I learned the impact of prolonged exposure to stress from my foster child [washingtonpost.com]

I’m inspired by this beautiful account of creating a family and working together to overcome a traumatic past.  It was also heartening that Jenn O’Connor’s (the author) daughter, Cleo, found support from a teacher who understood trauma—just one of the key protective factors that help build resiliency and transform trauma.  It is also great to see compelling, personal stories about trauma such as this in the Washington Post.

Jenn mentions NY state laws that mandate trauma training for domestic violence shelter workers and child care providers in this article.  For more information on these laws, click here for an article in ACEs Connection titled “Two ACEs-science related laws enacted in New York mark progress toward a trauma-informed state.”  Another story, “Advocacy in the time of COVID-19—Lessons from New York to create a trauma-Informed legislature,” features Jenn’s work with the NY State Legislature.  

Thanks for adding your heartbreaking comment, Haley. I'm so sorry this happened to you. I hope you get your happy loving boy back, too. With you as his mom, he certainly has a great shot at it! How could we as a community prevent this from happening? You were in the hospital, your husband was not able to care for the kids. I realize that our community, in the largest sense, created CPS to care for children, but too many times, this system doesn't work. Any ideas?

amazing, i completely agree that DCYF, CPS, and their caseworkers need to understand that. and also that removing children from a loving parent can also cause severe ptsd to children. I had my children removed in January of 2018 because i had severe congestive heart failure and could barely role over in bed after being released form the hospital after 2 weeks in a coma, and my husband was using drugs badly after he lost his job of 8 years. since i was medically unable to care for my boys at the time, ( i was a stay at home mother with them and they were never in their life away from me until i was rushed to the hospital after my heart stopped for 30 minutes and they had to see all that as well and then cps took them). My now 4 year old began to act out he still quite the handful, however he is recovering from it all nicely with mental health counselor and peer, however the whole situation cause my now 8 year old severe trauma. he is diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety and depression, ( i believe he also has reactive attachment disorder) it is a struggle with him on a daily basis we make 1 step forward 10 steps back, he was the most polite helpful best behaved boy before all of that, and after oh boy he is so angry all the time, sad, worried, sometimes defiant, has meltdowns, and so much more it is going to take years before we see more progress, we have little lights of it but he struggles daily. but i hope with my love and support and his mental health and peer support we will continue to do what is best for him. I just want my happy loving boy back