to engage dren’s emotional and behavioral self-regula- families as well as a range of community tion indoors and outdoors. members who interact with young children (e.g., bus drivers, librarians, pediatricians) to Building Trauma-Informed Practices use trauma-informed practices and social- into Social-Emotional Learning emotional strategies to strengthen protec- Curricula tive factors and support children and families’ healing and resiliency. Building upon evidenced-based social emotional curricula used by your program, (continues on next page) Trauma-Informed Practices in Early Childhood Education: Module Descriptions

Trauma-Informed Practices and hospitalizations and other painful proce- Medical Trauma, Palliative Care, dures and those in the child welfare system Hospice, and Childhood Grief are at a higher risk for developmental delays, Participants learn about traumatic stress asso- including physical, cognitive, emotional, ciated with medical events and medical treat- social, and behavioral problems. Also ment including young children’s responses to discussed are the stressors faced by parents pain, injury, serious illness, and medical proce- and caregivers who must navigate complex dures and treatments. Childhood grief and and often non-integrated service delivery end-of-life care are also addressed. Trauma- systems, and strategies for supporting fami- sensitive strategies are introduced for partic- lies throughout this process. ipants to use in their work with children and families with experiences related to diverse Trauma-Informed Practices forms of medical trauma. for Young Children in Immigrant Families: Providing Developmentally Trauma-Informed Practices Responsive Support and Support for Children with Participants learn about the different forms Disabilities of trauma that immigrant and mixed-status Participants learn about the importance families experience and are introduced to of having a trauma-informed lens when trauma-sensitive strategies they can use working with children with special needs to support children and families in their and their families. Young children with programs facing increased migration trauma disabilities often experience repeated and migration stress.

For more information, visit WestEd.org/service/trauma-informed-practices or email us at [email protected]

About WestEd WestEd is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research, development, and service agency that partners with education and other communities throughout the United States and abroad to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults. WestEd has more than a dozen offices nationwide, from Massachusetts, Vermont, and Georgia, to Arizona and California, with headquarters in San Francisco. For more information, visit WestEd.org; call 415.565.3000 or, toll-free, (877) 4-WestEd; or write: WestEd / 730 Harrison Street / San Francisco, CA 94107-1242.