Best of the Web

Child homelessness is more of an issue than ever with a recent report by The National Center on Family Homelessness citing that 1 in 30 children in America were homeless during 2013, an 8% national increase from 2012.  While many reasons can be cited from the economic recession, to poverty, to a lack of available housing; it is important to recognize the role of trauma in this social problem.  During this episode of Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane on WHYY-Philadelphia, three panelists describe the importance of moving from asking “what is wrong with you” to “what happened to you,” the fundamental component of Trauma Informed Care practice and The Sanctuary Model.  If providers and policies are able to “introduce dignity, choice, and respect” back into the lives of the individuals and families experiencing homelessness, it “opens up the possibilities for change and growth.”  We will be able to break the cycle of homelessness for children, help mothers and their families to heal from trauma, and grow together as members of a larger community.   

This incredible video is a perfect summary of what Multiplying Connections is all about!  Watch to learn the answers to a variety of questions.  What are ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences)?  How does the brain of a child change depending on the level of stress to which they are exposed?  What ways can parents and society at large help?  "The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” -Chinese proverb.  Help us create a city and society that supports parents, families and organizations to free themselves from trauma.

Baby Bonds: Parenting, Attachment and a Secure Base for Children, a report released by The Sutton Trust, discusses the importance of caregivers bonding with their children. The longitudinal study of 14,000 US children found that about 40 percent lacked secure attachments. Their analysis provides important insights into how these children impacted by neglect they experienced. The researchers also offer a number of recommendations for caregivers, behavioral health professionals and policy makers to support children in developing strong attachments. 

Dealing with the loss of a loved one can be particularly difficult for children. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) has developed this comprehensive list of how children typically express their feelings about this loss along with how providers and caregivers can help. This short, clear tool is an excellent resource for those who wish to provide better trauma-informed care and to help children manage their traumatic grief. 

The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University has created another video in its excellent series on the impact of trauma and adversity on children.  This video focuses on the impact of neglect on child development.  Four types of neglect are described as well as strategies for ameliorating its effects.  Emphasis is placed on the importance of the "serve and return" response which can be provided by any caregiver.  A companion brief on the same topic is also available.

The Alberta Family Wellness Initiative in Canada has produced, Brain Builders,  an excellent 4 minute animated video which presents the core story of brain development in an accessible and visually engaging format. Key concepts such as 'serve and return' and 'toxic stress' are illustrated in user friendly pictures and words.  Check it out at this link http://www.albertafamilywellness.org/resources/video/how-brains-are-built-core-story-brain-development

In this one-hour video,  Elaine Hammond, Adjunct Professor at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work, explains why breathing is such an important trauma-informed self-care strategy.  She demonstrates breathing techniques, explains the neurophysiology behind breathing and why it is an effective way to conteract the stress response.  She even discusses potential barriers to breathing retraining and how to address them.  The video includes a guided breathing meditation wihich you can use for yourself or to lead others in this exercise.  It runs from minute 29:38 to to minute 48:25. The University at Buffalo has also created a "Self-Care Starter Kit with many more resources.  It can be found at http://www.socialwork.buffalo.edu/students/self-care/.

The Chadwick Trauma-Informed Systems Project (CTISP), a part of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), has published a new guide for administrators who work in the child welfare system. This guide aims to serve as a resource for those who wish to improve services for children and families and develop strategies for responding to their needs. This guide aims to support the process of change in the community child welfare systems by building an awareness of an understanding how trauma can affect children and families and develop practical implications for child welfare administrators are included in each chapter. This guide is part of larger Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Practice Toolkit that contains multiple resources designed to assist administrators in creating a trauma informed child welfare systems.

Check out Families Thrive, a unique partnership in  Contra Costa County, California which is actively working with diverse sectors and organizations to address the specific needs of children and families impacted by domestic violence.  The organizations's on-line Learning Center has a variety of excellent  video recordings, articles, and resources on a number of important topics that are relevant to trauma informed care including a 2 part presentation by trauma expert and epidemiologist Linda Chamberlain, PhD, titled "Trauma and the Potential for Healing." 

ACESTooHigh is the "go to"  website for information about the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study. Kudos to Jane Stevens, a journalist who maintains that site for her Inclusion of resources, training information, personal stories and more. ACESTooHigh is also a site that covers what towns, cities, states, social service agencies and organizations, schools, the juvenile justice, criminal justice, public health and medical communities are doing to reduce the burden of ACEs for the tens of millions of people in the United States who have high ACE scores. Links to those projects and programs are posted on the ACEs in Action page. There’s also an ACESTooHigh network for people who work in these communities to share best and worst practices, information about upcoming events, and to set up groups who want to collaborate on projects.

In a new fact sheet on secondary traumatic stress (STS), The National Childhood Traumatic Network (NCTSN) defines STS as “the emotional duress that results when an individual hears about the firsthand trauma experiences of another. Its symptoms mimic those of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).” According to the NCTSN the most important strategy for preventing the development of secondary traumatic stress is the triad of psychoeducation, skills training, and supervision.  In particular, NCTSN recommends Reflective Supervision as a model to address STS.