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Apr 23, 2020 · Educational video for children to learn what the brain is, which are its parts and how it works ...
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How do you teach a child about their brain?

How the brain works simple explanation?

How the brain works facts for kids?

Nov 7, 2017 · Wow, the BRAIN! In this human brain facts video for kids learn the structure and function of ...
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Understanding the brain for kids - Google Search

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. Apr 23, 2020 · Educational video for children to learn what the brain is, which are its parts and how it works ...Duration: 4:46 Posted: Apr 23, 2020 How do you teach a child about their brain?

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Do you or a family member struggle with substance abuse?

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Do you or a family member struggle with substance abuse?

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The purpose of The Courage Center is to fill the gaps in the recovery community specifically for young people and families.

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Get help explaining death to children. Explore our free, bilingual resources for families, providers, and teachers on coping with grief and loss of loved ones.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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As a parent you give your children a good start in life-you nurture, protect and guide them. Parenting is a process that prepares your child for independence. As your child grows and develops, there are many things you can do to help your child. These links will help you learn more about your child's development, positive parenting, safety, and health at each stage of your child's life.

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Child Development Positive Parenting Tips | CDC

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Learn more about your child's development, positive parenting, safety, and health at each stage of your child's life.

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Designed for parents and caregivers of 2 to 4-year-olds. Learn about encouraging good behavior and decreasing misbehavior using proven strategies like positive communication, structure and rules, clear directions, and consistent discipline and consequences.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reviewed extensive research to identify the best approaches to parenting and talked to the experts-both recognized leaders in the parenting field and parents themselves-to create articles, videos, and activities parents and caregivers can use.

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How Your Brain Works? - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz

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Inside your body's control centre...

There's a mass of wrinkly material in your head, weighing around 1.3kg, which controls every single thing you will ever do. It enables you to think, learn, create and feel emotions, as well as controlling every blink, breath and heartbeat. This fantastic organ is your brain! It's so amazing that famous scientist James D. Watson once called the brain "the most complex thing we have yet discovered in our universe." Here's why!

Your brain is faster and more powerful than a supercomputer!

Your kitten is in the kitchen. She's about to step on the hot cooker. You have only seconds to act. Accessing the signals coming from your eyes, your brain quickly calculates when, where, and at what speed you will need to leap to stop her. Then it orders your muscles to spring into action. Your timing is perfect, and she's safe! No computer can come close to your brain's amazing ability to download, process, and react to the flood of information coming from your eyes, ears and other sensory organs. Cool!

Your brain generates enough electricity to power a lightbulb

Your brain contains about 100 billion microscopic cells called neurons. There are so many, it would take you over 3,000 years to count them all! Whenever you dream, laugh, think, see or move, it's because minute chemical and electrical signals are racing between these neurons along billions of tiny neuron pathways. Incredibly, the activity in your brain never stops. Countless messages zip around inside it every second - just like a supercharged pinball machine. Your neurons create and send more messages than all the phones in the entire world. And while a single neuron generates only a very small amount of electricity, all your neurons together can produce enough energy to power a low-wattage light bulb. Imagine that!

Neurons send information to your brain at more than 240kmph!

A bee lands on your bare foot. Eek! Sensory neurons in your skin relay this information to your spinal cord and brain at a speed of more than 240kmph. Your brain then uses motor neurons to transmit the message back through your spinal cord to your foot - to shake the bee off quickly! Motor neurons can relay this message at more than 320kmph. Wow!

When you learn, you change the structure of your brain

Riding a bike seems impossible at first, but soon you master it. How? As you practise, your brain sends 'bike riding' messages along pathways of neurons again and again, forming new connections. In fact, the structure of your brain changes every time you learn, as well as whenever you have a new thought or memory. Now that's clever!

Exercise helps make you smarter

It's well known that any exercise that makes your heart beat faster - like running or playing a sport - is great for your body and can even help improve your mood. But scientists have recently learned that for a period of time after you've exercised, your body produces a chemical that makes your brain more willing to learn. So, if you're stuck on some tricky homework, go out and run around for a while, then tackle the problem again. You might discover that you're much more able to solve it!

Main picture © Ism / Phototake / All rights reserved
Diagram: Robert J. Demarest
Words: Douglas E. Richards

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Your Amazing Brain! - National Geographic Kids

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There's a mass of wrinkly material in your head, weighing around 1.3kg, which controls every single thing you will ever do. It enables you to think, learn, create and feel emotions, as well as controlling every blink, breath and heartbeat. This fantastic organ is your brain! It's so amazing that famous scientist James D.

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Your Brain & Nervous System (for Kids) - Nemours KidsHealth

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Your brain is the boss of your body and runs the whole show. Learn more in this article for kids.

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This brief question-and-answer guide provides some basic information on how psychotherapy works.

Cite this

American Psychological Association. (2020, September 24). How to find help through seeing a psychologist. http://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/psychologist-therapy

Millions of Americans have found relief from depression and other emotional difficulties through seeing a psychologist. Even so, some people find it hard to get started or stay in therapy. This brief question-and-answer guide provides some basic information to help individuals take advantage of outpatient (non-hospital) therapy.

Why do people consider using therapy?

Therapy is a partnership between an individual and a professional such as a psychologist who is licensed and trained to help people understand their feelings and assist them with changing their behavior. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one-third of adults in the United States experience an emotional or substance abuse problem. Nearly 25% of the adult population suffers at some point from depression or anxiety.

People often consider therapy, under the following circumstances:

They feel an overwhelming and prolonged sense of sadness and helplessness, and they lack hope in their lives.

Their emotional difficulties make it hard for them to function from day to day. For example, they are unable to concentrate on assignments and their job performance suffers as a result.

Their actions are harmful to themselves or to others. For instance, they drink too much alcohol and become overly aggressive.

They are troubled by emotional difficulties facing family members or close friends.

What does research show about the effectiveness of therapy?

Research suggests that therapy effectively decreases patients' depression and anxiety and related symptoms-such as pain, fatigue and nausea. Therapy has also been found to increase survival time for heart surgery and cancer patients, and it can have a positive effect on the body's immune system. Research increasingly supports the idea that emotional and physical health are very closely linked and that therapy can improve a person's overall health status.

There is convincing evidence that most people who have at least several sessions of therapy are far better off than untreated individuals with emotional difficulties. One major study showed that 50 percent of patients noticeably improved after eight sessions while 75% of individuals in therapy improved by the end of six months. Psychotherapy with children is similar in effectiveness to therapy with adults.

How do I find a qualified psychologist for therapy?

Selecting a psychologist is a highly personal matter. A psychologist who works very well with one individual may not be a good choice for another person. There are several ways to get referrals to qualified psychologists, including the following:

Talk to close family members and friends for their recommendations, especially if they have had a good experience with therapy.

Many state psychological associations operate referral services which put individuals in touch with licensed and competent mental health providers.

Ask your primary care physician (or other health professional) for a referral. Tell the doctor what's important to you in choosing a psychologist so he or she can make appropriate suggestions.

Inquire at your place of worship.

Look in the phone book or the internet for the listing of a local mental health association or community mental health center and check these sources for possible referrals.

Use APA's Psychologist Locator service.

Ideally, you will end up with more than one lead. Call and request the opportunity, either by phone or in person, to ask the psychologist some questions. You might want to inquire about his or her licensure and level of training, approach to therapy, participation in insurance plans, and fees. Such a discussion should help you sort through your options and choose someone with whom you believe you might interact well.

If I begin therapy, how should I try to gain the most from it?

There are many approaches to outpatient therapy and various formats in which it may occur, including individual, group and family therapy. Despite the variations, all therapy is a two-way process that works especially well when patients and their psychologists communicate openly. Research has shown that the outcome of therapy improves when the psychologist and patient agree early about what the major problems are and how therapy can help.

You and your psychologist both have responsibilities in establishing and maintaining a good working relationship. Be clear with your psychologist about your expectations and share any concerns that may arise. Therapy works best when you attend all scheduled sessions and give some forethought to what you want to discuss during each one.

How can I evaluate whether therapy is working well?

As you begin therapy, you should establish clear goals with your psychologist. Perhaps you want to overcome feelings of hopelessness associated with depression. Or maybe you would like to control a fear that disrupts your daily life. Keep in mind that certain tasks require more time to accomplish than others.

After a few sessions, it's a good sign if you feel the experience is truly a joint effort and that you and the therapist enjoy a good rapport. On the other hand, you should be open with your psychologist if you find yourself feeling "stuck" or lacking direction once you've been in therapy awhile.

There may be times when a psychologist appears cold and uninterested or doesn't seem to regard you positively. Tell your psychologist if this is the situation, or if you question other aspects of his or her approach. If you find yourself thinking about discontinuing therapy, talk with your psychologist. It might be helpful to consult another professional, provided you let your therapist know you are seeking a second opinion.

Patients often feel a wide range of emotions during therapy. Some qualms about therapy that people may have result from the difficulty of discussing painful and troubling experiences. When this happens, it can actually be a positive sign indicating that you are starting to explore your thoughts and behaviors.

You should spend time with your psychologist periodically reviewing your progress (or your concern that you are not making sufficient headway). Although there are other considerations affecting the duration of therapy, success in reaching your primary goals should be a major factor in deciding when your therapy should end.

Therapy isn't easy, but patients who are willing to work in close partnership with their psychologist often find relief from their emotional distress and begin to lead more productive and fulfilling lives.

The full text of articles from APA Help Center may be reproduced and distributed for noncommercial purposes with credit given to the American Psychological Association. Any electronic reproductions must link to the original article on the APA Help Center. Any exceptions to this, including excerpting, paraphrasing or reproduction in a commercial work, must be presented in writing to the APA. Images from the APA Help Center may not be reproduced.

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How to find help through seeing a psychologist

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This brief question-and-answer guide provides some basic information on how psychotherapy works. Cite this American Psychological Association. (2020, September 24). How to find help through seeing a psychologist. http://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/psychologist-therapy Millions of Americans have found relief from depression and other emotional difficulties through seeing a psychologist.

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What is Trauma? - Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Resource Center

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Learn about trauma, its causes, and the negative long-term effects of trauma on health and wellbeing.

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An ACE score is a tally of different types of abuse, neglect, and other hallmarks of a rough childhood. According to the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, the rougher your childhood, the higher your score is likely to be and the higher your risk for later health problems. You can take the test below:

So, you've got your score. Now what?

First, remember that the ACE score isn't a crystal ball; it's just meant as guidance. It tells you about one type of risk factor among many. It doesn't directly take into account your diet or genes, or whether you smoke or drink excessively - to name just a few of the other major influences on health.

To learn more, check the CDC's ACE Study website. You'll find, among other things, a list of studies that explore the ways adverse childhood experiences have been linked to a variety of adult conditions, ranging from increased headaches to depression to heart disease.

Remember this, too: ACE scores don't tally the positive experiences in early life that can help build resilience and protect a child from the effects of trauma. Having a grandparent who loves you, a teacher who understands and believes in you, or a trusted friend you can confide in may mitigate the long-term effects of early trauma, psychologists say.

"There are people with high ACE scores who do remarkably well," says Jack Shonkoff, a pediatrician and director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.

Resilience, he says, builds throughout life, and close relationships are key. Recent research also suggests that for adults, "trauma informed" therapy - which can center on art, yoga or mindfulness training - can help.

How best to find and help kids who are experiencing abuse and neglect right now?

Child psychologist Hilit Kletter, of Stanford University's School of Medicine, says that to spot these children, she looks for visible signs of stress to understand what might have happened to them and how best to intervene. Some kids have nightmares or recurring thoughts of a stressful event, she says, or may re-enact the trauma through play. Or the child may seem distracted or withdrawn.

"This will come out at school," Kletter says. "Teachers will tell parents [their child] seems to be in a daze in the classroom, not paying attention."

Kletter says reactions to trauma are sometimes misdiagnosed as symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, because kids dealing with adverse experiences may be impulsive - acting out with anger or other strong emotions.

"It's something that's very common in trauma: difficulty in regulating emotions and behavior," she explains. "That's why a lot of these kids get in trouble with the classroom."

Shonkoff's research center at Harvard tests interventions that can build resilience in kids who are growing up with adverse experiences - not just problems in the family, such as those the ACE study investigated, but also trauma stemming from poverty, for example, or from the chronic stress of racial or gender discrimination.

To bolster parents, the Harvard team is testing interventions right now that use video coaching to show moms and dads how to engage their babbling infants, using sounds and facial expressions in a style Shonkoff calls serve and return.

Shonkoff says these early interactions - a kind of conversation - have been shown to help children with later learning and literacy. Even more important, they boost kids' resilience, by helping them build secure attachments with caring adults. Research suggests that just one caring, safe relationship early in life gives any child a much better shot at growing up healthy.

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Take The ACE Quiz - And Learn What It Does And Doesn't Mean

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First developed in the 1990s, the 10 questions of the Adverse Childhood Experiences test are designed to take a rough measure of a difficult childhood. Finding out your score is easy. Now what?

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Despite its focus on trauma, TIC is inherently a strengths-based perspective that emphasizes resilience instead of pathology.[50] TIC has been defined and implemented in a number of ways, but the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has identified four key elements-the Four Rs (see description of each "R" below)-that can be used broadly across programs, institutions, and services.[51]

Applying TIC to real-world settings begins with a child's first contact with a program, institution, or service system. It requires a comprehensive and multi-pronged effort involving the many adults in children's lives. For example, in a school or afterschool program, TIC means increasing trauma-related knowledge and skills among program facilitators, school administrators, bus drivers, food service workers, classroom assistants, administrative staff, volunteers, teachers, leadership, special education professionals, school social workers and psychologists, families, and anyone else who comes into contact with children. However, increasing trauma knowledge is only one aspect of TIC, which also means that the individuals who care for children must be able to:

1. Realize the widespread nature of childhood trauma and how it impacts the child's emotional, social, behavioral, cognitive, brain, and physical development, as well as their mental health. In addition, adults must be aware of the influence of trauma on family members, first responders, service providers, and others who may experience secondary stress (trauma-related reactions to exposure to another person's traumatic experience).[52],[53] In some instances, adults endure the same traumatic events or circumstances as the child (e.g., a natural disaster, community violence, death of a community member) and may benefit from similar supports.

2. Recognize the symptoms of trauma, including how trauma reactions (i.e., symptoms of posttraumatic stress) vary by gender, age, type of trauma, or setting. In addition, the adults in children's lives must understand that a child's challenging behaviors are normal, self-protective, and adaptive reactions to highly stressful situations, rather than viewing that child as intentionally misbehaving. Children's trauma reactions are understood to be adaptive efforts to protect themselves in response to traumatic events. For example, a child may be hypervigilant to an adult's anger or disapproval because, in the past, he or she experienced physical abuse by a parent. Or, a child may disassociate or daydream as a learned response that enables them to avoid feeling or thinking about a traumatic experience.[54] In addition, TIC means recognizing that trauma may influence a child's engagement in activities and services, interactions with peers and adults, and responsiveness to rules and guidelines.[55]

3. Respond by making necessary adjustments, in their own language and behavior, to the child's environment; and to policies, procedures, and practices to support the child's recovery and resilience to trauma.[56]

4. Resist re-traumatization by actively shaping children's environments to avoid triggers (sounds, sights, smells, objects, places, or people that remind an individual of the original trauma) and protect children from further trauma, which can exacerbate the negative impacts of trauma and interfere with the healing process.[57],[58]

Training and professional development on child trauma is an important first step in TIC. Providing adults (staff, leadership, families, and community partners) with training and professional development on childhood trauma is an important component of implementing TIC.[59] It is essential that adults become aware of the prevalence and impact of trauma, and learn to apply a "trauma lens" (i.e., gain the capacity to view children's difficulties in behavior, learning, and relationships as natural reactions to trauma that warrant understanding and sensitive care).[60] In addition, adults can learn key strategies to manage trauma-related problems in childhood. These include creating environments that feel physically and emotionally safe; teaching children self-regulation, language and communication skills, and how to build healthy relationships; learning each child's trauma triggers and how both the child and adults can limit, anticipate, and cope with them; and supporting the development of healthy attachments with parents and other caregivers, as well as positive relationships with peers. Evaluations of TIC initiatives also indicate that when parents, service providers, and programs share a common language and view of trauma, they are better able to work together to meet children's needs.[61]

Training and professional development opportunities are also important for increasing the capacity of adults to attend to other aspects of TIC, including family engagement; practices that are responsive to culture, gender, and sexual orientation; collaboration with community service providers (e.g., mental health providers who can screen for childhood trauma and provide evidence-based treatment); developing and integrating emergency and crisis response protocols; and establishing trauma-informed policies that support positive youth development despite exposure to trauma. Building capacity and maintaining an ongoing commitment to TIC efforts are critical to sustainability.[62], [63] However, although it is a critical component of TIC, training staff and parents on the impact of childhood trauma is not sufficient and does not in and of itself constitute TIC. TIC must also include comprehensive, ongoing professional development and education for parents, families, school staff, out-of-school program staff, and community service providers on jointly addressing childhood trauma.

Parents and service providers who work with children who experience trauma require self-care to prevent and mitigate the effects of secondary traumatic stress. TIC also means attending to the psychological and physical safety and well-being of the adults who care for children who have experienced trauma.[64], [65] Professionals, parents, and other caregiving adults may suffer secondary traumatic stress (trauma-related reactions to exposure to another person's traumatic experience).[66],[67] Psychoeducation (helping others understand the impact of trauma, both on affected individuals and on their service providers, as well as pathways toward recovery),[68] skills training, high-quality supervision, and self-care (e.g., rest, exercise, social support, mindfulness and other stress reduction activities, engaging in pleasurable activities and hobbies, psychotherapy) are critical to ensuring adult well-being and providing sufficient personal resources to work effectively with children who are exposed to trauma. See Figure 4 for specific strategies recommended by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network to combat secondary traumatic stress and reduce related staff burnout and turnover.[69]

Further research is needed on TIC in child-serving programs, institutions, and systems to develop a sufficient evidence base to inform policy and practice. TIC is a relatively new framework for working with individuals who experience trauma, and the evidence base in support of its effectiveness is in the early stages of development. However, a number of promising TIC initiatives in early care and education, schools, child welfare, and behavioral health have demonstrated improvements in trauma-related knowledge and skills among service providers, foster parents, and family members; reductions in children's posttraumatic stress symptoms and problem behaviors; and increases in children's strengths and protective factors.[70],[71],[72],[73],[74] In addition, a growing number of clinical treatment models-including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy,[75],[76] Child-Parent Psychotherapy,[77],[78] Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up,[79],[80] and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy,[81],[82] -have undergone rigorous evaluation and shown positive outcomes for children from infancy to late adolescence. However, TIC is not limited to mental health professionals. Each child-serving program, institution, or service system can play a role in TIC, including referral to clinical treatment and follow-up with families.

Conclusion

Trauma-informed programs, institutions, and service systems are critical to promoting and fostering resilience in all children, and particularly those who have experienced trauma. TIC requires comprehensive, multi-pronged support from adults in all aspects of children's lives. It includes increasing adults' knowledge of childhood trauma and helping them recognize the symptoms, as well as giving them the resources to support and refer children who have experienced trauma to appropriate services. Additionally, as programs make their services more trauma-informed, it is important that they promote self-care to prevent or address secondary trauma among adults working with children who have experienced trauma.
Endnotes
[1] De Bellis, M. D. & Zisk, A. (2014). The biological effects of childhood trauma. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 23(2), 185-222.

[2] Enlow, M., Blood, E., & Egeland, B. (2013). Sociodemographic risk, developmental competence, and PTSD symptoms in young children exposed to interpersonal trauma in early life. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 26(6), 686-694.

[3] Lieberman (2004). Traumatic stress and quality of attachment: Reality and internalization in disorders of infant mental health. Infant Mental Health Journal, 25(4), 336-351.

[5] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. SAMHSA's concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach. HHS publication no. (SMA) 14-4884. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

[10] National Survey of Children's Health. (2011/12). Data query from the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health website. Retrieved June 8, 2018 from www.childhealthdata.org.

[11] U.S Department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau. (2019). Child maltreatment 2017. Washington, DC: Children's Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2018 from https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/child-maltreatment-2017

[12] McLaughlin, K. A., Koenen, K. C., Hill, E. D., Petukhova, M., Sampson, N. A., Zaslavsky, A. M., & Kessler, R. C. (2013). Trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder in a US national sample of adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 52, 815-830.

[13] U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau. (2019).

[14] Grossman, G. (2000). The history of injury control and the epidemiology of child and adolescent injuries. The Future of Children, 10(1), 23-52.

[15] Fantuzzo, J., & Fusco, R. (2007). Children's direct exposure to types of domestic violence crime: A population-based investigation. Journal of Family Violence, 22(7), 543-552.

[16] Slopen, N., Shonkoff, J. P., Albert, M. A., Yoshikawa, H., Jacobs, A, Stoltz, R., & Williams, D. R. (2016). Racial disparities in child adversity in the U.S.: Interaction with family immigration history and income. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 50(1), 47-56.

[17] De Bellis, M. D., & Zisk, A. (2014). The biological effects of childhood trauma. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, 23(2), 185-222.

[18] Enlow, M. B., Egeland, B., Blood, E. A., Wright, R. O., & Wright, R. J. (2012). Interpersonal trauma exposure and cognitive development in children to age 8 years: a longitudinal study. Journal of Epidemiological Community Health, 66(11), 1005-1010.

[19] Shonkoff, J. P., Boyce, T., & McEwen, B. S. (2009). Neuroscience, molecular biology, and the childhood roots of health disparities: building a new framework for health promotion and disease prevention. JAMA, 301(21), 2252-2259.

[20] Streeck-Fischer, A., & van der Kolk, B. A. (2000). Down will come baby, cradle and all: Diagnostic and therapeutic implications of chronic trauma on child development. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 34, 903-918.

[21] National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2003).

[22] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (2014). Trauma-informed care in behavioral health services: Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 57. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4816. Rockville, MD: Author.

[24] American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

[25] American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma in Children and Adolescents. (2008). Children and trauma: Update for mental health professionals. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Retrieved May 7, 2019 from http://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/update.pdf

[26] Teicher, M. H., Andersen, S. L., Polcari, A., Anderson, C. M., & Navalta, C. P. (2002). Developmental neurobiology of childhood stress and trauma. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 25(2), 397-426.

[28] Luthar, S. S., Cicchetti, D., & Becker, B. (2000). The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child Development, 71(3), 543-562.

[29] Masten, A. S. (1994). Resilience in individual development: Successful adaptation despite risk and adversity. In M. C. Wang & E. W. Gordon (Eds.), Educational resilience in inner-city America: Challenges and prospects (pp. 3-25). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

[30] Southwick, S. M., Bonanno, G. A., Masten, A. S., Panter-Brick, C., & Yehuda, R. (2014). Resilience definitions, theory, and challenges: Interdisciplinary perspectives. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 5(1), 25338.

[32] World Health Organization. Risk factors. Retrieved on June 8, 2018 from http://www.who.int/topics/risk_factors/en/

[33] Smart, J. (2017). Risk and protective factors for child abuse and neglect. Australia: Australian Institute of Family Studies, Child Family Community Australia. Retrieved March 19, 2019 from
https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/risk-and-protective-factors-child-abuse-and-neglect

[34] Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2004). Risk and protective factors for child abuse and neglect. Washington, DC: Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved March 19, 2019 from https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/riskprotectivefactors.pdf

[35] Smart, J. (2017).

[36] McCormick, A., Scheyd, K., & Terrazas, S. (2018). Trauma-informed care and LGBTQ youth: Considerations for advancing practice with youth with trauma experiences. Families in Society, 99(2), 160-169.

[39] Smart, J. (2017).

[40] National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (2005/2014). Excessive stress disrupts the architecture of the developing Brain: Working paper no. 3. Updated edition. Retrieved March 19, 2019 from www.developingchild.harvard.edu

[42] Blaustein, M. & Kinniburgh, K. (2010). Treating traumatic stress in children and adolescents: How to

[43] Lieberman, A. (2004).

[44] National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2015).

[46] Center for the Study of Social Policy. (n.d.). Protective factors framework. Washington, DC: Center for the Study of Social Policy. Retrieved March 19, 2019 from https://cssp.org/our-work/projects/protective-factors-framework/

[47] SAMHSA's concept of trauma and Guidance for a trauma-informed approach. HHS publication no. (SMA) 14-4884. Rockville, MD: Author.

[48] Bronfenbrenner, U., & Morris, P. A. (2006). The bioecological model of human development. In R. M. Lerner & W. Damon (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology: Theoretical models of human development (pp. 793-828). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

[49] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014).

[50] Elliott, D. E., Bjelajac, P., Fallot, R. D., Markoff, L. S., & Reed, B. G. (2005). Trauma-informed or trauma-denied: Principles and implementation of trauma-informed services for women. Journal of Community Psychology, 33, 461-477 (p. 467).

[51] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014).

[52] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014).

[53] Baird, K., & Kracen, A. C. (2006). Vicarious traumatization and secondary traumatic stress: A research synthesis. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 19(2), 181-188.

[54] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014).

[55] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014).

[56] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014)..

[57] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014).

[58] Green Cross Academy of Traumatology. (2007). Standards of traumatology practice revised. http://www.greencross.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=183&Itemid=123

[59] 3. Lang, J., Campbell, K., & Vanderploeg, J. (2015) Advancing trauma-informed systems for children. Farmington, CT: Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut. Retreived March 30, 2017 from www.chdi.org/files/7514/4405/4524/Trauma_IMPACT_-_FINAL.pdf

[60] Cole, S. F., Eisner, A., Gregory, M. & Ristuccia, J. (2013). Helping traumatized children learn: Creating and advocating for trauma-sensitive schools (Vol. 2). Boston, MA: Massachusetts Advocates for Children. Retrieved March 19, 2019 from from https://traumasensitiveschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/HTCL-Vol-2-Creating-and-Advocating-for-TSS.pdf

[61] Bartlett, J. D., & Rushovich, B. (2018). Findings on the implementation of Trauma Systems Therapy Foster Care (TST-FC) in child welfare. Children & Youth Services Review, 91, 30-38.

[62] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014).

[64] Baird, K., & Kracen, A. C. (2006)

[66] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014).

[67] Baird, K., & Kracen, A. C. (2006)

[68] The role of psychoeducation in trauma and recovery: Recommendations for content and delivery. Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work, 13(5), 442-451.

[69] The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (n.d.). Introduction. Retrieved March 30, 2017 from

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[72] Barto, B., Bartlett, J. D., Bodian, R., Noroña, C. R., Spinazzola, J., Griffin, J. L., ... Todd, M. (in press). The impact of a statewide trauma-informed child welfare initiative on children's permanency and maltreatment outcomes. Children & Youth Services Review.

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[74] Wright, T. (2014). Too scared to learn: Teaching young children who have experienced trauma: Research in review. Young Children, 69(5), 88-93.

[75] Cohen, J. A., Mannarino, A. P., & Deblinger, E. (2006). Treating trauma and traumatic grief in children and adolescents. New York: Guilford Press.

[76] Cohen, J. A., Mannarino, A. P., & Knudsen K. (2005). Treating sexually abused children: One year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. Child Abuse & Neglect, 29, 135-146.

[77] Lieberman, A. F., & Van Horn, P. (2004). Don't hit my mommy: A manual for child parent psychotherapy with young witnesses of family violence. Zero to Three Press: Washington, D.C.

[78] Lieberman, A. F., Ghosh Ippen, C., & Van Horn, P. (2006). Child-Parent Psychotherapy: 6-month follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 45(8), 913-918.

[79] Dozier, M., Lindhiem, O., & Ackerman, J. (2005). Attachment and biobehavioral catch-up. In L. Berlin, Y. Ziv, L. Amaya-Jackson, & M. T. Greenberg (Eds.), Enhancing early attachments (pp. 178-194). New York: Guilford.

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How to Implement Trauma-informed Care to Build Resilience to Childhood Trauma - Child Trends

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Despite its focus on trauma, TIC is inherently a strengths-based perspective that emphasizes resilience instead of pathology.[50] TIC has been defined and implemented in a number of ways, but the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has identified four key elements-the Four Rs (see description of each "R" below)-that can be used broadly across programs, institutions, and services.[51] Applying TIC to real-world settings begins with a child's first contact with a program, institution, or service system.

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Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, Kathleen Clarke-Pearson, Council on Communications and Media; The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families. Pediatrics April 2011; 127 (4): 800-804. 10.1542/peds.2011-0054

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The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families

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Using social media Web sites is among the most common activity of today's children and adolescents. Any Web site that allows social interaction is considered a social media site, including social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter; gaming sites and virtual worlds such as Club Penguin, Second Life, and the Sims; video sites such as YouTube; and blogs.

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Your brain on video games | Daphne Bavelier

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Most kids are plugged into devices like TVs, game consoles, tablets, and smartphones well before they can even ride a bike.

Technology is part of life. And parents can make technology a healthy part of childhood by teaching smart media use. Preschoolers can get help learning the alphabet on public television, gradeschoolers can play educational apps and games, and teens can do research online.

But media use can also have some downsides:

The Obesity Link

Kids who spend too much time using media are more likely to be overweight. Health experts have long linked too much screen time to excess weight. When they're staring at screens, kids are inactive and tend to snack. They're also see lots of ads that encourage them to eat unhealthy foods like potato chips and drink empty-calorie soft drinks that often become favorite snack foods.

Studies show that decreasing the amount of TV kids watched led to less weight gain and lower body mass index (BMI). Replacing video game time with outdoor game time is another good way to help kids maintain a healthy weight.

Watching Risky Behaviors

Characters on TV and in video games often show risky behaviors - like drinking alcohol, using drugs, and smoking cigarettes - as cool, fun, and exciting. When these things seem acceptable, kids and teens might be tempted to try them. That might lead to substance abuse problems. Media can also expose kids to high-risk sexual practices, and studies show that teens who watch lots of sexual content are more likely to start sexual activity at a young age.

Seeing Violence

The average American child will see 200,000 violent acts on TV by age 18. Many of these are done by the "good guys," whom kids are taught to admire. In fact, often the hero wins by fighting with or killing the "bad guys." This can confuse kids as they try to understand the difference between right and wrong.

Kids who view violence onscreen are more likely to show aggressive behavior, and to fear that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them.

Young kids are easily frightened by violent images. Because they don't yet understand what is real and what is make believe, simply telling them that violence isn't real won't help. Behavior problems, nightmares, and trouble sleeping may happen after kids watch violence on screen.

Older kids can be scared by violent images too. Talking with kids this age will help them, so it's important to comfort them and explain what they see to help ease fears. But it's even better to not let your kids view shows or play games that could scare them.

Sleep, Mental Health, and Other Problems

Kids who use media in their bedrooms often don't get enough sleep at night. Media use also can expose kids to cyberbullying, which has been linked to depression and suicide.

And media use can distract kids from important tasks, interfere with homework time, and hurt school performance. It can limit quality family time and make kids feel lonely or isolated.

Too Many Commercials

Young kids don't understand that commercials are for selling a product, and sometimes can't tell the difference between the show and the ad. Even older kids may need to be reminded of the purpose of advertising. Video games are especially full of pop-up ads with pressure to buy.

Explain that ads are designed to make people want things they probably don't need and believe the products will somehow make them happier. Teach kids to be smart consumers. Ask them questions like: "What do you like about that?" or "Do you think it's really as good as it looks in that ad?"

Try to limit kids' exposure to ads. You can:

Have them watch public TV stations, which rarely show ads featuring products.

Record shows so you can fast forward through the commercials.

Mute the TV during ads to ask your child questions about the show.

Stream their favorite programs, or buy or rent DVDs.

What Else Should I Know?

Parents can and should keep tabs on their kids' media use:

Set limits to ensure that kids don't spend too much time in front of a screen.

Monitor how and what kids see on their screens, and encourage positive, meaningful, and educational media use.

These online resources also can help:

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Technology can be part of a healthy childhood, but it's important for parents to track their kids' screen time and set limits.

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Welcome to the Technology Wellness Center home page.

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Excessive time on devices can impact developing brains in more ways than one.

Research shows that our brains don't fully develop until about the age of 25. While we continue to learn into adulthood, the prefrontal cortex-the part of the brain that helps control impulsive behavior-is not yet mature throughout our adolescence.

What's happening in kids' brains when they're watching screens

That natural lack of impulse control combined with unlimited screen time can be the recipe for everything from limited creativity and attention span to issues with mental health. Excessive screen time can also take time away from other activities, like exercise and sleep, necessary for kids' development.

A National Institutes of Health (NIH) study showed that kids who spend more than two hours a day on screen time activities scored lower on language and thinking tests (kids who spent more than seven hours a day on screens showed a thinning of the brain's cortex, which manages critical thinking and reasoning).

Most experts recommend two hours a day of screen time but distance learning has temporarily made that impossible for parents to enforce. Still, as we ease back into normal life, restoring realistic screen time rules outside of school are good for our kids' health and well-being. Here's how you can start to bring screen time limits back.

Balance good screen time with the bad.

Excessive gaming and social media can trigger the brain's reward system in the same way a slot machine does. You get a dopamine hit with every "Like," notification, and game point as you would every time you land on triple 7s. Instead, talk to your kids about the impact of Likes, turn off notifications, and help curate their time online. Circle's Focus Time can help you choose apps and websites that your kids can and cannot watch at specific times of the day, helping to keep digital distractions at bay.

Set a digital curfew.

A restful night's sleep is important for healthy brain development. Studies show that the blue light emitting from our screens can disrupt our sleep by curbing the production of melatonin, a sleep hormone. Without it, kids don't get enough deep REM sleep, which can affect behavior and learning. Most experts recommend turning off devices one to two hours before bedtime and removing them from the bedroom overnight. Consistency is key to form healthy habits. Circle's Bedtime feature snoozes devices at the same time every night.

Get outdoors.

Being outside can improve your concentration, elevate your mood, and boost your overall health while excessive screen time can impact all three. More than half of teens (56%) admitted feeling at least one of three emotions-loneliness, being upset, or feeling anxious-when they didn't have their phones and kids who spend more time in front of screens have shown to get less sleep and exercise. With spring here, now is the time to engage kids in walks, bike rides, all the things that make the great outdoors great for you.

Schedule family times.

Digital distraction is an issue for kids and parents. Schedule some digital-free times to be together as a family, especially during meal times when you can talk with kids about their day and relieve some of the stress and anxiety that can come from being a kid navigating life. Plus, as you model healthy screen time habits at home, your kids will likely start to follow suit.

Let minds wander.

One of the best parts of parenting is watching your kid develop their own passions. Help them engage in the things they love to do, like music, sports, or art, so they don't resort to wasteful screen time. Four-in-ten teens (43%) said they often or sometimes use their phone to avoid interacting with people. Help your kids learn how to be present with others too. Sure, devices can be great for social interaction during a pandemic but nothing beats face-to-face interaction as kids' brains are developing. And having that digital downtime can force them to observe the world around them, helping to spark imaginations and strengthen their creativity muscle.

Want to set new screen time limits for a new season? Check out Circle's award-winning parental controls.

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Brain Power: How Screen Time Impacts Kids' Brains

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Excessive time on devices can impact developing brains in more ways than one. Research shows that our brains don't fully develop until about the age of 25. While we continue to learn into adulthood, the prefrontal cortex-the part of the brain that helps control impulsive behavior-is not yet mature throughout our adolescence.

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The vast majority of children and adolescents in the United States play video games. Although many children play them in moderation, without adverse consequences, others become obsessed with gaming. Parents may become worried when a child is neglecting homework to play games, or is staying up all night gaming and is too tired to get up for school the next day. Some parents notice that their child rarely socializes in person with others and spends all free time on video games. Some children start to cover up how much they are playing.

In this excerpt adapted from Pause and Reset: A Parent's Guide to Preventing and Overcoming Problems With Gaming, Nancy M. Petry, PhD, offers guidance on how to effectively limit gaming to a healthy level. Whether the goal is to prevent a child's gaming from becoming excessive, or to roll back play that seems out of control, Dr. Petry offers practical, parent-tested strategies for getting a handle on the role of video games in your child's life.

For children and younger adolescents, and even for older adolescents under the age of 18, you as a parent should have the bulk of the say in determining appropriate limits to gaming. Having clear and consistent guidelines related to video games prevents excessive playing. However, two- thirds of US children and adolescents indicate that their parents have "no rules" related to time spent on media use. Be sure you are no longer part of that majority! Here are guidelines for limiting gaming for your child:

1. Remember that gaming should occur only after your child completes his other responsibilities for the day. That should include homework and household chores. Be sure to check the quality and completeness of homework and chores prior to allowing your child to begin playing. Playing video games should be a privilege that is earned. Gaming is not an inalienable right!

2. Put clear limits on your child's gaming. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests time allotted should be under 30 to 60 minutes per day on school days and 2 hours or less on non- school days. The group recommends even lower limits of under 1 hour of total screentime per day for children under 6 years old, and they encourage parents to determine the appropriate amount of time for video games and other electronic media use for children over the age of 6. They provide an online planner to assist parents in deciding on screentime. Regardless of what limits you think are appropriate, some days each week should involve no gaming. It is crucial to ensure that your child develops, maintains, and enjoys other, non-screentime activities.

3. In designing your rules, consider a reasonable time frame for reassessment. You can follow your plan for 1 or 2 months and then reevaluate it. Instituting a temporary change will result in greater buy-in than a permanent change. You may decide that the initial plan is too restrictive. You could then loosen it after a couple of months if your child is adhering to it and no problems are evident. Remember that it is easier to loosen restrictions than to tighten them.

4. Determine a realistic consequence for breaking the rules. The outcome for violating the rules must be enforceable and immediately applicable. You do not want to tell your 14-year-old child she cannot get her driver's permit when she is 16 if she breaks the rules next week. A more reasonable option is a complete ban on gaming (or media use more generally) for several days or weeks if she does not abide by the rules.

5. Make sure you know and approve of which games your child is playing. As a parent of a minor, you have the right - and the responsibility. Ask him directly or view web browsers if you are unsure. Find out about his preferred games. In addition to setting rules about times for playing, you should also include rules related to the types of games allowed. You can and should prevent purchase and use of games with extreme violence or graphic sexual content.

6. Once you have established your rules, you must consistently monitor and apply them. You cannot allow your child to bend the rules when you are tired or distracted. You cannot apply the rules differently if your child feels ill or does not have any homework one day. Regardless of other issues that arise, you need to follow through with the consequences immediately if your child breaks the rules. You must feel comfortable with the plan you propose, and you must be committed, willing and able to follow through with it. If both parents are involved, both must be on board with the monitoring of gaming time and rules surrounding it.

7. Identify other recreational activities. Replacing gaming with other activities is critical to changing excessive gaming behavior. Your child is gaming in large part because she finds it fun and it is something she is good at. Gaming can be done virtually any time, with little planning or effort. Because many devices are used for other activities, a game is just one click - and one second - away. When your child has little else to do, games are always there to fill the time. To help your child fill free time, actively promote participation in other recreational activities. Consider activities that you and other family members can do with your child. The replacement of activities should be on the days of the week and during the times of the day when your child most often plays video games.

8. Offer positive reinforcement for non-gaming activities. Provide rewards to your child when he or she is involved in activities that do not relate to gaming. These rewards can be tangible, involving actual goods, services or even money. They can also be intangible, such as verbal praise or simply attention. You can replace gaming times with rewarding recreational activities, and these activities can also serve as rewards for not gaming. If your child has been gaming at a level that is causing harm, most likely one of the adverse consequences has been a worsening of your relationship with him. Positive reinforcement for non-gaming activity is one way to improve that relationship, and that can be rewarding to a child, too.

Pause and Reset: A Parent's Guide to Preventing and Overcoming Problems with Gaming is by Nancy M. Petry, PhD. Copyright © 2019 by Author and published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
Nancy M. Petry, PhD, was a behavioral scientist who conducted research on addictive disorders and a professor of medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

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Healthy Limits on Video Games - Child Mind Institute

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The vast majority of children and adolescents in the United States play video games. Although many children play them in moderation, without adverse consequences, others become obsessed with gaming. Parents may become worried when a child is neglecting homework to play games, or is staying up all night gaming and is too tired to get up for school the next day.

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As a parent, setting healthy social media boundaries for your children can make a significant difference in their emotional health, school performance, development and more.

Social media, like just about anything else, can be both good and bad. For teens, it can be good--a way to maintain connections, build a sense of self, engage in community, and learn about topics that interest them. But our counselors also see many negative outcomes of social media when it's not used wisely: bullying, extensive distraction, severe feelings of insecurity or inadequacy, early exposure to sexual themes and even becoming a victim of a crime.

Boundaries can be hard to set-but nevertheless are still critical for protecting your children.

Straightforward Boundaries - Time and Age
One or two hours. That's how much time the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and teens should engage with entertainment media via electronic screens. So all television shows, social media, video games, etc. should be consumed for a very small amount of time each day-and it should be high-quality content that is age-appropriate.

Studies have shown that excessive media use can lead to attention problems, school difficulties, sleep and eating disorders, and obesity. In addition, the internet, mobile phones, social media, etc. can provide platforms for illicit and risky behaviors.If you set this time limit boundary in your family, you're already off to a great start.

The other boundary to set is age. Did you know that the recommended/legal minimum age for use of a social media website is age 13? This is the age set by Congress, in the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)? This act prohibits web sites from collecting information on children younger than 13 years without parental permission. Also, the official terms of service for many popular sites, like Facebook, now mirror the COPPA regulations and state that 13 years is the minimum age to sign up and have a profile.

Parental Supervision and Access
I know of parents who have a "full access" rule when it comes to social media. Their children must give them the passwords to every account, and that no "side" accounts are allowed.

This can offer many benefits. First and foremost, it can help keep your child safe. (And even children and teens who complain about this will usually admit that it does help them feel safer and more cared about.) One of the riskiest effects [of unsupervised social media use] is relationships with adults much older who may be predators.

Parental supervision can also help prevent or address cyberbullying--if your child is being bullied, or if you see your child mistreating someone online as well. If 'sexting' or other inappropriate sexual content is being exchanged, you'll know about it. You can also monitor what types of connection requests your child receives. Basically, you can be in the know about what messages are coming to and from your child.

If you see this as a violation of their privacy, give it some reconsideration. In the same way most parents would want to monitor who comes in and out of their home, this is a similar guideline.

Understanding Your "Digital Footprint"
No matter what your privacy settings may say, once something is online it can be impossible to make it go away. "What goes online stays online." Also, wherever you go online, you can leave traces behind.

Teens who lack an awareness of privacy issues--and maturity to understand long-term ramifications--often post inappropriate photos, videos and other material without understanding that it may never fully go away. Depending on the nature of the posts, this can affect future college and career plans.

Also, kids and teens who share too much personal information can make themselves a target for fraud, theft or worse. In this day and age, it's not hard to find out where someone lives once you know their last name and where they go to high school, for example.

Taking Breaks
Like anything, our brains tend to work better after being allowed to shut down, rest and reset. By feeling constantly connected, our ability to relax and unwind fully, and have our thoughts to ourselves, is significantly impacted.Consider having some designated "no social media" times in your family, whether it's dinner time, a couple of hours every evening, whenever you're on vacation, etc.

Incidentally, this guideline is great for adults too!

Putting Social Media In Its Place
Here are a few thoughts that can help put social media into its proper context.

What's happening online isn't real, in the sense that life is what's actually happening all around you. Relationships with family and friends; activities such as sports, music or theatre; meaningful work; learning life skills; and volunteering all make up a rich, fulfilling life. Primarily focusing on these aspects of real life will lead to greater happiness-both now and long-term.

When people are posting on social media, they're often posting their "highlight reel," which can make you think that everyone has a better life than you do.

Be a good example for your children. Limit your own time with screens and demonstrate other meaningful and productive ways to spend time and live life.

No one has ever looked back at any point in their life and thought, "Wow. I wish I'd spent more time on Facebook/Snapchat/Instagram/Twitter/Pinterest."

Helpful Links
Here are some excellent links/resources that can help your whole family manage social media and screen time together.

"Screenagers" is a documentary that explores why young people are so drawn to social media and video games, and what effect it's having on their brains. The film's website also includes numerous other links and resources.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has guidelines about social media for children and teens.

Also from the APP, here are 10 Tips for Parents in the Digital Age. It covers topics including setting limits, being a good role model, creating tech free zones (including leaving the phone in a common area at bedtime!), and more.

If you are concerned about the emotional or mental health of your child, including issues related to social media use or relationships, Deaconess Cross Pointe offers individual outpatient services and counseling for all ages.

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Deaconess - Setting Social Media Boundaries for Kids and Teens

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As a parent, setting healthy social media boundaries for your children can make a significant difference in their emotional health, school performance, development and more. Social media, like just about anything else, can be both good and bad.

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Parents also need to communicate limits and rules about media use, including when different kinds of media may be used and when they must be turned off. Children and teens will probably not like these limitations, and will probably feel they are "unfair." It's a good idea for parents to communicate an age-appropriate rational for why the rules are being set (e.g., because they help keep the family safe; because they help the family to be stronger and more loving, etc.) so that children have some basis for agreeing to follow the rules even if they don't like them.

Limits are meaningless without enforcement to back them up. Parents need to enforce the media limits they set on youth by monitoring youth's media consumption and offering appropriate disciplinary consequences for compliance or disobedience. For more information about discipline and children, see the discipline sections in the Middle Childhood Parenting article and the Adolescent Parenting article.

Here are some suggested limits that parents may decide to place on their children's media use:

1. First, children should not have computers or Internet connected devices in their bedrooms or other hidden, private places within the house. Instead, computers and Internet access should be provided in public spaces, such as the kitchen or living room. This way, it's easier for parents to monitor what children are doing, and children will feel less comfortable engaging in negative conversations or interactions online because of the lack of privacy.

Parents need to recognize that the family computer is not the only way that youth can access the Internet. The Internet can now be accessed through telephones, video game consoles, and through some televisions and cable or satellite set-top boxes as well as computers. Therefore, there should also be rules about no video games in bedrooms, as well. Cell phones may also connect to the Internet. Parents may choose to have Internet features disabled on children's phones, not only to limit children's use but also to limit cost on the family's overall monthly cell phone bill.

2. Parents should set other limitations on cell phone use, as well. Adults should be clear about just when it's okay to use cell phones and when it is not. Specific rules about what hours of the day children can use their phones, the number of minutes or texts children can use each month, and who children can talk to might make sense to lay down, depending on family needs. School may also have a cell phone use policy which should be worked into the general policies lay down so that the rules are consistent across environments. Furthermore, parents may wish to set a cell phone curfew, limiting how late at night youth can use cell phones. Once policies have been set, it's important that parents enforce them.

3. Parents also need to limit how much time children spend on the Internet, in front of the television, or playing video games each day. They will also want to make rules about what television channels, stations, websites, magazines, video games, or other media are allowed. Parents may want to set up some rules for how they will review new video games, MP3s, and DVDs that enter the household so that one parent does not allow something that worries the other.

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Parents also need to communicate limits and rules about media use, including when different kinds of media may be used and when they must be turned off. Children and teens will probably not like these limitations, and will probably feel they are "unfair."

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Parents can do a lot to protect their children from the majority of the risks and downsides associated with media, while still allowing them access to many of media's benefits. The rest of this document describes what parents can do to help children access media in healthy rather than harmful ways.
Monitor and Limit Youth's Access to Media
The most important thing parents need to do in order to protect their children from the downsides of media is to become aware of what sorts of media children are consuming and then to take steps to limit children's access to forms of media that are age-inappropriate.

Parents and parents need to know what their children are watching, listening to, and reading and who they're talking and chatting with. Adults can monitor media many different ways. They can pay attention to what kids are watching on television when they walk through the living room, or pay attention to the lyrics on the radio playing in the car on the way to school. Parents may also examine children's web browser history logs to see what sites their children have been browsing. Similarly, parents can examine the chat history on their children's instant messaging program on the computer, or the text logs on children's mobile phones. Also, adults can look closely at their children's cell phone bills to see how many minutes their youths are talking, how many texts they're getting and receiving, what times of day they're communicating, and what phone numbers they're communicating with. Computer software and other recording and reporting devices can be helpful to parents, but it cannot substitute parents' diligence and attention.
Tell Youth You Are Monitoring Them
Monitoring children's media usage is something that is easier to do when children are younger. As children grow and develop a strong sense of individuality and independence, they may perceive parents' desire to monitor as an intrusion on their privacy and personal life. Parents need to respect this desire for privacy and to be sensitive and open with their children regarding their monitoring activities. Ideally, parents tell youth directly that they are monitoring what they are looking at and how they are communicating so that the youth know this is happening. Children also need to know that this monitoring is happening because their parents genuinely love and care for them and want to insure that they remain safe. It is the genuinely benevolent care taking aspect of the monitoring process that will enable older children to accept and appreciate, or at least tolerate what would otherwise be a simple invasion of privacy.

Talking openly about parental monitoring of youth's media use makes it easier for parents to monitor their children's media usage, while preserving trust between parents and children. Open communication also helps parents to better understand their children's opinions about media, and provides an opportunity to educate children about proper media use.

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Parents can do a lot to protect their children from the majority of the risks and downsides associated with media, while still allowing them access to many of media's benefits. The rest of this document describes what parents can do to help children access media in healthy rather than harmful ways.

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Teach your children to use technology in a healthy, responsible way. Learn what to watch for, how to set limits and stick to them, and when it’s O.K. to embrace screen time.

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​When media is used thoughtfully & appropriately, media can enhance daily life. Use this Family Media Use Plan tool to create a personalized plan for your family.

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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Poverty is an uncomfortable word. I'm often asked, "What should I expect from kids from low-income households?" Typically, teachers are unsure what to do differently.

Just as the phrase middle class tells us little about a person, the word poverty typically tells us little about the students we serve. We know, for example, that the poor and middle classes have many overlapping values, including valuing education and the importance of hard work (Gorski, 2008). But if poor people were exactly the same cognitively, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally as those from the middle class, then the exact same teaching provided to both middle-class students and students from poverty would bring the exact same results.

But it doesn't work that way. In one study of 81,000 students across the United States, the students not in Title I programs consistently reported higher levels of engagement than students who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (Yazzie-Mintz, 2007). Are children from poverty more likely to struggle with engagement in school?

The answer is yes. Seven differences between middle-class and low-income students show up at school. By understanding those differences and how to address them, teachers can help mitigate some of the negative effects of poverty.

But first, my most important suggestion is to get to know your students well. Without respect-and without taking time to connect with your students-these seven factors will mean little.

Overall, poor people are less likely to exercise, get proper diagnoses, receive appropriate and prompt medical attention, or be prescribed appropriate medications or interventions. A study by two prominent neuroscientists suggested that intelligence is linked to health (Gray &amp; Thompson, 2004). The poor have more untreated ear infections and hearing loss issues (Menyuk, 1980); greater exposure to lead (Sargent et al., 1995); and a higher incidence of asthma (Gottlieb, Beiser, &amp; O'Connor, 1995) than middle-class children. Each of these health-related factors can affect attention, reasoning, learning, and memory.

Nutrition plays a crucial role as well. Children who grow up in poor families are exposed to food with lower nutritional value. This can adversely affect them even in the womb (Antonow-Schlorke et al., 2011). Moreover, poor nutrition at breakfast affects gray matter mass in children's brains (Taki et al., 2010). Skipping breakfast is highly prevalent among urban minority youth, and it negatively affects students' academic achievement by adversely affecting cognition and raising absenteeism (Basch, 2011).

When students experience poor nutrition and diminished health practices, it's harder for them to listen, concentrate, and learn. Exposure to lead is correlated with poor working memory and weaker ability to link cause and effect. Kids with ear infections may have trouble with sound discrimination, making it tough to follow directions, do highly demanding auditory processing, and understand the teacher. This can hurt reading ability and other skills. Poor diets also affect behavior. Students can often appear listless (with low energy) or hyperactive (on a sugar "high").

Remember, the two primary foods for the brain are oxygen and glucose; oxygen reacts with glucose to produce energy for cell function. Schools can provide these at zero cost. Having students engage in slow stretching while taking slow deep breaths can increase their oxygenation. Yoga training has been shown to increase metabolic controls so children can better manage themselves.

Recess and physical education contribute to greater oxygen intake and better learning (Winter et al., 2007). Never withhold recess from students for a disciplinary issue; there are countless other ways to let them know they behaved inappropriately. Children need physical education programs at every level to perform well academically. In addition, the use of games, movement, and drama will trigger the release of glucose, stored in the body as glycogen. Proper glucose levels are associated with stronger memory and cognitive function. In short, physical activity will reduce some of the issues associated with poor nutrition and will build student health.

Children who grow up in low socioeconomic conditions typically have a smaller vocabulary than middle-class children do, which raises the risk for academic failure (Walker, Greenwood, Hart, &amp; Carta, 1994). Children from low-income families hear, on average, 13 million words by age 4. In middle-class families, children hear about 26 million words during that same time period. In upper-income families, they hear a staggering 46 million words by age 4-three times as many as their lower-income counterparts (Hart &amp; Risley, 1995). In fact, toddlers from middle- and upper-income families actually used more words in talking to their parents than low-SES mothers used in talking to their own children (Bracey, 2006). This language difference is not subtle; it's a mind-boggling, jaw-dropping cognitive chasm.

A child's vocabulary is part of the brain's tool kit for learning, memory, and cognition. Words help children represent, manipulate, and reframe information. Kids from low-income families are less likely to know the words a teacher uses in class or the words that appear in reading material. When children aren't familiar with words, they don't want to read, often tune out, or feel like school is not for them. Also, many students don't want to risk looking stupid (especially to their peers), so they won't participate in class.

Vocabulary building must form a key part of enrichment experiences for students, and teachers must be relentless about introducing and using new words. Include vocabulary building in engagement activities, such as by creating "trading card" activities, in which students write a vocabulary word on one side of a 3 × 5 card and a sentence using the word correctly on the other. Students can do a "class mixer" and test other students; they give the new word to their partner, and their partner has to use it in a sentence. Teachers can also draw cards from a bowl and ask the class to use the new word in a sentence.

Teachers can incorporate vocabulary practice into daily rituals. For example, the teacher posts a word for the day and when either the teacher or a student uses it-and another student is first to point it out-that student gets a simple privilege. Classroom teams or cooperative groups should present a word for the day to the whole class every day, with teachers reinforcing those words for days and weeks afterward.

Uninformed teachers may think that poor children slouch, slump, and show little effort because they are-or their parents are-lazy. Yet research suggests that parents from poor families work as much as parents of middle- or upper-class families do (Economic Policy Institute, 2002). There's no "inherited laziness" passed down from parents.

One reason many students seem unmotivated is because of lack of hope and optimism. Low socioeconomic status and the accompanying financial hardships are correlated with depressive symptoms (Butterworth, Olesen, &amp; Leach, 2012). Moreover, the passive "I give up" posture may actually be learned helplessness, shown for decades in the research as a symptom of a stress disorder and depression. Research from 60 high-poverty schools tells us that the primary factor in student motivation and achievement isn't the student's home environment; it's the school and the teacher (Irvin, Meece, Byun, Farmer, &amp; Hutchins, 2011). Effort can be taught, and strong teachers do this every day.

Students who show little or no effort are simply giving you feedback. When you liked your teacher, you worked harder. When the learning got you excited, curious, and intrigued, you put out more effort. We've all seen how students will often work much harder in one class than in another. The feedback is about themselves-and about your class.

Take on the challenge. Invest in students who are not putting out effort. In a study of more than 1,800 children from poverty, school engagement was a key factor in whether the student stayed in school (Finn &amp; Rock, 1997).

First, strengthen your relationships with students by revealing more of yourself and learning more about your students. Ask yourself, "What have I done to build relationships and respect? Do my students like me?"

Use more buy-in strategies, such as curiosity builders (a mystery box or bag); excitement and risk ("This idea's a bit crazy; let's make sure we have the number for the fire department, just in case"); and competition ("My last class accomplished _____; let's see what you can do!"). Make the learning more of the students' idea by offering a choice, and involve them more in decision making.

Second, teachers must make connections to students' worlds in ways that help them see a viable reason to play the academic game. Can you tie classroom learning to the real world? Use money, shopping, technology, and their family members to make the learning more relevant. Without clear links between the two, students often experience a demotivating disconnect between the school world and their home life. As a result, they give up.

Third, affirm effort every day in class. Most teachers don't keep track of their comments to students; maybe they should. When teachers give more positives than negatives (a 3:1 ratio is best), they optimize both learning and growth (Fredrickson &amp; Losada, 2005). When affirmed, challenged, and encouraged, students work harder.

Fourth, set high goals and sell students on their chances to reach them. Get them to believe in the goals by showing them real-world success stories of adults who came from the same circumstances the students did and who achieved their goals.

Finally, provide daily feedback so students see that effort matters and that they can adjust it for even greater success. Affirm your students, and let them know how much good you see in them.

Hope is a powerful thing. Research suggests that lower socioeconomic status is often associated with viewing the future as containing more negative events than positive ones (Robb, Simon, &amp; Wardle, 2009). Low or no expectancy ("helplessness") is also related to low socioeconomic status (Odéen et al., 2012). In short, being poor is associated with lowered expectations about future outcomes.

The student's attitude about learning (his or her mind-set) is also a moderately robust predictive factor (Blackwell, Trzesniewski, &amp; Dweck, 2007). Taken together, hope-or the lack of hope-and mind-set-whether you believe that you're simply born smart or that you can grow in intelligence along the way-can be either significant assets or serious liabilities. If students think failure or low performance is likely, they'll probably not bother to try. Similarly, if they think they aren't smart enough and can't succeed, they'll probably not put out any effort.

Teacher and student beliefs about having a fixed amount of "smarts" that the student can't increase will influence engagement and learning. Teach students that their brains can change and grow, that they can even raise their IQs. Provide better-quality feedback (prompt, actionable, and task-specific).

Also, telling students that they have a limited amount of focusing power is likely to disengage many of them (Miller et al., 2012). There's an alternative to saying, "Don't feel bad that you didn't finish. It's late in the day, and we've all got brain drain." Instead, say, "Stick with this just a bit longer. You can do this! Your mind is a powerful force to help you reach your goals."

Don't use comforting phrases that imply that even though a student isn't good at something, he or she has "other" strengths (Cooper, 2012). Instead, focus on affirming and reinforcing effort. Guide students in making smarter strategy choices and cultivating a positive attitude.

Children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds often perform below those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds on tests of intelligence and academic achievement (Bradley &amp; Corwyn, 2002). Commonly, low-SES children show cognitive problems, including short attention spans, high levels of distractibility, difficulty monitoring the quality of their work, and difficulty generating new solutions to problems (Alloway, Gathercole, Kirkwood, &amp; Elliott, 2009). These issues can make school harder for children from impoverished backgrounds.

Many children who struggle cognitively either act out (exhibit problem behavior) or shut down (show learned helplessness). But cognitive capacity, as well as intelligence, is a teachable skill (Buschkuehl &amp; Jaeggi, 2010).

If you're not teaching core cognitive skills, rethink your teaching methods. Students who struggle with reading, math, and following directions may have weak vocabulary, poor working memory, or poor processing skills. Studies show that high-performing teachers can overcome the problems of underperforming kids (Ferguson, 1998). Like effort, cognitive capacity is teachable.

Focus on the core academic skills that students need the most. Begin with the basics, such as how to organize, study, take notes, prioritize, and remember key ideas. Then teach problem-solving, processing, and working-memory skills.

Start small. Teach students immediate recall of words, then phrases, then whole sentences. This will help them remember the directions you give in class and will support them as they learn how to do mental computations. This will take tons of encouragement, positive feedback, and persistence. Later, you can use this foundation to build higher-level skills.

When children's early experiences are chaotic and one or both of the parents are absent, the developing brain often becomes insecure and stressed. Three-quarters of all children from poverty have a single-parent caregiver.

In homes of those from poverty, children commonly get twice as many reprimands as positive comments, compared with a 3:1 ratio of positives to negatives in middle-class homes (Risley &amp; Hart, 2006). If caregivers are stressed about health care, housing, and food, they're more likely to be grumpy and less likely to offer positive comments to their kids.

The probability of dropping out and school failure increases as a function of the timing and length of time that children are exposed to relational adversity (Spilt, Hughes, Wu, &amp; Kwok, 2012). Having only a single caregiver in the home-if the father is absent, for example-can create both instability and uncertainty because the children are missing a role model. Two caregivers offer the luxury of a backup-when one parent is at work, busy, or overly stressed, the other can provide for the children so there's always a stabilizing force present. Relationships can be challenging for children who lack role models and sufficient supports.

Low-income parents are often less able than middle-class parents to adjust their parenting to the demands of their higher-needs children (Paulussen-Hoogeboom, Stams, Hermanns, &amp; Peetsma, 2007). For example, many parents don't know what to do with children who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), who are oppositional, or who are dyslexic.

Disruptive home relationships often create mistrust in students. Adults have often failed them at home, and children may assume that the adults in school will fail them, too. Classroom misbehaviors are likely because many children simply do not have the at-home stability or repertoire of necessary social-emotional responses for school. Students are more likely to be impulsive, use inappropriate language, and act disrespectful-until you teach them more appropriate social and emotional responses.

Children with unstable home lives are particularly in need of strong, positive, caring adults. The more you care, the better the foundation for interventions. Learn every student's name. Ask about their family, their hobbies, and what's important to them. Stop telling students what to do and start teaching them how to do it.

For example, if you ask a high school student to dial down his or her energy for the next few minutes and the student responds with a smirk or wisecrack, simply ask him or her to stay a moment after class. Never embarrass the student in front of his or her peers. After class, first reaffirm your relationship with the student. Then demonstrate the behavior you wanted (show the student the appropriate facial expression and posture); say why it will be important as the student moves through school ("This will keep you out of trouble with other adults"); and indicate when a given response is appropriate and what it should look like ("When you think your teacher has overstepped his or her bounds, this is what you should say"). End by affirming common goals and interests ("We're both in this together. We can make this work-if we each do our part").

Although small amounts of stress are healthy, acute and chronic stress-known as distress-is toxic. Children living in poverty experience greater chronic stress than do their more affluent counterparts. Low-income parents' chronic stress affects their kids through chronic activation of their children's immune systems, which taxes available resources and has long-reaching effects (Blair &amp; Raver, 2012). Distress affects brain development, academic success, and social competence (Evans, Kim, Ting, Tesher, &amp; Shannis, 2007). It also impairs behaviors; reduces attentional control (Liston, McEwen, &amp; Casey, 2009); boosts impulsivity (Evans, 2003); and impairs working memory (Evans &amp; Schamberg, 2009).

Distressed children typically exhibit one of two behaviors: angry "in your face" assertiveness or disconnected "leave me alone" passivity. To the uninformed, the student may appear to be either out of control, showing an attitude, or lazy. But those behaviors are actually symptoms of stress disorders-and distress influences many behaviors that influence engagement.

The more aggressive behaviors include talking back to the teacher, getting in the teacher's face, using inappropriate body language, and making inappropriate facial expressions. The more passive behaviors include failing to respond to questions or requests, exhibiting passivity, slumping or slouching, and disconnecting from peers or academic work.

Address the real issue-distress-and the symptoms will diminish over time. Begin by building stronger relationships with students; this helps alleviate student stress.

Reduce stress by embedding more classroom fun in academics. Provide temporary cognitive support-that is, help students get the extra glucose and oxygen they need-by having them engage in such sensory motor activities as the childhood game "head-toes-knees-shoulders," in which children touch different parts of their bodies in quick succession. Such actions can support behavioral regulation, which is so important for early academic success.

Next, don't try to exert more control over the student's life. This will only create continued issues with engagement. Instead, give students more control over their own daily lives at school. Encourage responsibility and leadership by offering choices, having students engage in projects, and supporting teamwork and classroom decision making. Having a sense of control is the fundamental element that helps diminish the effects of chronic and acute stress.

Finally, teach students ongoing coping skills so they can better deal with their stressors. For example, give them a simple, "If this, then that" strategy for solving problems using new skills. You can do this through telling stories about your own daily stressors, allowing students to brainstorm solutions, and then sharing the coping tools that worked for you and modeling how you addressed various challenges.

Remember, students in poverty are not broken or damaged. In fact, human brains adapt to experiences by making changes-and your students can change.

You can help them do so by understanding these seven differences and addressing these differences with purposeful teaching. Your school can join the ranks of the many high-performing Title I schools where students succeed every day.

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How Poverty Affects Classroom Engagement

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Students from low-income households are more likely to struggle with engagement-for seven reasons.

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As educators, we come across a vast number of students from all walks of life. In Statistics On How Poverty Affects Children in Schools, author Jana Sosnowski shared, "Approximately one in five children in the United States live in poverty, according to the American Psychological Association, a status that affects more than housing status and food supply." This is something that has triggered lots of talk about educational reform.

Many circumstances students living in poverty encounter are beyond their control. They can face many challenges that affect their brain development, emotional well-being, relationships with others, and school achievement. When serving in schools with students who are living in poverty, it is important to know how to do our best to help and empower our students.

Check out these 5 concrete ways to help students living in poverty.

1. Have high expectations.

When you have students who are living in poverty, compassion is important. But, it does students an injustice if you do not hold them to high expectations. As educators, we want our students to do their best and succeed in our class and life. Holding students to high expectations allows them to work toward reachable goals that can empower them with intrinsic motivation. This is important because once a student leaves your class, hopefully, you have instilled in them the power to work hard toward their goals and rise to the occasion.

Here are 4 ideas to try.

Give students the opportunity to set goals. Then, coach them to achieve their goals.

Hold students accountable for classroom expectations. Have conversations about why they are important to follow.

Expect the best out of students when it comes to their work.

Be a role model. Share your goals and high expectations for yourself with your students.

2. Expose students to places outside of the classroom.

Many times students' experiences can be limited due to their means and their parents/caregivers experiences. It is integral to show students the world around them and open their eyes to what the world has to offer.

Here are 4 ideas to try.

Teach students about different career options, arts-related or not.

Bring in artists and other career professionals to speak to your class.

Get students off school grounds and take a field trip to a local museum.

Use the web to take a virtual field trip through museum websites or videos.

Finally, be sure to connect learning in the classroom to real life experiences. This will truly enhance your students' perspective as they learn and move through life.

3. Build relationships with your students and their families.

Building relationships is a key aspect when it comes to a creating a positive learning environment. It also helps foster mutual respect and trust with your students and their families. One factor those living in poverty often face is high mobility due to unstable living situations. Be a source of consistency. Let your students and families know they can trust you and make them feel welcome.

If you're interested, we have a PRO Learning Pack dedicated to building positive relationships. You can explore a variety of activities for building trust and engagement including how to use art processes to build positive social and emotional skills.

4. Teach them social-emotional learning strategies.

Students who live in poverty can have trouble focusing in school because of things troubling them in their personal lives. It's important to teach positive social and emotional skills that can build trust, respect, community, and personal growth. These skills can also help students learn to regulate their feelings and transition to a mindset ready for learning. Let's take a look at three ideas.

Breathing Techniques

A great way to teach students how to regulate their emotions is to take a step back and do some breathing techniques. If your school does not already teach breathing techniques, you can easily do this in your classroom.
3 Strategies to Try:

Beach Ball
Have students pretend they are holding an imaginary beach ball. When they inhale they pretend the ball is expanding. While they exhale they pretend the ball is squeezing inward.

Square
This breathing technique simply has students take their finger and trace a square in front of them in the air. As students make the first line for the top of the square, they inhale. As students make the second line of the square going down, they exhale and so on. You can repeat this as many times as you want.

Bunny Breath
This is a great breathing strategy, especially for your youngest students. Have your students pretend to be rabbits. They will need to take three quick sniffs in the nose, and one long exhale out the nose.

Calm Down Corner

A Calm Down Corner is a space in your classroom that allows students who are not regulated or in the proper mindset to begin learning to go and regulate themselves. You can have students use a stress ball, glitter bottles, or breathing techniques to begin to calm down. You may also want to have a self-reflection sheet available to help students process their feelings.

Classroom Circles

One way to build community is through classroom circles. This technique involves students getting in a circle and sharing based on a prompt given by the teacher.
Here is how it works:

Students get in a circle with the teacher. Ground rules should be shared to promote trust, respect, and honesty.

The teacher shares a prompt for students to answer.

The only person talking must hold a "talking piece." This practice allows each student to have a turn without interruption.

When everyone who wants to speak has spoken, the teacher can close the circle and thank the students for sharing.

In general ed circles, sometimes this technique is practiced daily. However, if you are a teacher who doesn't see your students every day, you could try implementing it once or twice a month.

5. Create a positive classroom culture

Making sure you have a classroom that exudes positivity and community is important. Be sure to teach your students to be compassionate and respectful toward one another. It can be helpful to have specific conversations about not judging others, especially on outward appearances. Team building exercises, modeling kindness, having mutual respect, and sharing the importance of accepting others are great ways to make this happen in your classroom.

Overall, students living in poverty are just like other children, but they can encounter limitations and barriers that make it harder to learn. We must do our best to make sure each child knows how special they are and that no matter what problems they may face, there is someone who loves and believes in them.
What tips do you have for teachers working with students living in poverty? Do you use social-emotional strategies in the classroom?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

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5 Concrete Ways to Help Students Living in Poverty

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Educating students who live in poverty is a vital part of today's curriculum. Here are 5 ways you can start making strides towards serving kids in poverty more effectively. Resources, lists, and images to helo you educate and teach kids in poverty. This article will take 7 minutes to read.

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Lauren Fasig Caldwell, JD, PhD, directs the American Psychological Association's Children, Youth and Families Office. She hails from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Center on Children and Families where she served as the director of research. Caldwell has a passion for keeping evidence-based practice in the forefront to enrich the laws and policies that affect children and families. Caldwell is the APA staff liaison to the Task Force on Violent Media, charged with conducting a meta-analysis of the current scientific literature, while reviewing the relevance of the 2005 APA policy, Resolution on Violence in Video Games and Interactive Media (PDF, 90KB) to ensure that it is informed by the best science currently available.

In her spare time Lauren enjoys chauffeuring her daughter (and favorite seventh grader.) To view some of the Children, Youth and Family Office resources, visit their website.

How did the study of children, youth and families come to be mainstays in your professional career?

I've always been very interested in how people turn out to be such individuals, and what leads one child to thrive in the same conditions or in response to the same stimulus in which another child struggles to attain basic developmental milestones. This interest led me to psychology. When I was an undergraduate psychology major, I signed up to volunteer to work with adolescent girls in residential mental health treatment. The first time I drove to the residential facility after my training, I was shocked to see that it was, in fact, the state prison. Although the girls with whom I was working were not involved in the juvenile justice system, this was the only place the state had for them to receive residential treatment. Week after week of passing through the barbed-wire fence and the heavy metal locked gates to get to the girls' ward led me to think about the impact on the girls' outcomes of the system that was supposed to be helping them. I became increasingly interested in systemic effects on child development, and in particular, ways that we might improve the support systems, programs and policies that seek to improve outcomes from children, youth and families, especially those particularly at risk for poor outcomes.

This desire to work to improve the support systems for children and their families led me to want to better understand the fundamental processes of child development. To truly do the work I wanted to do, I also believed that I needed to understand the legal, regulatory and legislative processes and functions that create and maintain those systems. So, I decided to seek a PhD in developmental psychology and to go to law school. The early passion that drove me throughout my graduate education has evolved through experience gained from a variety of positions. My goals are still the same, but I've become increasingly focused on the dissemination of evidence-based information and the translation and implementation processes needed to effectively integrate what we know about child development and the needs of our children and families into what we do to support and empower them.

What does poverty mean for children?

The easy answer to this question is that poverty means deprivation for children, but, of course, this is an oversimplification. Poverty affects children in many ways. It impacts them in the moment, and across time. That is, children at every age and developmental stage are impacted by impoverished environments, and those impacts build upon one another and continue across time.

Children living in poverty experience the daily impacts that come easily to mind - hunger, illness, insecurity, instability - but they also are more likely to experience low academic achievement, obesity, behavioral problems and social and emotional development difficulties (Malhomes, 2012). Increased stress is a known causal factor through which poverty impacts developmental outcomes. Stress can lead to adverse changes in the cardiovascular system, the immune system and the neuroendocrine and cortical systems, which have implications for learning and decision-making (Aber, Morris & Raver, 2012). In addition to the direct effects of poverty-related stress, poverty impacts children's development indirectly through direct effects on parents. Numerous studies have shown that poverty increased parents' stress and impairs parenting practices (Conger & Conger, 2002); and that poverty is linked to disruptions in parents' mental health (McLoyd, 1990).

Indirect effects of poverty stem from other aspects of children's ecosystems as well. Family housing resources and stability and neighborhood factors such as levels of danger, enrichment opportunities (parks, libraries, etc.) and reduced social control are closely related to poverty and have been shown to influence child outcomes (Brooks-Gunn, Duncan & Aber, 1997; Sampson, Raudenbush & Earls, 1997). The larger social environment, the media, and laws and policies exert influence as well. When you stack up these layers of influence, you can see the complex and pervasive role poverty can play in children's development.

Unfortunately, for many children, living in poverty can also mean neglect (Widom & Nikulina, 2012). Research has shown that poverty and neglect each separately predict PTSD, crime and academic achievement (Widom & Nikulina, 2012). And as we know, risk factors tend to be cumulative, meaning that neglected children living in poverty face increased risk of negative outcomes.

Moreover, poverty is an environmental adversity that is little affected by the actions of a child. When such an adversity is strong, frequent or extended, children may experience toxic stress; stress that is experienced at such a level as to prolong activation of the bodies' stress response system, which can disrupt development of brain architecture and physiological systems, and led to impairment of cognitive, social and emotional development (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2005/2014). What's more, these effects can be cumulative over time, impacting an individual's physical and mental health throughout adulthood (Shonkoff, 2012).

What are some of the key life-long effects of children living in poverty?

First, the effects mentioned above can maintain over time, and can be difficult to change through intervention. Although research has discovered much about the mechanisms through which poverty impacts children's development, there is still much to learn, and even more to learn about successful implementation of interventions to improve outcomes and reduce both poverty and the effects of poverty. Second, the outcomes children experience at one age can themselves operate as risk factors for additional negative outcomes at later ages. For example, poor emotional and behavioral self-control in early childhood, both related to growing up in poverty, are related to academic disciplinary problems in elementary and middle school-years, which is related to delinquency in adolescence (Aber, Morris & Raver, 2012).

The health and mental-health effects mentioned above continue to exert influence on children as they mature through childhood into adulthood and live out their lives.

How does persistent childhood poverty relate to adult outcomes?

In addition to the ways described above, persistent childhood poverty can greatly reduce opportunities for children when they reach adulthood. Childhood poverty has been linked to academic failure and school dropout (Chapman, Laird, 2011), and to reduced rates of college attendance and graduation (Bailey & Dynarski, 2011).

Given the importance of education in achieving employment that pays enough to sustain basic needs, this failure to gain basic levels of education and higher education has lifelong implications. Additionally, research shows that poverty is linked to a growing skills gap between the skills needed to obtain jobs that pay a "living wage" and the skills that young adults who have grown up poor have developed (Duncan & Murnane, 2011).

References

Aber, J.L., Morris, P.A., & Raver, C. (2012). Children, families, and poverty: Definitions, trends, emerging science and implications for policy. Social Policy Report, 26 (3).

Bailey, M.J. & Dynarski, S. M. (2011). Inequality in post-secondary education. In G. Duncan & R. Murnane (Eds.), Whither opportunity: Rising inequality, schools, and children's life chances (pp. 117-132). New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation.

Brooks-Gunn, J., Duncan, G.J. & Aber, J.L. (1997). Neighborhood poverty: Context and consequences for children. (Vol. 1). New Youk, NY: Russell Sage Foundation.

Chapman, C. Laird, J., Ifill, N. & Kewal Amani A. (2011, October). Trends in high school dropout and completion rates in the United States: 1972-2009 (NCES 2012-006).

Conger, R.G. & Conger, K. J. (2002). Resilience in Mid-western families: Selected findings from the first decade of a prospective longitudinal study. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, pp. 361-373.

Duncan, G.J. & Murnane, R. J. (2011). Introduction: The American dream then and now. In G. Duncan & R. Murnane (Eds.), Whither opportunity: Rising inequality, schools, and children's life chances (pp. 3-23). New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation.

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Childhood poverty, living below the line

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Lauren Fasig Caldwell, JD, PhD, directs the American Psychological Association's Children, Youth and Families Office. She hails from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Center on Children and Families where she served as the director of research. Caldwell has a passion for keeping evidence-based practice in the forefront to enrich the laws and policies that affect children and families.

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Children's Mental Health Day - Mental Health Awareness Month 2022

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0:00 / 59:18•Watch full video

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National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day 2022: Peer Support for Youth and Families

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Fact: Mental health issues can affect anyone. In 2020, about:

One in 5 American adults experienced a mental health condition in a given year

One in 6 young people have experienced a major depressive episode

One in 20 Americans have lived with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression

Additionally, suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. In fact, it was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-24. Suicide has accounted for the loss of more than 45,979 American lives in 2020, nearly double the number of lives lost to homicide.

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Can you tell the difference between a mental health myth and fact? Learn the truth about the most common mental health myths and information to help destigmatize them.

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Most people with mental health problems can get better. Treatment and recovery are ongoing processes that happen over time. The first step is getting help.

What Is Recovery?

Recovery from mental disorders and/or substance abuse disorders is a process of change through which individuals:

Improve their health and wellness

Live a self-directed life

Strive to achieve their full potential

Four Dimensions of Recovery

Four major dimensions support a life in recovery:

Health: Overcoming or managing one's disease(s) or symptoms and making informed, healthy choices that support physical and emotional well-being.

Home: Have a stable and safe place to live.

Purpose: Engage in meaningful daily activities, such as a job or school, volunteering, caring for your family, or being creative. Work for independence, income, and resources to participate in society.

Community: Build relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope.

Develop a Recovery Plan

If you are struggling with a mental health problem, you may want to develop a written recovery plan.

Recovery plans:

Enable you to identify goals for achieving wellness

Specify what you can do to reach those goals

Include daily activities as well as longer term goals

Track any changes in your mental health problem

Identify triggers or other stressful events that can make you feel worse, and help you learn how to manage them

Learn more about recovery and recovery support.

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Most people with mental health problems can get better. Treatment and recovery are ongoing processes that happen over time. The first step is getting help.

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If you or someone you know has a mental health problem, there are ways to get help. Studies show that most people with mental health problems get better and many recover completely.

People often don't get the mental health help they need because they don't know where to start. Use these resources to find the help you, your friends, or family need.

Current and former service members may face different health issues than the general public and may be at risk for mental health problems.

Mental health services may be available to you through your health insurance plan. Learn more about your coverage and options.

The National Institute of Mental Health supports research studies on mental health and disorders. Find out more about participating in a clinical trial.

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If you or someone you know has a mental health problem, there are ways to get help. Studies show that most people with mental health problems get better and many recover completely. People often don't get the mental health help they need because they don't know where to start.

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People can experience different types of mental health problems. These problems can affect your thinking, mood, and behavior. Want to learn more about other types of mental health conditions? Visit the "Mental Health and Behavior" section on MedlinePlus.

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In our world today, people's lives are busy, whether with work, family, school, hobbies, or other activities. Within our daily environments, it may seem as though there is limited time for our mental health and wellbeing, unless we are proactively creating this space for ourselves. Additionally, there is a clear stigma that invades schools and workplaces, making administration unwilling or unable to present adequate solutions or positive change.

I believe that it is essential for environments -- particularly schools and workplaces -- to implement strategies to consistently and effectively support the wellbeing of their students and employees.

Schools Should be at the Frontline of Mental Health Awareness

Schools are meant to be places for social and academic growth. As spaces for development, schools are most beneficial to students who are able to harness a growth mindset -- ready to embrace the classes they are in, believe in their abilities, and maximize their own learning. This mindset goes hand-in-hand with an individual's ability to practice self-care and self-love. If an individual can first learn to accept themselves and take care of themselves, then they can move forward to improving themselves. In a classroom setting, this means that they can advance to learning new concepts, thinking critically, and growing alongside their peers.

As Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage says; "Focusing on the good isn't just about overcoming our inner grump to see the glass half full. It's about opening our minds to the ideas and opportunities that will help us be more productive, effective, and successful at work and in life."

Therefore, schools should prioritize their students' wellbeing and give each and every one of their students the opportunity to "focus on the good". This will lead to a school full of more productive and prepared students. Below are five ideas that I have for schools to offer solutions on supporting their students' mental health, and although these solutions may generally require administrative approval, student voice is powerful in initiating this positive change.

1: Implement time and safe spaces in class for regular check-ins with students

If teachers are able to get a glimpse into how their students are doing, this will help them to not only build more of a connection with their students, but also to understand their students' behaviors and participation efforts more holistically.

Checking in as a class can also allow for students to feel less alone. Upon seeing that their classmates are not all as "perfect" and "great" as they appear, students may feel relief and hopefully will seek support if needed.

In general, check-ins allow for a healthier classroom environment where teachers are more aware of their students' circumstances and students are able to harness peer connection in breaking down the stigma around feeling "not ok" at times.

2: Give basic mental health training to all teachers

When teachers create safe spaces for check-ins in their classroom, they may come across students who show red flags in regards to their mental state, or students who may just need some extra support. If this is the case and teachers are equipped with basic mental health training, they will be able to act accordingly and connect their students to help and resources well before their mental health state escalates to worse.

Teachers who are observant and trained to look for warning signs for may be able to notice changes in their students' behavior. If they are trained, they will feel confident in their ability to address a student's check-in and to refer their student to professional resources if and when necessary.

3: Give basic mental health training to all students

Similar to training teachers, training students on how to support their friends' or peers' mental health is crucial. Students can often be the first-responders in cases like this. It's important to emphasize that neither students nor teachers are clinicians. They are not being trained to treat anyone. Instead, they are being treated to observe signs and react accordingly, by referring out to professional resources, people, or centers.

This system will allow for less students to fall through the cracks when it comes to their mental health, since everyone will be watching out for each other -- a peer-to-peer network of mental health care.

4: Have a wellness center on-campus, designed by students and easily accessible to all students.

Similar to creating spaces within the classroom for wellness check-ins, having an actual physical space on campus for student wellness is essential in supporting students. This on-campus wellness center serves as a place where students can go for a variety of activities, such as having a simple conversation with a peer, connecting with a professional, learning about self-care, drinking tea, doodling in coloring books, resting, or meditating.

The center should be designed by students at the school, in order to have it in a place where students will actually use it and to make the center's services relevant for all other students. Administration should implement a policy that states that students may visit the wellness center during class if they need to for any reason.

5: Have regular open events for parents to attend to learn more about student mental health and how to support their child.

Bridging the generation gap between students and parents is vital in order to foster an understanding relationship. Since schools do not have as much influence over what goes on at home, offering resources for parents to better understand how to support youth mental health will create a fluid transition for students between school and home life.

Parents often deeply want to help and support their kids, yet they may not know which resources to turn to regarding mental health. Schools can inform parents and households on the general foundation of mental health support and where to seek more professional help, if and when necessary.

These are just five ideas for schools to better support their students' wellbeing. Some schools are already beginning to implement solutions similar to these, however, there is always room for improvement on more effective support systems for students everywhere. Now that we have explored the environment of schools, my next article will outline five ideas for workplaces to better support their employees.

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5 Ways Schools Can Support Student Mental Health - Drug Rehab Options

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In our world today, people's lives are busy, whether with work, family, school, hobbies, or other activities. Within our daily environments, it may seem as though there is limited time for our mental health and wellbeing, unless we are proactively creating this space for ourselves.

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As teachers, so often it feels like we have to do it all. The backgrounds and experiences of our students vary, and we often feel like physicians trying to diagnose and treat. Teachers play many roles; parent figure, nurse, and sometimes even a counselor. Of course, teachers can't be therapists or psychiatrists to students, and diagnosing their difficulties is out of their realm.

Still, teachers are often the first line of defense when it comes to mental health. They know their students well and can usually pick up on when something isn't quite right. Unfortunately, mental health issues these days are on the rise. Schools are facing an increase in problems like bullying, suicide, anxiety, and depression. While a school can't be expected to adequately address all of these issues on their own, the school plays a critical role in getting kids the help they need. So, what CAN schools do to help?

Start a Conversation: Just talking about mental health issues is a massive step in the right direction. Sometimes students and families view those with mental health issues as 'crazy' and imagine a homeless man walking down the street muttering to himself.

We need to broaden the definition of mental health so that our students and their families understand that depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions are common and nothing to be ashamed of.

Talking about mental health issues normalizes it and helps reduce stigma. Frequently kids don't reach out for help because of the stigma surrounding mental health issues. So just having conversations about it is a start. When they hear someone else share a story that is similar to their own struggles they start to think they aren't so strange.

Integrate Mental Health into the Curriculum: We teach our students about many areas of health and wellness. We show them the importance of a balanced diet or exercising, avoiding junk food or too much screen time. Our mental health is just as important and needs just as much attention as physical health.

"Mental illness is just as prevalent and serious as physical illness. Mental health needs to be discussed just like 'physical.' I believe these things should be taught at certain levels from young childhood just as is physical health and care." - Anna M., member of The Mighty's mental health community

What to Teach? Once we decide to integrate mental health into our curriculum, where do we start? Many of our curriculum resources, including the CIRCLES and series, address aspects of related to SEL and can promote positive mental health. Beyond a set curriculum, it is essential to teach kids about their feelings. They should learn healthy ways to share their feelings and learn to find safe people to share them with. Kids also need to learn coping skills.

Even simple skills such as deep breathing or guided imagery can make a big difference for a child suffering from anxiety or depression. These are skills that all kids can use, not just those with a diagnosable mental illness, so incorporating into the curriculum just make sense.

Create a Safe Space

A Mentally Healthy Classroom Culture: Help students feel safe both physically and emotionally. Help students want to share their feelings and feel safe doing so. Help them build positive relationships with teachers and peers. Incorporate activities to build a feeling of classroom community.

Healthy School, Healthy Kids: You can't give what you don't have. In order for schools to teach kids to be mentally healthy and to support them through difficulties, the staff must be supported and mentally healthy themselves. Administrators can work to create a school culture in which teachers feel supported and heard and where the staff works together in positive ways to help kids. Supported, mentally healthy staff can help kids be mentally healthy. Reach out to your school administrators to see what resources are available to you if you're not sure.

Teacher Training: Train teachers so they know how to integrate teaching mental health and how to have hard conversations with kids. While teachers aren't expected to diagnose kids, they have the power to identify when students need help. Teachers can look for the warning signs that their students may be struggling. Schools can also compile resources so that they can refer their students to the help they need.

You Can Help

Mental health presents many challenges to schools in helping kids learn. Schools can help educate students about their mental health and identify those that need more help. Our schools hold hope for stemming the tide of the growing mental health issues in our country.
By: Amy Curletto
Amy has been teaching for 12 years in grades K-2. She has a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and also has endorsements in reading and ESL. Besides education, her other passion is writing and she has always dreamed of being a writer. She lives in Utah with her husband, her 3 daughters, and her miniature schnauzer. She enjoys reading, knitting, and camping.

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Teaching Mental Health In The Classroom: How To Start The Conversation

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As teachers, so often it feels like we have to do it all. The backgrounds and experiences of our students vary, and we often feel like physicians trying to diagnose and treat. Teachers play many roles; parent figure, nurse, and sometimes even a counselor.

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Problems at School | Association for Children’s Mental Health

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Learn how to navigate problems at school

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To be eligible for SSI benefits, a child must be either blind or disabled.

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Most people believe that mental health conditions are rare and "happen to someone else." In fact, mental health conditions are common and widespread. An estimated 44 million Americans suffer from some form of mental disorder in a given year.

Most families are not prepared to cope with learning their loved one has a mental illness. It can be physically and emotionally trying, and can make us feel vulnerable to the opinions and judgments of others.

If you think you or someone you know may have a mental or emotional problem, it is important to remember there is hope and help.

What is mental illness?

Mental Illnesses are brain-based conditions that affect thinking, emotions, and behaviors. Since we all have brains - having some kind of mental health problem during your life is really common.

For people who have mental illnesses, their brains have changed in a way in which they are unable to think, feel, or act in ways they want to. For some, this means experiencing extreme and unexpected changes in mood - like feeling more sad or worried than normal. For others, it means not being able to think clearly, not being able to communicate with someone who is talking to them, or having bizarre thoughts to help explain weird feelings they are having.

There are more than 200 classified forms of mental illness. Some of the more common disorders are depression, bipolar disorder, dementia, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders. Symptoms may include changes in mood, personality, personal habits and/or social withdrawal.

Mental health problems may be related to excessive stress due to a particular situation or series of events. As with cancer, diabetes and heart disease, mental illnesses are often physical as well as emotional and psychological. Mental illnesses may be caused by a reaction to environmental stresses, genetic factors, biochemical imbalances, or a combination of these. With proper care and treatment many individuals learn to cope or recover from a mental illness or emotional disorder.

To hear personal descriptions of mental illness, visit feelslike.

Warning Signs and Symptoms

To learn more about symptoms that are specific to a particular mental illness, search under Mental Health Information.The following are signs that your loved one may want to speak to a medical or mental health professional.

It is especially important to pay attention to sudden changes in thoughts and behaviors. Also keep in mind that the onset of several of the symptoms below, and not just any one change, indicates a problem that should be assessed. The symptoms below should not be due to recent substance use or another medical condition.

If you or someone you know is in crisis now, seek help immediately. Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24 hour crisis center or dial 911 for immediate assistance.

In Adults, Young Adults and Adolescents:

Confused thinking

Prolonged depression (sadness or irritability)

Feelings of extreme highs and lows

Excessive fears, worries and anxieties

Social withdrawal

Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits

Strong feelings of anger

Strange thoughts (delusions)

Seeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations)

Growing inability to cope with daily problems and activities

Suicidal thoughts

Numerous unexplained physical ailments

Substance use

In Older Children and Pre-Adolescents:

Substance use

Inability to cope with problems and daily activities

Changes in sleeping and/or eating habits

Excessive complaints of physical ailments

Changes in ability to manage responsibilities - at home and/or at school

Defiance of authority, truancy, theft, and/or vandalism

Intense fear

Prolonged negative mood, often accompanied by poor appetite or thoughts of death

Frequent outbursts of anger

In Younger Children:

Changes in school performance

Poor grades despite strong efforts

Changes in sleeping and/or eating habits

Excessive worry or anxiety (i.e. refusing to go to bed or school)

Hyperactivity

Persistent nightmares

Persistent disobedience or aggression

Frequent temper tantrums

How to cope day-to-day

Accept your feelings

Despite the different symptoms and types of mental illnesses, many families who have a loved one with mental illness, share similar experiences. You may find yourself denying the warning signs, worrying what other people will think because of the stigma, or wondering what caused your loved one to become ill. Accept that these feelings are normal and common among families going through similar situations. Find out all you can about your loved one's conditionby reading and talking with mental health professionals. Share what you have learned with others.

Handling unusual behavior

The outward signs of a mental illness are often behavioral.A person may be extremely quiet or withdrawn. Conversely, they may burst into tears, have great anxiety or have outbursts of anger.

Even after treatment has started, someindividuals with a mental illness can exhibit anti-social behaviors. When in public, these behaviors can be disruptive and difficult to accept. The next time you and your family member visit your doctor or mental health professional, discuss these behaviors and develop a strategy for coping.

The individual's behavior may be as dismaying to them as it is to you. Ask questions, listen with an open mind and be there to support them.

Establishing a support network

Whenever possible, seek support from friends and family members. If you feel you cannot discuss your situation with friends or other family members, find a self-help or support group. These groups provide an opportunity for you to talk to other people who are experiencing the same type of problems. They can listen and offer valuable advice.

Seeking counseling

Therapy can be beneficial for both the individual with mental illness and other family members. A mental health professional can suggest ways to cope and better understand your loved one's illness.

When looking for a therapist, be patient and talk to a few professionals so you can choose the person that is right for you and your family. It may take time until you are comfortable, but in the long run you will be glad you sought help.

Taking time out

It is common for the person with the mental illness to become the focus of family life. When this happens, other members of the family may feel ignored or resentful. Some may find it difficult to pursue their own interests.

If you are the caregiver, youneed some time for yourself. Schedule time away to prevent becoming frustrated or angry. If you schedule time for yourself it will help you to keep things in perspective and you may have more patience and compassion for coping or helping your loved one.Being physically and emotionally healthy helps you to help others.
"Many families who have a loved one with mental illness share similar experiences"
It is important to remember that there is hope for recovery and that with treatment many people with mental illness return to a productive and fulfilling life.

Other Resources

Mental Illness in the Family: Part 1 Recognizing the Warning Signs & How to Cope is one in a series of pamphlets on helping family members with mental illness. Other Mental Health America titles include:

Mental Health America offers additional pamphlets on a variety of mental health topics. For more information or to order multiple copies of pamphlets, please contact Mental Health America

External Resources

Find a Local MHA Affiliate
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Phone 800-789-2647

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Information Resources and Inquiries Branch
Phone 301-443-4513

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Mental Illness and the Family: Recognizing Warning Signs and How to Cope

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Most people believe that mental health conditions are rare and "happen to someone else." In fact, mental health conditions are common and widespread. An estimated 44 million Americans suffer from some form of mental disorder in a given year. Most families are not prepared to cope with learning their loved one has a mental illness.

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Learn about the specifics of mental illness including: causes, symptoms, treatment, and recovery and wellness.

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Attachment security and behaviors have been studied in adult relationships, and attachment-related patterns that differ between individuals are commonly called "attachment styles." There seems to be an association between a person's attachment characteristics early in life and in adulthood, but the correlations are far from perfect.

Many adults feel secure in their relationships and comfortable depending on others (echoing "secure" attachment in children). Others tend to feel anxious about their connection with close others-or prefer to avoid getting close to them in the first place. Studies of persons with borderline personality disorder, characterized by a longing for intimacy and a hypersensitivity to rejection, have shown a high prevalence and severity of insecure attachment.

Attachment styles in adulthood have labels similar to those used to describe attachment patterns in children:

Secure

Anxious-preoccupied (high anxiety, low avoidance)

Dismissing-avoidant (low anxiety, high avoidance)

Fearful-avoidant (high anxiety, high avoidance)

However, attachment styles may be better thought of as dimensional, where a person rates as relatively high, low, or somewhere in the middle in their levels of attachment-related anxiety and attachment-related avoidance. Also, a person may not exhibit the same kind of attachment pattern in every close relationship.

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Attachment is the emotional bond that forms between infant and caregiver, and it is the means by which the helpless infant gets primary needs met. It then becomes an engine of subsequent social, emotional, and cognitive development.

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Attachment styles are characterized by different ways of interacting and behaving in relationships. During early childhood, these attachment styles are centered on how children and parents interact. In adulthood, attachment styles are used to describe patterns of attachment in romantic relationships. The concept of attachment styles grew out the attachment theory and research that emerged throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Today, psychologists typically recognize four main attachment styles.

What Is Attachment?

Attachment is a special emotional relationship that involves an exchange of comfort, care, and pleasure. The roots of research on attachment began with Freud's theories about love, but another researcher is usually credited as the father of attachment theory.

John Bowlby devoted extensive research to the concept of attachment, describing it as a "lasting psychological connectedness between human beings."

Bowlby shared the psychoanalytic view that early experiences in childhood are important for influencing development and behavior later in life. Our early attachment styles are established in childhood through the infant/caregiver relationship.

In addition to this, Bowlby believed that attachment had an evolutionary component; it aids in survival. "The propensity to make strong emotional bonds to particular individuals [is] a basic component of human nature," he explained.

Characteristics of Attachment

Bowlby believed that there are four distinguishing characteristics of attachment:

1. Proximity Maintenance - The desire to be near the people we are attached to.

2. Safe Haven - Returning to the attachment figure for comfort and safety in the face of a fear or threat.

3. Secure Base - The attachment figure acts as a base of security from which the child can explore the surrounding environment.

4. Separation Distress - Anxiety that occurs in the absence of the attachment figure.

Bowlby also made three key propositions about attachment theory.

Secondly, he believed that this confidence is forged during a critical period of development, during the years of infancy, childhood, and adolescence. The expectations that are formed during that period tend to remain relatively unchanged for the rest of the person's life.

Finally, he suggested that these expectations that are formed are directly tied to experience. In other words, children develop expectations that their caregivers will be responsive to their needs because, in their experience, their caregivers have been responsive in the past.

Ainsworth's Strange Situation Assessment

During the 1970s, psychologist Mary Ainsworth further expanded upon Bowlby's groundbreaking work in her now-famous "Strange Situation" study. The study involved observing children between the ages of 12 to 18 months responding to a situation in which they were briefly left alone and then reunited with their mother.

Ainsworth's Strange Situation Assessment followed this basic sequence:

1. Parent and child are alone in a room

2. The child explores the room with parental supervision

3. A stranger enters the room, talks to the parent, and approaches the child

4. The parent quietly leaves the room

5. The parent returns and comforts the child

Based on these observations, Ainsworth concluded that there were three major styles of attachment: secure attachment, ambivalent-insecure attachment, and avoidant-insecure attachment.

Researchers Main and Solomon added a fourth attachment style known as disorganized-insecure attachment. Numerous studies have supported Ainsworth's conclusions and additional research has revealed that these early attachment styles can help predict behaviors later in life.

Attachment Through Life

Before you start blaming relationship problems on your parents, it is important to note that attachment styles formed during early childhood are not necessarily identical to those demonstrated in adult romantic attachments. A great deal of time has elapsed between infancy and adulthood, so intervening experiences also play a large role in adult attachment styles.

Those described as ambivalent or avoidant during childhood can become securely attached as adults, while those with a secure attachment in childhood can show insecure attachment patterns in adulthood. Basic temperament is also thought to play a partial role in attachment.

So what role might factors such as divorce or parental discord play in the formation of attachment styles? In one study, Hazan and Shaver found that parental divorce seemed unrelated to attachment style. Instead, their research indicated that the best predictor of adult attachment style was the perceptions that people have about the quality of their relationships with their parents as well as their parent's relationship with each other.

But research in this area does indicate that patterns established in childhood have an important impact on later relationships. Hazan and Shaver also found varied beliefs about relationships amongst adults with differing attachment styles. Securely attached adults tend to believe that romantic love is enduring. Ambivalently attached adults report falling in love often, while those with avoidant attachment styles describe love as rare and temporary.

While we cannot say that early attachment styles are identical to adult romantic attachment, research has shown that early attachment styles can help predict patterns of behavior in adulthood.

Secure Attachment Characteristics

Children who are securely attached generally become visibly upset when their caregivers leave and are happy when their parents return. When frightened, these children will seek comfort from the parent or caregiver. Contact initiated by a parent is readily accepted by securely attached children and they greet the return of a parent with positive behavior. While these children can be comforted to some extent by other people in the absence of a parent or caregiver, they clearly prefer parents to strangers.

Parents of securely attached children tend to play more with their children. Additionally, these parents react more quickly to their children's needs and are generally more responsive to their children than the parents of insecurely attached children. Studies have shown that securely attached children are more empathetic during later stages of childhood. These children are also described as less disruptive, less aggressive, and more mature than children with ambivalent or avoidant attachment styles.

As Children

Are able to separate from parent

Seek comfort from parents when frightened

Greets return of parents with positive emotions

Prefers parents to strangers

As Adults

Have trusting, lasting relationships

Tend to have good self-esteem

Are comfortable sharing feelings with partners and friends

Seek out social support

While forming a secure attachment with caregivers is normal and expected, as Hazan and Shaver have noted, it doesn't always happen. Researchers have found a number of different factors that contribute to the development (or lack thereof) of secure attachment, particularly a mother's responsiveness to her infant's needs during the first year of a child's life. Mothers who respond inconsistently or who interfere with child's activities tend to produce infants who explore less, cry more, and are more anxious. Mothers who consistently reject or ignore their infant's needs tend to produce children who try to avoid contact.

As adults, those who are securely attached tend to have trusting, long-term relationships. Other key characteristics of securely attached individuals include having high self-esteem, enjoying intimate relationships, seeking out social support, and an ability to share feelings with other people.

In one study, researchers found that women with a secure attachment style had more positive feelings about their adult romantic relationships than other women with insecure attachment styles.

How many people classify themselves as securely attached? In a classic study by Hazan and Shaver, 56 percent of respondents identified themselves as secure, while 25 percent identified as avoidant, and 19 percent as ambivalent/anxious.

Ambivalent Attachment Characteristics

Children who are ambivalently attached tend to be extremely suspicious of strangers. These children display considerable distress when separated from a parent or caregiver, but do not seem reassured or comforted by the return of the parent. In some cases, the child might passively reject the parent by refusing comfort, or may openly display direct aggression toward the parent.

According to Cassidy and Berlin, ambivalent attachment is relatively uncommon, with only 7 to 15 percent of infants in the United States displaying this attachment style. In a review of ambivalent attachment literature, Cassidy and Berlin also found that observational research consistently links ambivalent insecure attachment to low maternal availability. As these children grow older, teachers often describe them as clingy and over-dependent.

As adults, those with an ambivalent attachment style often feel reluctant about becoming close to others and worry that their partner does not reciprocate their feelings. This leads to frequent breakups, often because the relationship feels cold and distant. These individuals feel especially distraught after the end of a relationship. Cassidy and Berlin described another pathological pattern where ambivalently attached adults cling to young children as a source of security.

Avoidant Attachment Characteristics

Children with avoidant attachment styles tend to avoid parents and caregivers. This avoidance often becomes especially pronounced after a period of absence. These children might not reject attention from a parent, but neither do they seek out comfort or contact. Children with an avoidant attachment show no preference between a parent and a complete stranger.

As adults, those with an avoidant attachment tend to have difficulty with intimacy and close relationships. These individuals do not invest much emotion in relationships and experience little distress when a relationship ends.

They often avoid intimacy by using excuses (such as long work hours) or may fantasize about other people during sex. Research has also shown that adults with an avoidant attachment style are more accepting and likely to engage in casual sex. Other common characteristics include a failure to support partners during stressful times and an inability to share feelings, thoughts, and emotions with partners.

Disorganized Attachment Characteristics

Children with a disorganized-insecure attachment style show a lack of clear attachment behavior. Their actions and responses to caregivers are often a mix of behaviors, including avoidance or resistance. These children are described as displaying dazed behavior, sometimes seeming either confused or apprehensive in the presence of a caregiver.

At Age 1

Show a mixture of avoidant and resistant behavior

May seem dazed, confused, or apprehensive

Main and Solomon proposed that inconsistent behavior on the part of parents might be a contributing factor in this style of attachment. In later research, Main and Hesse argued that parents who act as figures of both fear and reassurance to a child contribute to a disorganized attachment style. Because the child feels both comforted and frightened by the parent, confusion results.

A Word From Verywell

While adult romantic attachments may not exactly correspond with early childhood attachments, there is no question that our earliest relationships with caregivers play a role in development. By better understanding the role of attachment, you can gain a greater appreciation of how the earliest attachments in your life may impact adult relationships.

Bowlby, J. A Secure Base: Clinical Applications of Attachment Theory. London: Routledge; 2012.

Salter, MD, Ainsworth, MC, Blehar, EW, & Wall, SN. Patterns of Attachment: A Psychological Study of the Strange Situation. New York: Taylor & Francis; 2015.

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What You Should Know About Attachment Styles

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Attachment styles are characterized by different ways of interacting and behaving in relationships. During early childhood, these attachment styles are centered on how children and parents interact. In adulthood, attachment styles are used to describe patterns of attachment in romantic relationships.

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As a postpartum home visitor for a local non-profit, I provide a series of three visits for all moms who are discharged from the hospital with their newborn. I never know what I'll find when I visit a home with a baby less than 7 days old. Some Moms are calm and relaxed; others have anxiety about doing everything right. Some Moms may be concerned about how well their baby is feeding or recovering from a difficult birth. I have received feedback from many of these moms about why my visits were so helpful in the first thirty days after they give birth. Here's what I've found.

After calmly taking an inventory of their questions and concerns, I sit and take a few deep breaths and observe Mom and her baby, as well as her support system that may (or may not) be present. I find at least one specific thing to make a positive comment on; "Your baby is very calm in your arms." "You really want to know what's best for your baby." "You have written down your questions so you can get more information." "Your husband is here with you to make sure you feel better." You'll see her gaining trust in you and feeling a bit of relief.

Then, I mention several things on this list as it pertains to improving feedings, improving sleep, and the benefits of a secure attachment with her baby.

What is a secure attachment?

You are the most important person to your baby. Your baby's brain will develop rapidly in the first two years and continue to develop throughout life. Your child's relationship with you is one thing that impacts the way s/he develops. In a loving, safe relationship with you, your baby experiences important brain activity. Additionally, from these positive early life experiences, your child will have an eagerness to explore, healthy coping skills, and feelings of both trust and empathy for others.

Your baby needs you to protect her, feed her, and comfort her. Newborns feel safe and secure when they are in your arms or held close to your body in a loving way. Most parents and babies relax more when there is comfort, connection, and security.

A secure attachment is when parents are capable of interpreting their baby's language (cues, movements, behavior, and eventually words) and can respond with compassion. Of course, no parent is perfect, but a focused effort to meet your baby's needs will have long lasting effects.

How do I create a secure attachment with my baby?

Hold and cuddle your baby. Touch is reassuring to your baby and provides a feeling of safety. Skin to skin helps both parents and baby feel calm and relaxed.

Make eye contact. Gaze into your baby's eyes when feeding, playing, and changing diapers; share facial expressions of joy and excitement.

Watch and listen to your baby. Try to notice her early cues such as back arching, hand sucking, and grunting so you can quickly meet her needs and avoid excessive crying.

Comfort your baby every time she cries. When your baby cries, it is a signal that she needs you for food, comfort, or reassurance.

Speak in a warm, soothing tone of voice. Connect with your baby by smiling, singing, storytelling, or talking in a sweet, comforting voice.

Maintain realistic expectations of your baby. Your baby cannot soothe himself or verbally tell you his needs until he is older than one year. Until then, he will completely rely on you to help him.

Practice being fully present. Give your baby your full attention periodically throughout the day. This may mean being free of distractions such as cell phones and television.

Practice being self-aware. Notice when you are tired, anxious, angry, or frustrated, and take care of yourself. You are better able to meet your baby's needs when you are aware of your own needs.

Interpreting Baby's Language

Notice how your baby already has ways of communicating with you. Babies have "cues" to let you know what they need. The more you can tune into your baby's cues, the easier it is to meet his needs.

For example: How do you know when your baby is hungry? Tired? Uncomfortable? Wants to be held? You can help Mom realize she's already been interpreting cues and knows a lot about what her baby needs.

Responding with Compassion

Touch: Newborns love gentle touch, rocking, cuddling, and comfort.

Skin to skin: Lay baby on your bare chest with just her diaper on.

She is able to regulate her breathing and temperature, which allow her to sleep for longer periods of time.

Infant massage: When using lotion or oil gently rub her arms, legs, belly, back, and chest.

Wear your baby: Put your baby in a carrier and keep her close.

Talk, sing, and read to your baby: When he hears your voice, it is soothing and comforting.

The Benefits of a Healthy Attachment

Important early brain development that impacts your baby's ability to learn

Parents develops an awareness to their baby's needs (such as sleep, food, and play)

The baby develops trust in his parents

The baby is eager to learn, explore, and experience the world around him

Parents experience more self-confidence and emotional regulation

Often you'll have Moms tell you this feels right to them. Their intuition as a Mother may be telling her to do all these things already, but she may be confused as relatives may say, "You'll spoil your baby!" Help increase her confidence; she knows what's best for her baby. She'll feel better about herself and when her partner also hears about secure attachment, he'll be more supportive and involved in developing his own attachment with the baby.

Abby Bordner

CLD, CPD, CLE®, ICCE, Labor Doula Faculty

Abby Bordner started her career in Women's Health. She began at Planned Parenthood in Portland, OR where she was trained as a health counselor for contraception and HIV/AIDS. She had her first child in 1999, when she began her interest in birth work. She pursued her doula certification, shortly after became a childbirth educator and eventually a lactation educator, as well. She teaches many educational workshops related to birth and parenting. She started an online parent education and personal support coaching business called Relationship Based Parenting. Her passion is working with families as a health and wellness educator to build skills that support compassionate families and all the important dynamics within it. She has two children and lives in Santa Fe, NM.

Copyright CAPPA 2015

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Building a Secure Attachment with your Baby | CAPPA

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As a postpartum home visitor for a local non-profit, I provide a series of three visits for all moms who are discharged from the hospital with their newborn. I never know what I'll find when I visit a home with a baby less than 7 days old.

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How insecure attachment styles are blueprinted in childhood:

As young kids we unconsciously tend to assume our parents' failings must be about us because, for a while at least, our parents are godlike figures. We're hardwired to idolize them for the first few years of life because we have to rely on them for every aspect of our survival. That's why we may blame ourselves rather than them for some of our disappointments or for problems in the family that actually have little to do with us. It can be hard on our self-worth.

Not all parents realize that just being physically present isn't enough, although it's a fine start. Love is essentially a form of focused and generous presence-a special kind of authentic engagement. Love is the highest-quality presence of heart and it's a gift that builds self-esteem. When someone in your childhood consistently indicates that you are worthy and good enough just the way you are, this becomes a part of your reality as your sense of identity develops. While being physically present as much as you are able is important in parenting, it isn't enough without emotional presence, engagement, and an interested connection.

Low self-worth early in life can lead to inadvertently choosing paths that erode our self-worth even further as we get older. Inexperience combined with intense need is a volatile cocktail. Seeking love yet not having reliable indicators of what it feels like to be loved well makes you vulnerable to quick-and-dirty fixes of love that end up making things worse. For example, some seek love vehemently, then run when it's returned or becomes intense because it feels dangerous to let someone get too close. Insecure or ambivalent attachment styles lend themselves to self-defeating patterns of trying to love while defending a heart that feels vulnerable.

Alternatively, the consistent affirmation of your innate worthiness to be seen and heard serves as a platform on which to build your emerging impression of yourself. Unfortunately, many people don't receive sufficient or consistent engagement to help them feel acceptable and worthy in themselves as they reach adolescence and beyond. But regardless of the gifts you receive-or don't-from caregivers, eventually you have to take on the care of your own heart and soul and determine what might need a bit of work.

How to rewire your attachment style to be more secure:

Knowing yourself, building self-esteem, and finding self-compassion are typically a few steps forward, a few steps back, but there are some steps that won't lead you astray:

1. Keep developing the things you are already good at and the things you love, so you spend more time in flow, or immersion in your loved pursuits, living passionately.

It can take patience to stumble upon the things you love and the zone where you're brilliant, where time melts away into bliss. We don't always know our passions until we find ourselves doing them and realize we're totally in our element.

2. Take some measured risks (nothing dangerous), but try things that push you out of your comfort zone.

As well as patience, building self-esteem takes courage. You'll feel proud of your courage when you push yourself and see that you are stronger and braver than you may have known.

3. Get physically strong because the process of it strengthens your head as well.

Looking after yourself physically, attending to your wellness and self-care nurtures emotional strength and stability more than you might realize.

4. Building self-esteem and self-compassion requires deeper changes, too.

If your self-talk, meaning the way you talk to yourself in your head, tends to be harsh and critical, it's essential to become aware of this and to start infusing some new ideas. If you're hard on yourself, ask yourself whether you'd speak to someone else that way. Would it help a child to grow in self-esteem if you spoke to them the way you speak to yourself in your head? If not, think about giving yourself the same level of kindness and compassion you'd give another because feeling ashamed and criticized, for whatever reason, is hell.

5. Insight, understanding, and awareness generate acceptance and fuel your journey into emotional freedom.

Insight means realizing why things worked out as they did, why you are how you are, why they were how they were. It's not about making excuses for anyone. It's about assessing the depths and locations of the scars in your inner landscape so you don't keep falling into those same patterns for the rest of your life.

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How To Rewire Your Brain To Have A Secure Attachment Style

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How insecure attachment styles are blueprinted in childhood: As young kids we unconsciously tend to assume our parents' failings must be about us because, for a while at least, our parents are godlike figures. We're hardwired to idolize them for the first few years of life because we have to rely on them for every aspect of our survival.

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The South Carolina Youth Advocate Program (SCYAP) is South Carolina's premier provider of foster care and community-based services. We are a private, non-profit, 501(c)3 child-placing and family-serving organization. SCYAP has served children and families in South Carolina since 1990.

SCYAP programs promote individualized treatment, flexible programming, case and cause advocacy, community-based services, and a positive approach to treating children and working with families. We have a comprehensive array of programs and services to children and families dealing with serious emotional, behavioral, psychological and/or development issues.

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South Carolina Youth Advocate Program (SCYAP) - Home

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The South Carolina Youth Advocate Program (SCYAP) is South Carolina's premier provider of foster care and community-based services. We are a private, non-profit, 501(c)3 child-placing and family-serving organization. SCYAP has served children and families in South Carolina since 1990.

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Our Christian Adoption Agency has helped over 2,500 families with infant domestic adoption. Your adoption helps give peace of mind to the placing parent by providing a loving safe home for their child.

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Christian Adoption Agency | Embryo, International, Foster, Domestic

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Our Christian Adoption Agency has helped over 2,500 families with infant domestic adoption. Your adoption helps give peace of mind to the placing parent by providing a loving safe home for their child.

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About | Palmetto Association for Children & Families

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Originally known as the South Carolina Association of Children’s Homes and Families Services, PAFCAF, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Membership organization.

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What Children and Young People Need to Thrive

Our work focuses on strengthening families, building stronger communities and ensuring access to opportunity, because children and young people need all three to succeed. We advance research and solutions to overcome the barriers to success, help communities demonstrate what works and influence decision makers to invest in strategies based on solid evidence.

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The Annie E. Casey Foundation is developing a brighter future for children and youth at risk of poor educational, economic, social and health outcomes.

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Charity Cleaning Service - Free House Cleaning for Those in Need

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Servants Heart charity cleaning providers are Certified Professional Cleaning Providers & members of the American House Cleaners Association who provide free & discounted house cleaning services to members in their local community in need of this life saving essential service.

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"The philosophy, techniques and skills had a profound impact on our day-to-day parenting. We finally had a road map. Attending the classes is an investment of time and money that has truly paid off big time."

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I created this podcast to be an open dialogue incorporating all members of the adoption triad.

The mission is simple: to bring together all of those touched by adoption to the "true center" of the conversation.

In doing so, this podcast, aims to spark an honest and ongoing conversation that brings clarity and positive change to the issues surrounding adoption including, but not limited to: adoptee concerns and rights, family preservation options for expectant parents, birthparent concerns, adoptive parent concerns, health and education of everyone in the adoption triad, as well as their families, extended families, and friends.

The goal of this podcast is to create a community where people can share their stories, connect with others for support and validation, and can educate themselves. With your active or passive participation, we can increase understanding, foster public education, promote positive social and legislative change, and provide a true starting point for a future that supports the rights of all in the adoption triad, viewing adoption as one of many options in the new pro-family movement.

It is understood that adoption is necessary and intends to be beneficial for society.Adoption attempts to ensure the health and safety of children who are in dangerous and/or neglectful environments or whose natural parents are unable to care for them for any number of reasons. Once a child is placed with adoptive parents who are deemed able to care for them, it is usually assumed that child has a much "better" life and thus is forever grateful toward the adoptive parents.However, adoption is not that simple for anyone involved. Therefore, we must better equip everyone in the adoption triad.

This podcast aims to do just that- provide a forum for dialogue, support, connection, and education, so that as a collective community we can do better for the generations of young adoptees growing up today.

Most people know at least one person in their life who is connected to adoption, but most people do not know the reality and psychology of adoption. I hope this podcast can help you better support those in your life who are affected by adoption, because, I believe, support creates connection that allows for understanding, acceptance, and love.

The logo is a triangle, which represents the triad. The rainbow signifies that adoption exists everywhere and affects all people regardless of race, class, culture, ethnicity, and nationality. The color lime green represents adoptees, adoptee rights, legislation, and opening of the records.

The adoptee is the heart of adoption, bound to experience a unique path that can feel quite lonely. With increased dialogue, education, support, and connection, we can help adoptees feel less lonely and more loved-which should be the goal of everyone in the adoption triad.

Meet and connect with Francie, creator and host of Adoption Advocacy Podcast

News, Information, and stay up to date with whats going on at Adoption Advocacy Podcast

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Adoption Advocacy Podcast - Lets Talk Adoption!

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I created this podcast to be an open dialogue incorporating all members of the adoption triad. The mission is simple: to bring together all of those touched by adoption to the "true center" of the conversation.

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Post-Adoption Advocacy - The North American Council on Adoptable Children

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We at NACAC believe that all adoptive families should have access to a continuum of support to meet their needs after adoption. We encourage you to advocate for post-adoption services in your community. Adoptive families-especially those who adopt children from foster care-often need support. Many children in foster care, including those waiting for adoption, have [...]

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The Reality of Foster Care | Courtney Price-Dukes | TEDxNewmanUniversity

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Life in a Trash Bag: Restoring Dignity to Foster Children | Rob Scheer | TEDxTysons

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6 Skills You Should Master Before Becoming a Foster Parent

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Foster parents need to master certain skills in order to become effective. Learn more about the six key skills needed to care for foster children.

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Caroline Bailey March 26, 2017

If you are a foster parent, you know the word " reunification " comes up a lot. As it now stands, there is a federal law that mandates courts and child welfare agencies to work towards reunification with a biological parent upon children entering care. The law gives fifteen out of twenty-two months for efforts to rectify the reason that children entered care and to assure safety once placed back in the home.

People often say, "I could never foster because I could not give the children back." This is a reasonable response, but it is possible to support the reunification process even if you do not want to. Many foster parents do this every day.

Here are a few tips on understanding, surviving, and supporting reunification:

1. Listen intently during the training classes. When the trainers tell you the goal is reunification for most children who enter care, believe them! You will be asked to be an active part of this process. Know your rights, but also understand the purpose of the family support team will be to restore the family in ways that deem them safe for their children's return.

2. Respect the goal of reunification. You don't have to agree with all that is going on with a case, but you do need to respect the process and act professionally. If the tables were turned and you found yourself in the position of birth families, you would want whoever is caring for your children to be supportive and respectful.

3. Realize this is going to be very hard. In other words, take off your rose-colored glasses! You are involved in the community that works with abused and neglected children. This is hard work, people are often unpredictable and the system is not perfect. It doesn't feel good all the time and your heart will break more than you want it to.

4. Work on building a relationship with the biological parents, if possible. Simple things like assisting with transportation to and from visits allow you to interact with them. Tell them updates about the kids, send artwork and pictures. These things will help biological parents to feel supported. Also, choose kindness. It goes a long way!

5. Make yourself available for meetings and visits as much as you can. Your presence says a lot about your investment in what is going on with cases. Your input also provides essential information to the team. On that same note, offering parenting strategies and how you have successfully handled any behavioral issues will also give the biological parents insight into how they should parent once the children return home.

6. Mentor the biological parents, if possible. This can be tricky and will take rapport building, but foster families who try to be a mentor are ones that tend to better navigate the reunification process. The family support team will also see that you value the goal of reunification, the needs of the biological parents, and your role as a foster parent.

7. Speak positively about your foster children's biological family. Sure, there are serious concerns, but there are also positives that can be pulled from learning as much as you can about them and developing a relationship with them. This helps in the reunification process as it goes to continuing and strengthening the bond between children and their biological parents.

8. Don't sabotage. I know this is a tricky area for foster families and sometimes they get blamed for attempting to sabotage, even if all they are doing is addressing their concerns with the team. If you are always late for visits, the child always seems to have a fever when a visit is scheduled, or you nick-pick the biological parents' every move, that is a form of sabotage, even if you don't realize you are doing it.

9. Be strength-based and celebrate the baby steps being made. This falls in line with the area of sabotage. Of course, your home is probably in better shape, cleaner and more suitable for raising children, but it should be. You are a foster parent. You may be better able to budget, have stable employment, and don't allow negative influences into your home. Again, this is how it should be as you are a foster parent. However, what's important to understand is that when a biological parent loses his or her child to foster care, that parent is essentially asked to cut off all negative influences, keep or get a stable job and have a spotless house. They are ordered to do these things ALL while trying to fit in meetings, therapy appointments, and visits. They also may be undergoing drug withdrawals and seeking to be in recovery. That is a lot to put on anyone's plate! Negative influences and people are not ideal but they can be the only source of friendship or "family" that the biological parent has. This is not an excuse at all and biological parents must be held accountable for their actions, and who they choose to have in their lives; however, one can see how very overwhelming it must be for them. Honor the small steps they have made in attaining their goals and turning their lives around.

10. Be a team player and do your best at fulfilling your role as a foster parent. Adoption is never guaranteed unless termination has occurred and you have been selected as the adoptive parent. While the team is seeking reunification, remember your training and all that was discussed regarding the importance of being a member of a professional team.

Foster parenting is one of the hardest life experiences anyone can go through. Often, foster families feel as though they are not heard or supported. Biological parents may feel the same way. Supporting reunification, even when you don't feel like it is not easy, but it is possible.

Do you feel there is a hole in your heart that can only be filled by a child? We've helped complete 32,000+ adoptions. We would love to help you through your adoption journey. Visit Adoption.org or call 1-800-ADOPT-98.

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How To Support Reunification, Even If You Don't Want To

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Caroline Bailey March 26, 2017 If you are a foster parent, you know the word " reunification " comes up a lot. As it now stands, there is a federal law that mandates courts and child welfare agencies to work towards reunification with a biological parent upon children entering care.

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Discover how your help furthers our cause and supports our mission. See what we do.

Only 1 in 10 children who are abused tell someone.

Ways to get involved with the Child Advocacy Center:

Attend or schedule a prevention-focused training session with the CAC.

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"My family came to the Child Advocacy Center during an extreme time of crisis in our lives. The staff there showed a very high level of care and compassion, and made the entire forensic interview process as painless as possible for both children and parents."

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Skip to main content Alert: You can quickly leave this website by clicking the escape button below. You'd be surprised at how far we can stretch a dollar. Fundraisers and events help us raise awareness and generate crucial resources to serve our community. Join us at our next event and see how you can get involved.

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How to advocate for children and young people

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Resources, Training & Support for Foster Parents Webinar

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Online Resources

Prevent Child Abuse America
Dedicated to providing information on child abuse and inspiring hope to everyone involved in the effort to prevent the abuse and neglect of children.

Stand for Children
Advocate for improvements to, and funding for, programs that give every child a fair chance in life.

Children Now
Information on child abuse and on making children the top public policy priority.

American Humane Devoted to preventing cruelty, abuse, neglect and exploitation of children and animals.

Child Welfare League of America
Child Welfare League of America National Data Analysis System CWLA, in cooperation with the nation's state child welfare agencies, provides a comprehensive, interactive child welfare database. Internet users can create customized tables and graphs, as well as access information on child abuse.

Child Welfare Information Gateway
Child Welfare Information Gateway connects professionals and concerned citizens to timely, essential information and resources targeted to the safety, permanency and well-being of children and families.

Child Trends Data Bank
Source for the latest national trends and research on over 100 key indicators of child and youth well-being.

Children's Action Alliance
Helps promote the well-being of children and their families through research, policy development, media campaigns and advocacy.

Children's Defense Fund
Mission is to ensure every child has a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life.

National Data Archive on Child Abuse
Exchange among researchers in child maltreatment field.

Respect in Sport
Respect in Sport is an online bullying, abuse, harassment and neglect prevention program for coaches and community leaders.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Bureau
Government site featuring information on child abuse, statistics, and resources related to child welfare.

Zero to Three
Publications, reference guides to programs, projects and professional developmental services promoting the healthy development of our nation's infants and toddlers.

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Child Abuse Education & Prevention Resources - Childhelp

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Online Resources Prevent Child Abuse America Dedicated to providing information on child abuse and inspiring hope to everyone involved in the effort to prevent the abuse and neglect of children. Stand for Children Advocate for improvements to, and funding for, programs that give every child a fair chance in life.

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For teachers

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Recognition and Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect

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As adults, it is our responsibility to ensure the healthy growth and development of all children. That includes intervening when we suspect a child's well-being is or may be at risk.

Your Role in Protecting Children from Maltreatment

North Carolina law requires all adults to report suspected child maltreatment. You do not need proof that maltreatment has occurred; you only need reasonable cause to suspect maltreatment. You do not need anyone's permission to file a report.

For a comprehensive explanation of the North Carolina law requiring all citizens to report cases of suspected child abuse, neglect, and dependency, click here.

If you need more information about what to do if you suspect abuse and neglect, take PCANC's free web-based Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment training. After completing this course, follow the instructions to print your Results to provide to employers or volunteer managers indicating that you have successfully completed the course.

Download our Recognizing & Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment one-pager as a reference tool.

Remember, it is your job as an adult to help protect children.

How to Make a Referral

To make a referral, call your local county Department of Social Services (DSS) where the child lives. Find contact information for your local DSS in the North Carolina DSS County Directory. Share any information you have about the child - name, age, address and parent or caregiver name - and what makes you suspect abuse.

You do not need to provide your contact information when making the report; but if you do, you will receive a notification as to whether Child Protective Services (CPS) will or will not investigate the case.

What Happens After You Make a Referral

If your referral is accepted for assessment, the county DSS will initiate an assessment within 24 hours for abuse or 72 hours for neglect. The assessment will include a visit to the home and interviews with the child, his or her family and others. DSS will work to protect the child while helping the family address issues that may be contributing to the abusive or neglectful behavior. Families most frequently work with DSS to receive services in the form of counseling, emergency foster care, help with basic needs, parenting classes, and intensive in-home services.

If You Are Not Satisfied With the Result After You Make a Referral

If the CPS worker assigned to the case determines there will not be an investigation, you may contact the CPS Supervisor at that location.

If you are still not satisfied with the outcome after contacting the CPS Supervisor, you may contact the DSS Director at that site and state your concern.

If you are still not satisfied with the outcome at the local DSS level, call the Child Welfare Policy Consultation Team within the North Carolina Division of Social Services at 919-527-6340, and Administrative Support staff will direct your call to the next available consultant.

If you need legal services, we recommend one of the following resources:

Lawyer Referral Services at 1-800-662-7660 is a free service of the North Carolina Bar Association and can help you locate an appropriate attorney for your particular needs.

Legal Aid of North Carolina at 919-856-2564 can help you access a low-cost attorney for custody issues.

Spread the Word

Help us spread the word on social media about Recognizing & Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment. Use our Social Media Toolkit with share images and pre-written social media posts to spread the word and challenge others to take the course!
Recognizing & Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment Social Media Toolkit
Download Social Media Images

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Recognizing & Reporting Child Maltreatment | Prevent Child Abuse NC

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As adults, it is our responsibility to ensure the healthy growth and development of all children. That includes intervening when we suspect a child's well-being is or may be at risk. North Carolina law requires all adults to report suspected child maltreatment.

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Social Emotional Wellness for Families and Students

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Text HOPE4SC to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor.

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There are many, many organizations and groups that deal with mental health. This page will help you find the one or ones that offer the type of assistance, intervention, or information you're seeking. We've organized the information into the following sections:

If It's a Crisis...

First things first, regardless of how frightening a note this is to begin on. If someone you know is having a mental health crisis and you need help fast, try the resources below that seem to fit the nature of the crisis.

Call 1.800.784.2433, the National Hopeline Network. You'll be connected automatically to a certified Crisis Center near your location. Crisis Center calls are answered by trained counselors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In the event that the nearest Crisis Center is at maximum volume, the call is seamlessly rerouted to the next closest center. Callers should never encounter a busy signal or voice mail. For easy recall, remember this: 1.800.SUICIDE. hopeline.com

Call 1.800.273.8255, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Another excellent resource is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which also provides access to trained telephone counselors, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For easy recall, think 1.800.273.TALK. For the same help in Spanish; call 1.888.628.9454. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact the lifeline via TTY, at: 1.800.799.4889. suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Visit the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) online. AAC is dedicated to the understanding and prevention of suicide. For those seeking info and perspective on this difficult subject, including the warning signs and guidance on what to do, the association offers many publications that can help. www.suicidology.org

Find a residential placement for an individual. The Association of Children's Residential Centers concerns itself with therapeutic living environments for children and adolescents with behavioral health disorders. You can take a look at ACRC's member list to see what types of residential centers are available to help children who need this sort of residence. Find these detailed descriptions online at: togetherthevoice.org/our-members

A Quick-Read Fact Sheet

Read our fact sheet on emotional disturbance. If you're looking for an intro to emotional problems and the mental health field, this is a good place to start. Our fact sheet will hook you up with organizations that can help, online and print resources of more information, and an overview look at disabilities that cause mental health concerns. www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/emotionaldisturbance

Be Sure To Come Here

There are numerous sources of incredible information, support, and guidance on mental illness-across the gamut. We've listed a few starter links below where you can find out more about the range of specific mental disorders, interventions, family life, coping strategies, and much more.

National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health (NFFCMH). The link below takes you to a wealth of resources for parents on specific mental health diagnoses as well as and other topics related to children's health and family involvement in systems that impact children. www.ffcmh.org/resources

MentalHealth.gov. MentalHealth.gov provides one-stop access to U.S. government mental health and mental health problems information. www.mentalhealth.gov

NAMI, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. NAMI calls itself the "Nation's Voice on Mental Illness" and is an invaluable source of information on the subject. In addition to the mountain of info you'll find on NAMI's site, you can also connect with state and local NAMI chapters. www.nami.org

Mental Health America. NMHA addresses all aspects of mental health and mental illness. Delve into their online resources about mental issues and identify NMHA affiliates in your area. www.nmha.org

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). At the link below, you can find information on child and adolescent psychiatry, fact sheets for parents and caregivers, current research, practice guidelines, and managed care information, among other things. www.aacap.org

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). AAP offers the family-friendly site called Healthy Children, where you can find a wealth of information in English and Spanish about emotional problems in children. www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/emotional-problems/Pages/default.aspx

Mental Help Net. A vast amount of info here on specific mental disorders, mental health, wellness, and family and relationship issues and concerns. mentalhelp.net

National Mental Health Information Center. This service of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) provides information about mental health via a toll-free telephone number, more than 600 publications, and a website located at: www.samhsa.gov

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Another very rich resource. At NIMH, you'll find health info on a very wide range of mental health disorders; all about different medications; and the latest info on clinical trials and research. Find all this-and publications in English and Spanish-at: www.nimh.nih.gov/health/index.shtml

Finding Mental Health Services

Find mental health services. The Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) offers a state resource sheet for every state in the U.S., useful for identifying the range of agencies and mental health assistance that's available in the state and nationally. store.samhsa.gov/facet/Location

Health care insurance for uninsured children. Did you know that each state has a health insurance program for children? Children who don't have health insurance right now are very often eligible for state medical coverage. The insurance is available to children in working families, including families that include individuals with a variety of immigration status. To find out what your state's policies are, what's covered, and how to apply, call 1.877.543.7669 or find your state at: www.insurekidsnow.gov/state/index.html

Medicaid benefits for mental health services. If you're eligible for Medicaid, you may be able to access mental health services through Medicaid. States vary, however, in what types of mental health services they provide under Medicaid. Use the database at the link below to find what Medicaid benefits are available in your state. tinyurl.com/yhuos2j

Mental Health in Schools

Mental health in schools. Starting in 1995, two national training and technical assistance centers were established to improve how schools address barriers to learning and enhance healthy development. Each of these centers is a source of information and technical assistance regarding mental health in schools. Take advantage of each of their databases, materials, and expertise:

Center for Mental Health in Schools, UCLA smhp.psych.ucla.edu Under "Search and Quick Find" in the main menu, you can search the Center's resources for just about everything but the kitchen sink related to mental health in schools.

Center for School Mental Health Assistance, University of Maryland csmh.umaryland.edu This center maintains a library of resource materials including reprints, articles, and publications specific to school-based mental health. It also offers a comprehensive directory of school mental health programs around the world.

For educators. Educators are often the first to notice mental health problems. Here are some ways educators can help students and their families. From mentalhealth.gov. www.mentalhealth.gov/talk/educators/index.html

Organizations on Specific Disorders

Looking for info and assistance related to a specific mental condition? In addition to what you'd find by visiting the organizations listed above under "Be Sure to Come Here," look over the quick alphabetical list below of organizations that focus on a specific mental disorder. They offer in-depth information, support groups, and guidance regarding that disability-perhaps the one of concern to you.

Anxiety Disorders. Visit the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA). www.adaa.org

Behavior Disorders. Visit CPIR's Behavior Suite for a detailed list of resources and organizations addressing behavior disorders and concerns. www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/behavior

Bipolar Disorders. If this is your area of concern, try these groups.

Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF) www.bpkids.org

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=home Toll-free number: (800) 826-3632.

Dually Diagnosed: Mental Illness and Intellectual Disabilities. www.thenadd.org The National Association for Dually Diagnosed (NADD) focuses upon the needs and issues of individuals who have both mental illness and cognitive impairments or intellectual disabilities, and the professionals and families who share concern for these individuals.

Eating Disorders. www.nationaleatingdisorders.org The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) works to prevent eating disorders and provide treatment referrals to those suffering from anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder and those concerned with body image and weight issues.

OCD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. www.ocfoundation.org The Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation (OCF) is for people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders, their families, friends, professionals and other concerned individuals.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). www.ptsdinfo.org For more info and assistance on PTSD, you'll want to visit the Gateway to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Information.

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There are many, many organizations and groups that deal with mental health. This page will help you find the one or ones that offer the type of assistance, intervention, or information you're seeking. We've organized the information into the following sections: First things first, regardless of how frightening a note this is to begin on.

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(2020, March 31) | Useful for sharing with families to support positive behavior.

This 8-page brief speaks directly to parents about how to use positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) at home, an approach used in over 25,000 schools as a highly effective way to build children's social-emotional-behavioral skills and reduce challenging behaviors. The publication is a collaboration between the Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR), and is a direct response to current stay-in-place policies and school closures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The recommendations in the brief start with setting routines. Examples are given as to how to adapt school use of PBIS to home use for both elementary and secondary school routines. Another recommendation is to set home expectations of behavior. Again, examples are given of how expectations at school can be adapted to expectations at home. A third recommendation focuses on emphasizing positive feedback over correcting behavior (rule of thumb: aim for a ratio of 5 positive to 1 corrective). This recommendation includes strategies such as reminding children about expectations before an activity and rewarding positive behaviors. Additional recommendations are given about communicating with the school, being creative, and modeling good behavior and well-being.

For your convenience, you can access the brief right here at CPIR:
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/wp-content/uploads/repo_items/supporting-families-pbis-at-home-final.pdf

The brief is also available at the the Center on PBIS.

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Looking for more information and resources on COVID-19, official guidance from the federal government and others, schooling at home, technology tools, or coping tips? Visit our page on Coronavirus Resources. We update the list constantly.

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(2020, March 31) | Useful for sharing with families to support positive behavior. This 8-page brief speaks directly to parents about how to use positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) at home, an approach used in over 25,000 schools as a highly effective way to build children's social-emotional-behavioral skills and reduce challenging behaviors.

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National Center for Learning Disabilities

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The National Center for Learning Disabilities is excited to announce the opening of its 2024 Anne Ford and Allegra Ford Thomas scholars. Both scholarships are for students with specific learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, etc. However, students with both a learning disability and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)...

The National Center for Learning Disabilities is excited to announce the opening of its 2024...

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National Center for Learning Disabilities

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Working to improve the lives of the 1 in 5 children and adults nationwide with learning and attention issues.

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(2016, December) | Useful to Parent Centers for sharing with staff, students with disabilities, families, schools, and other stakeholders.

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education has released the Parent and Educator Resource Guide to Section 504 in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools. The 52-page resource guide provides a broad overview of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504). The guidance describes school districts' nondiscrimination responsibilities, including obligations to provide educational services to students with disabilities. It also outlines the steps that parents can take to ensure that their children secure all of the services they are entitled to receive.

The Section 504 Parent and Educator Resource Guide also:

defines and provides examples to illustrate the meaning of key terms used in Section 504; and

highlights requirements of Section 504 in the area of public elementary and secondary education, including provisions related to the identification, evaluation, and placement of students with disabilities, and procedures for handling disputes and disagreements between parents and school districts.

The guide is available online in a PDF format (651 kb), at:
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/504-resource-guide-201612.pdf

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Parent and Educator Resource Guide to Section 504

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(2016, December) | Useful to Parent Centers for sharing with staff, students with disabilities, families, schools, and other stakeholders. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education has released the Parent and Educator Resource Guide to Section 504 in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools.

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The Short-and-Sweet IEP Overview | Center for Parent Information and Resources

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Parents and teachers often wonder how to discipline a child with behavior problems. Some children truly have challenging behaviors regardless of what strategies we try. However, many children benefit when the adults in their lives make changes in the way they react, respond, or interact with them.

This article gives ten simple strategies that you can start implementing right now to encourage positive behavior in your child/students.

All of these strategies are positive in nature and will help you connect with your child/student(s) in a way that will increase their confidence, self-respect, and respect for you.

Children with good confidence and a healthy respect for themselves and the adults in their lives, show better cooperation and make healthier choices.

10 Simple Strategies to Promote Positive Behavior

1. Verbally acknowledge children's efforts.

Tell your child/student(s) specifically what he/she did that you are proud of.

For example, you can say "You were so focused on your math homework tonight! Keep up the good work," "That was so nice the way you helped your brother with his math homework."

When children get specific positive feedback for doing the right thing, they want to do more of it. Virtually all children want to please adults (whether they show it or not) so for most children, specific praise makes a positive impact.

Praise is also an easy way to give your child attention which many children so desperately crave.

2. Use positive body language to show approval for positive behavior.

Positive body language can include a smile, thumbs up, high-five, pat on the back, etc.

Keep in mind that some children do not like to be touched and would respond better to something like a thumbs up than a pat on the back. Get to know your child/students to know what they like.

3. Use humor with your child/student(s)

Research supports the use of humor in creating positive outcomes for children. Make jokes, listen to their jokes, smile often, say something silly, sing something you would normally say, or anything else that would make them smile/laugh (make sure it is age-appropriate).

4. Show your child/student(s) that you are happy to see them.

Smile at them when they come into the room; for parents...put your arms out for a hug. Ask about their day, weekend, etc. and really listen when they talk.

5. Remind your child/student(s) that they should be proud of themselves (e.g., "You worked so hard on that science project. You should be so proud of yourself!").

This helps build internal confidence in them, so they can learn to be proud of themselves for being persistent, working hard, being kind to others, etc. If they feel successful they will be successful.
Recommended Book: Building Confidence and Improving Behavior in Children: A Guide for Parents and Teachers
6. Take an interest in your child's/students' interests.

Ask them what they enjoy, get excited about their creations or accomplishments, ask them what they want to learn about, ask them their opinion about things, etc. Teachers... try to incorporate students' interests in the classroom, as research indicates.

Parents...do activities with your children (academic or otherwise) that involve something they are interested in, even if it may not be your favorite activity. Let them choose topics of interest for certain activities.

7. Acknowledge your child/student(s) feelings with empathy.

Be understanding when they are nervous because they are trying something for the first time, frustrated because a writing assignment is difficult for them, disappointed because they didn't get invited to a birthday party, or embarrassed because other students laughed at them.

Avoid saying things like "Stop making a big deal about it," "You'll get over it," or "Why are you having such a hard time with this; it's easy."

Instead, make empathetic statements like, "I understand that this assignment is frustrating for you" or "I understand that you are nervous, that's common when trying something new."

Also, let them know that you are there to help in any way you can.

8. Be open-minded and don't pass judgment on your children/student(s) if their thoughts, values, feelings, or ideas don't match yours.

Of course, it is okay to share your opinion (and unsafe or hurtful behavior is unacceptable), but in general, don't make them wrong for their opinion.

Children need to feel like they can be open and be themselves around the adults in their lives. When children feel like they won't be judged or made wrong, they are more likely to talk to us when there is a real problem.
How Do Role Models Impact Our Youth and Communities?
9. Be a role model for good behavior. If you want your child to treat others with respect, you do the same. If you want your child to be an honest person, set an example of honesty for them.

10. Follow through on your promises and rules (barring unforeseen consequences) and stay away from empty threats.

If you tell your child/student(s) that they can pick a favorite book to read after they finish their math assignment, make sure you stick to your end of the bargain.

If you tell your child that he can go on the computer after his sister has a turn, make sure he gets a chance to do that.

Have consistent rules that teach your children that they need to stick to their end of the bargain as well.

For example, if you have a rule such as "Homework first, then TV." stick to that rule by making sure your child completes homework before watching TV. Stay away from empty threats such as "If you don't stop I am going to leave you here" or "I'll throw all of your toys away if you don't clean them up."

These types of statements can be scary for children leading to crying, tantrums, etc. and in all probability you are not going to do those things.

If you make empty threats your child will learn that you don't mean what you say and will also learn to not take you seriously. Research demonstrates that children need to see consistency and integrity in their role models to feel a sense of safety and confidence.

When children feel secure and have trust in their caregivers, they are in a better place to learn how to regulate their emotions, cooperate and focus, make healthy choices, and stay confident and motivated.

Are you thinking "I am doing all of these things and it is not working?" These are ten great strategies, but they need to be used in conjunction with several others. Check out

Using all of these strategies together will most likely lead to positive behavior changes over time. Although, there is no magic solution, as a mother, educator, and behavior specialist, I have personally found these research-based strategies to be the most effective over 21 years in this field. Just like a patient who does not respond right away to medical treatment, we do not give up. We keep trying.

If your child is significantly struggling with behavior, despite several positive strategies being in place, talk to your child's doctor or a mental health professional to help determine the next steps you should take.

If you are a teacher who is having significant behavioral difficulties with a student (despite several positive strategies) talk to the child's parent and your school team (administrator, guidance counselor, etc.).

Always keep in mind that some children truly have difficulty controlling their behaviors or making a better choice because they have not yet learned alternative/more acceptable methods to get their point across, or their behavior happens so quickly (almost impulsively) before they have the opportunity to slow down and think of an alternative.

This often happens when children feel anxious, scared, sad, or angry. While this is frustrating for adults, imagine how it feels to the child who frequently gets punished, singled out, or yelled at because they don't have the coping skills, communication skills, or control to do something different.

For a related article on impulsive behavior see 9 Practical Strategies to Decrease Impulsive Behavior in Children.
Sometimes toddlers have communication difficulties that interfere with their ability to understand or express themselves. This can lead to behavioral challenges. Toddler Talk: Techniques and Games might be a helpful book for you if you find yourself in this situation with your toddler.
Video Presentation:

We offer a free five-minute behavior consultation via text for parents, educators, or other interested parties. Please text (267) 415 - 6400 or email rachelwise@educationandbehavior.com for more info and rates for longer sessions.

Education and Behavior - Keeping Us On the Same Page with Research-Based Strategies to Support Children's Academic, Behavioral, and Social-Emotional Development.

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Use These 10 Simple Strategies to Improve Children's Behavior Today (Home/School)

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Parents and teachers often wonder how to discipline a child with behavior problems. Some children truly have challenging behaviors regardless of what strategies we try. However, many children benefit when the adults in their lives make changes in the way they react, respond, or interact with them.

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Support for Students with Behavioral Disorders | Accredited Schools Online

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Children with diagnosed behavioral disorders require specialized support to succeed. Parents and educators can use this guide to learn more about behavior disorders and gain actionable advice and tips from experts.

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Support for Students with Behavioral Disorders

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At a glance

A behavior contract is a written agreement between your child, your child's teacher, and often you.

Children can have behavior contracts whether or not they have an IEP or a 504 plan.

A behavior contract can help kids improve their self-monitoring skills.

Kids with certain learning and thinking differences may have trouble managing their behavior at school. If your child often gets in trouble for acting out or for not following directions in class, a behavior contract could help. Your child's teacher may suggest one. Or you could bring up the idea to the teacher if you think it'd be helpful.

Here's what you need to know about behavior contracts.

What is a behavior contract?

A behavior contract is an agreement between your child and your child's teacher. It often includes you, too.

The contract outlines expectations for your child's behavior. It lays out any specific behaviors your child struggles with or is working on, along with goals for those behaviors. Ideally the goals will be attainable but still challenging.

For example, if kids have trouble remembering to raise their hand in class, the contract may include a goal that they call out less than three times a day. If handing in homework is a problem, the contract might specify that kids turn theirs in at least 90 percent of the time.

If your child follows the terms of the contract, your child gets a reward that's spelled out in the contract. For example, a reward could be extra computer time. And a week of good classroom behavior might mean a family movie night at home or a weekend sleepover.

Behavior contracts can take many forms. They may look like formal agreements, or they may be sticker charts. They may also include "daily report cards" that your child's teacher gives your child. No one form is better than another. What's important is for the contract to work well for your child.

Who's a good candidate for a behavior contract?

A behavior contract could benefit any student who needs to improve their behavior at school. It could be helpful for kids with ADHD, who can have issues with impulsivity, inattention, or hyperactivity. A behavior contract may work well for children who have trouble with organization and completing work. They could also be helpful for kids who often throw tantrums or for those who have oppositional behavior.

If your child has an IEP or a 504 plan, a behavior contract could help your child meet any behavior goals that may already be part of that plan. Or a behavior contract may follow a functional behavioral assessment and be part of a resulting behavior intervention plan.

Behavior contracts tend to work best for kids in second grade and above, all the way up through high school. Kids younger than second grade may have trouble understanding how the contract works and what's expected of them.

How can a behavior contract help your child?

A behavior contract can be an effective tool for many reasons. Here are some of the benefits:

It can improve communication between home and school. Ideally, your child, their teacher, and you will be present when the behavior contract goals are set. The school social worker, psychologist, and/or behaviorist may also attend that meeting. This keeps all of you on the same page.

It can make behavior expectations crystal clear. The behavior contract spells out specifically which behavior(s) your child needs to focus on. It also explains how rewards and consequences will work.

It can motivate your child to self-regulate. Your child is involved in the process of making the behavior plan goals and choosing their rewards. That can make your child more invested in achieving those goals. This "buy-in" can help motivate kids to improve their self-monitoring and self-control skills.

It can make kids more accountable for their actions. Even the word "contract" sounds formal. And a behavior contract is a written agreement, which makes it easy to go back to if there's any confusion. (This can help if your child says something like, "Oh, I forgot that was in there.")

It can provide valuable feedback for your child. Typically, each day the teacher or you would go over with your child how the day went. So every day kids can talk about and reflect on what they accomplished and what they could do better.

It can be used (and adjusted) over time. A behavior contract can be created any time during the school year. You don't need to wait for an intervention or an IEP meeting. Once a contract is created, it can be changed at any time, as long as you, your child, and the teacher agree to the new terms. And if a behavior contract is working, it can continue from year to year if everyone is on board.

Key takeaways

A behavior contract can help make kids more accountable for their actions.

It can be created or changed at any point during the school year.

Having a behavior contract can create opportunities for kids to reflect on their behavior, which can help them improve skills like self-monitoring and self-control.

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Behavior contracts: What you need to know

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A behavior contract can help improve your child's classroom behavior. Find out how behavior contracts can help kids who act out manage their behavior at school.

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The Five Ways to Wellbeing - boosting mental wellbeing

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Self-Regulation Skills: Why They Are Fundamental

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Now, more than ever, social and emotional health for both children and adults is at the forefront. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions (CASEL).

The last several months have been emotionally and physically taxing on children, parents, and school staff alike. In order to move forward and navigate the next normal, family and school communities must work together to address challenges, support social-emotional health and build resilient environments.

Foster nurturing adult relationships by prioritizing your own self-care and well-being. For children to be healthy and happy learners, they must feel safe and supported through a relationship with a trusted adult. Whether it be a parent, teacher, coach, or another family member - these relationships can serve as a home base to help children navigate the ups and downs of life. How do we become nurturing adults while also balancing work, family, finances, and other aspects of daily life? By taking time to nourish ourselves. We all know the saying - you can't pour from an empty cup. Adults can develop social-emotional skills by prioritizing self-care, building healthy relationships, and discovering ways to better manage stress and different emotions.

Create a routine. Build in 15 minutes to the start or end of your day for a mindfulness practice, movement or an activity that brings you joy. Go for a walk, stretch or read a book and use this time to reflect on how you feel both physically and emotionally. Using this time to rejuvenate and reset helps us to show up more consistently for our friends, family and peers - especially if spending more time at home or while navigating a new schedule.

Prioritize your physical health and set small goals. Focus on setting small, achievable goals and build momentum to feeling your best!

Show yourself grace when navigating the ebb and flow of life. Our compassion for others can often leave us feeling fatigued, so discover ways to develop compassion resilience by creating space to process feelings and emotions, better manage stress and navigate challenges as they come up.

Create space to connect with other adults. Just like children, adults sometimes need an outlet to express emotions or talk through feelings. Lean on other trusted adults and know when to reach out and ask for guidance or support.

Resources for Families

Self-Care and Adult SEL

Building and Maintaining Relationships

Resources for Educators and School Staff

Self-Care and Adult SEL

Building and Maintaining Relationships

Find resources for developing safe and supportive learning environments and promoting social-emotional learning at the links below.

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Resources for Supporting Adult SEL and Nurturing Relationships - Action for Healthy Kids

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Now, more than ever, social and emotional health for both children and adults is at the forefront. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions (CASEL).

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If you have worked with a BCBA in the past, it is likely that you have heard the term FUNCTIONS OF BEHAVIOR.

BCBAs look at functions in order to determine WHY specific behaviors are occurring. Then they develop a document called a Behavior Support Plan or BSP. It contains the definitions of challenging behavior, antecedent strategies, replacement behaviors, and consequence procedures.

The four functions of behavior are: sensory stimulation, escape, access to attention and access to tangibles. One easy way to remember the functions is through the acronym SEAT.

When challenging behavior occurs, BCBAs will look at what happens immediately before and after that behavior. Otherwise known as, ABC data collection.

In the ABC model of data collection, each letter stands for a specific part of the process: A=antecedent, B=behavior, and C=consequence

There are many types of ABC data collection forms. However, some require long written responses. Therefore, I have created an easy-to-use data sheet with checkboxes for the behaviors and actions in each category.

You can access a PDF download of this infographic, as well as a free ABC Data Sheet, by visiting the resource library tab on my website.

Don't forget to visit my store or TPT to find more visual and behavioral resources!

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Functions of Behavior - BIAS Behavioral Interventions

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If you have worked with a BCBA in the past, it is likely that you have heard the term FUNCTIONS OF BEHAVIOR. BCBAs look at function to determine WHY