Tagged With "Making Safe Choices"
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ASD as a Risk Factor for Disrupted Attachment
When people hear ACES, or, adverse childhood experiences, it is likely that their mind goes to the more obvious types of adverse experiences such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, loss of a parent, or being removed from the home. But what about the less obvious adverse experiences? Those that are small, yet have a cumulative impact on a child’s sense of safety and security. Those that interfere with the essential bonding between child and caregiver. Those that risk or contribute to disrupted...
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Bringing ACEs, Resilience, and Hope to preschool families
This school year, an endeavor of the Franklin Pierce Hewins Early Learning Center (ELC) was to bring Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Resilience to the preschool families. What began as a broad idea soon turned into an exciting project: “Rise to Resilience & Hope”. Our ELC has had a Kids at Hope culture for many years – believing that all children are capable of success, with no exceptions. With Kids at Hope, the adults are Treasure Hunters, seeking out and recognizing the...
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Bringing ACEs, Resilience, and Hope to preschool families
This school year, an endeavor of the Franklin Pierce Hewins Early Learning Center (ELC) was to bring Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Resilience to the preschool families. What began as a broad idea soon turned into an exciting project: “Rise to Resilience & Hope”. Our ELC has had a Kids at Hope culture for many years – believing that all children are capable of success, with no exceptions. With Kids at Hope, the adults are Treasure Hunters, seeking out and recognizing the...
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Re: As More Children Show Symptoms of Trauma, Head Start Programs Expand Support Services
These kids were my patients in rural Michigan. They are everywhere. In the article they find the average ACE score for these kids to be 8 at 4 years old. I found most of my infant patients had 3 or 4 of the 5 household dysfunction ACES at the first visit at a week of age. These are the kids who were the babies that I found on the 4 month Ages and Stages Social Emotional Screening but couldn't get the services that these babies needed via infant mental health for dyad work in the state's...
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Kitchen Conversations: How to Talk with Young Children About COVID-19 (cdc.gov)
Kids are observant. They soak in what’s around them and take their cues from the adults in their lives. In these situations, adults can lead by example in the ways we cope with stress and talk with others about COVID-19. Parents, family members, and other trusted adults can play an important role to help children make sense of what they see and hear about COVID-19 in a way that is honest, accurate, and minimizes anxiety or fear. Let the kitchen table —either real or virtual— be a safe space...
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OCAP Strategic 5 year plan 2020-2025
Please see the attached report - The Office of Child Abuse Prevention (OCAP) is a bureau within the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). CDSS is the administrative structure that provides oversight to the California Child Welfare System . The system continually works to improve engagement and service provision that support the safety , permanence and well-being of children and their families. Though historically the child welfare system has focused on tertiary prevention efforts...
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Zero to Three releases new Mindfulness Toolkit for Early Childhood Organizations
As our communities look for ways to bring children safely back into structured, safe learning environments - whether that is child care facilities or schools - many staff, teachers, and children are likely going to be experiencing some stress and anxiety. This isn't new - transitions are always a bit stressful, but this time there are a number of added concerns that may be difficult to process for kids and adults alike. The best way to help keep children regulated and focused is to practice...
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How a Pandemic Could Advance the Science of Early Adversity [jamanetwork.com]
By Danielle Roubinov, Nicole R. Bush, and W. Thomas Boyce, JAMA Pediatrics, July 27, 2020 The reach of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is global, a health crisis with a ubiquity never before experienced. While the physical health consequences of COVID-19 appear to affect proportionally fewer children compared with adults, its psychosocial consequences may be magnified within families who consistently weather a landscape of severe stressors or adverse childhood experiences...
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Baby courts: A proven approach to stop the multigenerational transmission of ACES in child welfare; new efforts to establish courts nationwide
The organization Zero To Three estimates that in the U.S., a child is taken into the child welfare system every six seconds. “Many of society’s most intractable problems can be traced back to childhood adversity. Being in the child welfare system increases the likelihood of more adversity and criminality. Baby court is a proven approach to healing the trauma of both child and parent, and breaking the cycle of maltreatment,” says Mimi Graham, Ed.D ., director of the Florida State University...
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Seven Steps to Calm an Explosive Child
Are you exhausted by the explosive behaviors of the children you love? First, I want to say I am so proud of you. I know the fatigue and frustration that comes with parenting a child who feels out of control. The fact that you are reading this article means you are looking for support and guidance, and that means you are on your way to helping the children in your life. And believe me, you are probably already doing a better job than you think! Kids need you to show up more than anything!
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NY schools will be equipped to integrate trauma-informed practices into school reopening (security magazine)
August 31, 2020, Security Magazine. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, First Lady Chirlane McCray, and Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza announced “Bridge to School,” a Citywide initiative for the 2020-21 school year focused on the social and emotional well-being of students and adults in order to create a safe, supportive learning environment that confronts the trauma caused by the COVID-19 crisis. As a result, schools will be equipped to integrate trauma-informed practices into school...
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LAUNCH Together Supports Social Emotional Well-Being in Southwest Denver
As the COVID-19 pandemic blurred from days into months, the leadership team of LAUNCH Together Southwest Denver began hearing about the sense of anguish and confusion felt by directors of early-childhood learning centers: Should I re-open? Is that financially feasible? Is it ethical? And how do I decide, in a sea of fast-changing information about a virus scientists are still struggling to understand? LAUNCH Together SW Denver, a collaborative formed in 2016 to boost community capacity to...
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Early Child Care & COVID-19: The Science of Transmission, Safe Practices, Stress and Resilience [ucsf.edu]
From University of California, San Francisco, September 9, 2020 Please join UCSF's Early Success Clinic Collaborative for a panel discussion on "Early Child Care & COVID-19: The Science of Transmission, Safe Practices, Stress and Resilience" on Thursday, September 10th from 6:30-8:30 P.M. This conversation will be focused on translating the science around COVID-19 in preschool and early childhood ages to help inform considerations to keep children, teachers, and caregivers healthy. The...
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Prevention is Essential: Collective Impact Coalition Promotes Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships and Environments for All Maryland’s Children
When members of Maryland’s State Council on Child Abuse and Neglect (SCCAN) began in 2006 to examine what their state was doing in the realm of prevention, they discovered a gaping hole. Many participants in the 23-member Council—people working in child welfare, mental health, law enforcement and advocacy groups—knew about ACEs and about the corrosive effects of early childhood maltreatment. But they discovered, through informational interviews across different sectors and an environmental...
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Trauma-informed daycare will be first in Canada (Vancouver Sun)
By Glenda Luymes, October 3, 2020, Vancouver Sun. Young children who have experienced trauma, such as abuse or living in a refugee camp, will receive "wraparound" services at the daycare Canada’s first trauma-informed daycare is expected to be a safe space for young children who have experienced trauma. The United Way is raising money to complete construction of Little Phoenix Daycare in Victoria, said Mark Breslauer, CEO of United Way Greater Victoria. [ Please click here to read more. ]
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Research Shows the Importance and Paradox of Early Childhood Care and Education [rwjf.org]
By Krista Scott and Tina Kauh, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, October 8, 2020 While working from home and caring for our families as we wait out the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t always been easy, it certainly is a privilege that we value during these unprecedented times. We’re fortunate that our organization recognizes the importance of families and caregiving. In addition, the nature of our jobs allows us to work remotely and have flexible schedules. This helps us support our families during a...
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New Resource: Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic One-Pager (English & Spanish!)
English: The California Department of Public Health, Injury and Prevention Branch (CDPH/IVPB) and the California Department of Social Service, Office of Child Abuse Prevention’s (CDSS/OCAP) , Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative , ACEs Connection , and the Yolo County Children’s Alliance have co-created a newly developed resource, “Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic” in both English and Spanish. This material is intended for Californian families experiencing the severe...
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New Resource: Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic One-Pager (English & Spanish!)
English: The California Department of Public Health, Injury and Prevention Branch (CDPH/IVPB) and the California Department of Social Service, Office of Child Abuse Prevention’s (CDSS/OCAP) , Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative , ACEs Connection , and the Yolo County Children’s Alliance have co-created a newly developed resource, “Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic” in both English and Spanish. This material is intended for Californian families experiencing the severe...
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If You Can't Figure Out Your Feelings or Those of Your Family....
I think this PDF will help. It allows adults and children to name their feelings so they can tame them. Right priced. Good for families and schools and anyone who is struggling to try to ascertain just what they are feeling now. And, we know, as the PDF shares, that for every negative feeling, we would be wise to identify three positive ones. Stay safe and be well. I hope this resource helps families through the holidays... this one and the next (and it can be done remotely and in person). ...
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A Lifetime of Health and Wellness Starts Early
As we sit amidst a pandemic, I marvel at the difference in how each person is navigating this shared traumatic space. What makes some of us carry on with little impact to our mental health and wellness, while others struggle to get through life’s daily tasks? I believe it is Resilience. Resilience isn’t something you are born with. It is complex and developed over time, through personal experiences and environments, through parenting and opportunities, through responses from those who are...
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More than 1 in 4 Latino, Black, and White families with low incomes experience disruptions in their child care and work schedules
A new report from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families finds that disruptions in child care and work schedules are common among Latino, Black, and White families with low incomes. Forty-nine percent of Latino, Black, and White families who experienced a care-work disruption that affected their work schedule lost pay as a result of this disruption.
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A Lifetime of Health and Wellness Starts Early
As we sit amidst a pandemic, I marvel at the difference in how each person is navigating this shared traumatic space. What makes some of us carry on with little impact on our mental health and wellness, while others struggle to get through life’s daily tasks? I believe it is Resilience. Resilience isn’t something you are born with. It is complex and developed over time, through personal experiences and environments, through parenting and opportunities, through responses from those who are...
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Early Childhood, Interdisciplinary Community of Practice (fee free)
Looking for a gentle, supportive gathering of adults who are important to young children? Join us! We meet twice a month via Zoom (2nd and 4th Thursdays @ 7:30pm EST) and chat via keyboard on a safe, private platform whenever we want. Click for details → https://www.jodiwert.com/yes/community. A prompt for conversation = blog post(its) like this: @Adriana van Altvorst @Melissa McPheeters
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Meg Barr
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Jerod Petersen
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Emmalie Dropkin
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Carrie Wood
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Michael Belh
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Barbara Jones Stern
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Roxie D Heist
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Jennifer Spain
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WendyTLee
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Rebeca Holkesvig
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Cheryl Step
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Laure T. Mulrooney
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P. Allison Jones
Blog Post
Addressing Bias and Advancing Equity in State Policy (zerotothree.org)
Abstract This article explores the many ways in which states can and are addressing racial equity in problem solving and policymaking. The authors explore national data that make the case for addressing bias and advancing equity in state policy; share strategies and best practices for engaging families and communities; and provide examples of policies that can disrupt and dismantle institutional racism, promote equity, and ensure all babies get a strong start in life. Ensuring an equitable...
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The Violence at Home Signal for Help (Canadian Women's Foundation)
“Signal for Help” is a simple one-handed sign someone can use on a video call. It can help a person silently show they need help and want someone to check in with them in a safe way. There’s ample evidence that disaster situations can lead to a surge in gender-based violence. Public health directives on home isolation might increase danger and risk for people in abusive relationships. The Signal for Help is a tool that may help some people, some of the time. Some people do not have the...
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Examples of Current Trauma-Informed Judicial Systems
Please join us for a new series entitled: Trauma-Informed Criminal Justice. This monthly virtual Zoom series will feature conversations facilitated by Porter Jennings-McGarity, PACEs Connection’s criminal justice consultant, with special guests to discuss the need for trauma-informed criminal justice system reform. Using a PACEs-science lens, this series will examine the relationship between trauma and the criminal justice system, what needs changing, and strategies being used in this area...
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Traumatic Events and Behavior
Early childhood trauma or adverse events in the absence of natural supports or a nurturing caregiver may interrupt and negatively impact brain development and affect behavior and long-term emotional and mental health. Early experiences in life that are positive and negative shape the architecture of the brain. When a an infant or young child is exposed to chronic stress or traumatic events, the brain's emotional center, the amygdala, reacts. In a state of constant fight, flight or freeze,...
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April is both Alcohol Awareness Month & Child Abuse Prevention Month
So often alcohol and abuse live in the same house, significantly impacting children who are silently suffering. April is both Alcohol Awareness Month & Child Abuse Prevention Month, bringing together the need to raise awareness of their co-existence in homes that may otherwise appear safe. These children need protection, and healing. For a short, this video package a huge, emotional message. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8L8Dz_j7l8