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I think it’s really important to keep things steady for him, like having a routine he can count on every day. If he gets overwhelmed, giving him a quiet spot to chill out could help a lot. Letting him move around a bit during the day and using a calm voice when talking to him can make a big difference too. It also helps to give him little jobs that make him feel helpful, like feeding the class pet or handing out supplies. And staying in touch with his mom is key so we’re all on the same page and can support him better. --Olivia Seeley

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Identify one trauma-informed community resource that could support Mateo's family. 

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Identify one trauma-informed community resource that could support Mateo's family. 

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Leave your responses below.

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As an educator, what additional information would be important to know? How might you go about gathering that information?

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As an educator, what additional information would be important to know? How might you go about gathering that information?

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Leave your responses below.

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What trauma-sensitive interventions could Mateo's educators use to respond to his challenging behaviors?

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What trauma-sensitive interventions could Mateo's educators use to respond to his challenging behaviors?

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Leave your responses below.

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What support systems does Mateo current have? How can they be used to build more effective relationships?

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What support systems does Mateo current have? How can they be used to build more effective relationships?

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Leave your responses below.

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What potential barriers might Mateo be facing in both his classroom that might be impacting his relationships with others?

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What potential barriers might Mateo be facing in both his classroom that might be impacting his relationships with others?

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Leave your responses below.

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To complete this assignment, you will:

Read the Case Study that is pinned below this post.

Then, you will create your own post, answering the questions from each column.

To create your own post, please select the + symbol above each column.

Please ensure that your name is located on each individual post for ease of grading.

To submit your assignment, please type "Completed Case Study" into the text box in Canvas.

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Mateo is a 4-year-old boy enrolled in a preschool classroom with 16 other children. He lives with his mother and two siblings. The family recently moved after experiencing housing instability, and Mateo’s father is currently not living at home. His mother works long hours and has shared that the past year has been difficult for the family, both emotionally and financially.

Mateo is a bright and energetic child who enjoys outdoor play and building activities. However, he has difficulty managing transitions and group routines. When asked to stop an activity he enjoys, he sometimes yells, throws materials, or refuses to join the next activity. During circle time, he may interrupt or wander away from the group.

There are moments when Mateo becomes easily frustrated, particularly when things feel unpredictable or when he perceives that another child has taken something from him. Occasionally, he hits or pushes peers during conflicts, then seems remorseful afterward and hides under a table or covers his face. His teacher has noticed that these outbursts often happen after mornings when he arrives tired or quiet.

Despite these challenges, Mateo shows a strong connection to his teacher and responds positively to one-on-one attention and calm, nurturing tones. He also enjoys helping with classroom routines and takes pride when given small responsibilities, such as passing out napkins or feeding the class fish.

Mateo’s mother is warm and responsive when communicating with the school. She shares that he has been having some nightmares and sometimes resists going to bed. She notes that Mateo has had a lot of change lately and may be missing his father. She is open to guidance and support but is unsure what resources might be available to help her family adjust.

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Mateo’s family has faced housing instability and separation from his father, which causes emotional stress. His mother works long hours, so he might not have a steady routine at home. These changes can make it hard for him to feel secure, focus in class, and build friendships. I think these big changes cause insecurity and stress. He often comes to school tired, which affects his focus and behavior.

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Mateo’s family has faced housing instability and separation from his father, which causes emotional stress. His mother works long hours, so he might not have a steady routine at home. These changes can make it hard for him to feel secure, focus in class, and build friendships. I think these big changes cause insecurity and stress. He often comes to school tired, which affects his focus and behavior.

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Mateo’s teacher provides calm, nurturing support that helps him feel safe. His mother is caring and open to communication with the school, and open to support and guidance. Mateo also enjoys helping with classroom routines, which builds confidence and connection. These are strong supports to build on. 

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Mateo’s teacher provides calm, nurturing support that helps him feel safe. His mother is caring and open to communication with the school, and open to support and guidance. Mateo also enjoys helping with classroom routines, which builds confidence and connection. These are strong supports to build on. 

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I think we should use trauma-sensitive strategies like keeping routines predictable and giving him a calm space when overwhelmed. Offer movement breaks, soft tones, and positive reinforcement. Encourage helping jobs that let him feel capable and proud, like feeding the class fish. and work with his mother closely.

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I’ve learned that behavior is communication. Mateo needs patience, calm voices, and safety more than punishment. As educators, we can help children feel seen, valued, and supported through understanding. I would focus on keeping open communication with Mateo’s mother to understand his needs better. I’d also check in with him each morning to see how he’s feeling. Building trust with both Mateo and his family helps create consistency and emotional safety at school.

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I think a great resource for Mateo’s family would be First Things First Arizona. They help families with young children by offering parenting classes, emotional support, and connections to community programs. I like how they focus on helping parents build strong and healthy relationships with their children. I believe this kind of support could really help Mateo’s mother during this difficult time and make things easier for the whole family.

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There are several interventions that Mateo's educators could use to respond to his challenging behavior. One area you could focus on is building predictability and safety. You could do this by using consistent routines, giving him transition warnings, and by keeping a calm and predictable tone. Another are you could focus on is supporting his emotional regulation. You could support this area by creating a calm down corner,teaching him coping strategies and by modeling self-regulation. Strengthening trust and connection is another area you could support. You can support this area by having daily check-ins, offering choices, and by acknowledging his effort.

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Trauma sensitive interventions that Mateo's educators could use to respond to his challenging behaviors would probably be to establish a daily schedule, maybe also doing breathing exercises and implementing programs that focus on social skills to provide Mateo with different approaches to navigate conflicts.

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Something that could be used is to let children talk about their feelings. Using an emotions chart is a good one because they can visually see it. Having a calm-down basket and area is another good one. It allows children to have the tools and a safe space to calm down and regulate.

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There are many potential barriers Mateo could be facing. One barrier he could be facing is emotional insecurity and stress. This could be a barrier because there are frequent changes in his home life. Another potential barrier for Mateo could be that he has difficulty regulating his emotions because of the instability and possible. Since Mateo's mother mentioned nightmares and resistence to bedtime another possible barrier could be fatigue and sleep disturbances. There a few more potential barriers for Mateo but a final one is unpredictable routines and transitions.

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Mateo has several support systems in place. His support systems are his teacher, mother,school environment, and possible peer opportunities. Mateo’s strongest supports are his caring teacher, responsive mother, and nurturing school environment they can work together to provide consistency, empathy, and structure. By maintaining strong communication, modeling positive interactions, and giving Mateo safe opportunities to connect with peers, these systems can help him build healthier, more effective relationships both inside and outside the classroom.

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As an educator, it would be important to gather more information about Mateo’s home environment, emotional well-being, and developmental history to better understand his needs and how to support him effectively. Gathering more information about Mateo’s background, emotional state, and daily routines helps create a complete picture of his needs. By building strong communication with his family, collaborating with professionals, and using consistent observation, I can provide trauma-informed support that helps Mateo feel safe, understood, and ready to learn.

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A Family Resource Center or Head Start Family Services program would be an excellent trauma-informed resource for Mateo’s family. It could help them strengthen parenting skills, access emotional and practical supports, and create greater stability at home—all of which would directly support Mateo’s emotional security and success at school.

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One trauma informed community resource that could support Mateo's family is probably a counseling center specializing in trauma and attachment. These centers offer therapy services that are for young children and their families. I feel that it also addresses the emotional impact of trauma and promoting healthy relationships.

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The Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation can help children who might be dealing with the effects of trauma. It can help support parents to figure out what they should be doing at home to not trigger the feelings again. They also provide counseling to help Matteo receive support that he might need.

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Families like Mateo's, struggling with housing instability, can find aid through the 2-1-1 helpline and also organization like the Salvation Army since they offer emergency support, and government programs like Section 8 and TANF that provide vouchers and financial aid. These resources offer support for finding stability housing and essential services. For Mateo, counseling would help which he can receive from family resource centers.

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I think that a good resource could be the family counselor. It could give the family a chance to talk about how they are feeling in a safe space that way they are able to improve from it.

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A potential barrier that Mateo might be facing in both his classroom and his relationship with others would probably be emotional and behavioral challenges, his difficulty managing transitions and group routines can lead to outbursts, he can have violent tendencies, which makes it harder for him to form friendships. Another potential barrier would probably be his fatigue and stress, arriving tired or quiet can exhaust his emotional response, leading to possibly more impulsive behaviors and frustration.

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For support systems, Mateo has his supportive teacher and his mom. They can be used to build more effective relationships by encouraging positive interactions, engaging Mateo's mother in discussions about strategies, and I think most importantly providing one on one attention with him can definitely help him build confidence and improve his ability to manage transitions.

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One trauma-informed community resource that could support Mateo’s family is La Frontera / EMPACT–Suicide Prevention Center in Arizona. This organization offers trauma-informed counseling and family support services that focus on emotional healing, stability, and positive relationships. Their Child and Family Program provides therapy, parenting support, and crisis services to families experiencing emotional or behavioral challenges. As an educator, I could share this resource with Mateo’s mother and, with her consent, help connect the family to their services.

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A trauma informed community resource that could help support Mateo's family is the Child Trauma Training Center (CTTC). It offers and provides resources and education for families, professionals and parents and trainings for providers to help them improve their abilities to treat, identify and support children who have experienced trauma. - Brooklyn Smith

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A trauma informed community rehouse that could support mateos family is the National child traumatic stress network. it offers resources, tools, and information for families and professionals on understanding and addressing child traumatic stress.

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One trauma informed community resource that could help Mateo and his family is First Things First, which is a early childhood mental health program that offers emotional support, parent coaching, or financial help which are all things Mateo and his family could benefit from. Mateo‘s mother could work through a stable routine and manage potential stress she may be experiencing from parental support First Things First provides. Mateo could also receive therapy services to help regulate his emotions and his family could receive help financially.

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I don't know if this is kind of unconventional, but I believe that introducing Mateo to a sport activity can be good for him since he likes outdoor activities and it'll help him learn how to work with others through teamwork and respect. For his parents I would introduce them to ParentsHelpingParents which is a support group that helps parents understand how to care for their children, and helps connect parents to financial assistance.

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A New Leaf in Mesa offers trauma-informed support like counseling, parenting help, and housing resources. Their services can help Mateo’s family build stability and cope with recent stress and change.

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One valuable resource that could support Mateo and his family is the Arizona Children’s Association (AzCA). This organization provides trauma-informed behavioral health and crisis-response services that are culturally and linguistically responsive to families’ diverse needs. AzCA offers a variety of care in multiple settings, including in-home, school, and community-based environments, ensuring accessibility and consistency. These services include individual and family therapy, crisis intervention, and school-based supports designed to promote children’s emotional regulation and family stability. For families experiencing significant stress or life transitions, such as Mateo’s, access to trauma-informed community resources can strengthen resilience and improve long-term developmental outcomes. (Arizona Children’s Association, 2024).

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A very useful resources for Mateo's family can be found under The Foundation for Enhancing Communities website. They have a plethora of links that could help families, caregivers, educators, and communities find trauma-informed care.

https://www.tfec.org/resources-for-a-trauma-informed-community/

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One trauma-informed community that can help Mateo's family is Southwest human development. Parents can call 877-705-KIDS. Parents who have kids age birth to five. Early childhood Mental Health Consultation for child Care Providers. They are designed to benefit all children.

2850 N 24th Street . Phoenix, AZ 85008

Phone )602-266-5976

Family Support and child Welface

Parent Partners Plus

Head Start and Early Head Start

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Some resources could be a Local Family Resource Center or Early Childhood Mental Health Consulation Program.

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One trauma informed community resource would be First Things First , this is amazing I can definitely recommend as I have used this in the past. From previous teachers as well.

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Head Start wold be a great resource for Mateos family because it provides early childhood education, family engagement and mental health services. Mateos mother could receive support with parenting strategies, stable routines, and connections to local assistance programs, all while Mateo continues to develop emotional skills in. a structured environment. Another valuable resource is First Things First because it focuses on helping Arizona families with young children through access to early literacy programs, quality children, and family support services. Both programs would help build consistency, reduce stress and create a stronger foundation for his emotional and academic growth.

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One globally known resource that could support Mateo’s family is UNICEF, which provides helpful information and tools for children and caregivers dealing with stress or big life changes. UNICEF offers guidance on emotional well-being, trauma, and child development that families can use at home. Their resources are simple, supportive, and widely trusted, making them a strong option for helping Mateo’s family navigate this difficult period.

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A helpful resource for Mateo's family could be a local Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation program or Child Parent Psychotherapy. These programs focus on supporting young children who have experienced stress or change and help strengthen parent child relationships while teaching strategies to manage emotions and behavior.

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One trauma-informed community resource that could support Mateo’s family is Child and Family Support Services (CFSS) or a local family counseling center that provides therapy for children and parents, helps families cope with stress and transitions, and offers parenting guidance to strengthen parent-child relationships.

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I found a resource from NCTSN (National Child Traumatic Stress Network) that offers resources and information for families to help support children who have experienced trauma/difficulties.

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A great resource that could help Mateo’s family is ‘First Thing First’ here in Arizona. It provides information and programs that are meant to help parents and their children receive the support they need. Mateo would also benefit from seeing a counselor to get more one-on-one interactions with a trusted adult who can help Mateo understand his feelings.

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I would recommend that Mateo and his family utilize the services that Child Crisis Arizona offers around the valley. They offer counseling, housing help, courses, and distribute recourses to families in need. It's a great service to take advantage of fir his situation.

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I believe a child therapist or counselor that specializes in detachment and trauma could be useful but any sort of family resource center would do Mateo and his family very well.

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A strong trauma informed community resource for his family would be a local family counseling or community mental health center. These centers often provide services like play therapy for young children, counseling to help families cope with hard times, and parenting support for caregivers facing difficult times. They can also connect families to additional resources such as housing support, financial assistance, or sleep and behavior specialist. This type of resource would help him process his emotions in a safe environment while also giving his mom guidance on how to support him at home.

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A trans informed resource u would point the family in would be to try and utilize the Mesa public library at the Mesa public library on the lower levels of the library is the Mesa family center and they offer parenting classes and supports for families going through difficult times and could be able to help support the mother in a parenting plan to help tackle the behaviors at home and maybe even alleviate some of her stress of being a single parent currently.

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First Things First could be an immense amount of help to Mateo and his family. As they provide resources that are situational and Mateo's mother would be able to find what is best suited for her and her family.

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A resource I would recommend is for the family to reach out to a trauma-sensitive resource to help Mateo. It can not only help them as parents understand and navigate their child's needs. As well as build that relationship between them more and become a good support system so he can succeed in life and school.

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A trauma-informed community resource that could support Mateo’s family is a local Family Resource Center or Early Childhood Mental Health Program. These organizations often provide counseling, parent support groups, and case management services for families experiencing stress, housing instability, or major life changes. A trauma-informed center focuses on creating a safe, compassionate environment where both parents and children can build coping skills and strengthen emotional resilience. For Mateo’s family, this type of support could help his mother access mental health counseling for Mateo, parenting workshops to manage transitions at home, and connections to housing or financial assistance programs. Partnering with a trusted community resource also helps ensure consistency between home and school, reinforcing the stability and emotional security Mateo needs to thrive.

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I would provide mom with the information to WIC. Women, Infants and Children of Arizona.

It's a nationwide program that is there to help families who may be struggling or meeting income limits. This could help mom who appears to working extra in order to make ends meet.

WIC would provide food for her and Mateo. This would allow them to have more bonding time and therefore assist in his behavior.

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A program is Headstart because they help the families with low income, families in situations, and no cost daycare. The Headstart program have teachers to work with the child and their families with struggles. A family support specialist helps the families with jobs, food, clothing, etc.

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A Trauma Healing Services program: free services (including individual and family therapy, group support, trauma-informed parenting resources) for people of all ages affected by trauma.

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I think Mateo’s family could benefit from a support group that connects parents going through similar challenges. Sometimes just knowing you’re not alone can make a huge difference. A group like this could give Mateo’s mom a safe space to share, learn from others, and feel encouraged. It’s not just about resources, it’s about feeling understood and supported. --Olivia Seeley

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As an educator, some additional information that would be important to know would probably be pinpointing specific triggers, understanding Mateo's perspective in understanding how he perceives certain events. It would be especially important to know about his sleep and nutrition, because evaluating Mateo's sleep patterns and diet can help to determine if there are other factors that are contributing to his challenges. I think also maybe the father's role in his life as well, understanding the nature of Mateo's relationship with his father can create more support strategies. I would gather this information through daily observations, parent teacher conferences and maybe even collaboration with specialists.

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Matteo might now have the emotional support that he needs. He might have never received it, so he finds it difficult to open up to others and make connections. It could be generational, and parents might not see it because their own parents never saw it.

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Luckily, Matteo's teachers recognize that he struggles to make connections. The teacher has done her best to make him feel comfortable in the classroom and has tried to connect with him.

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This reminds us that sometimes challenging behaviors are due to unmet needs. It is important to stay consistent and provide emotional safety for children. It's our job as educators to create safe environments for children because they might not have that safe environment anywhere else.

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Mateo is currently navigating significant challenges due to family housing instability, which is a primary source of stress and insecurity for him. Some of the barriers he is facing that might be impacting him are housing instability, absent father, financial struggles, and emotional challenges. This instability may limit his mother's capacity to provide consistent attention, as she focuses on becoming the primary provider in the absence of the father. The absence of the father is likely contributing to emotional distress for Mateo. The combination of these stressors is creating anxiety and behavioral difficulties at school. Mateo may be forming a strong attachment to his teacher, who could be unintentionally fulfilling some of the nurturing and attention needs that are not currently being met at home.

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Mateo benefits from a robust support system comprised of his mother and teacher. His mother maintains an open communication with the school, demonstrating a warm and responsive approach. She is receptive to guidance and actively seeks resources to facilitate her family's adjustments to their new circumstances. Additionally, Mateo's teacher dedicates time to building a strong connection with him, responding positively to his needs. She provides individualized attention and involves him in preferred classroom routines, fostering a supportive learning environment.

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I think one of the main barries that Mateo might be facing is that right now at home he doesnt have a steady household as of right now. It is hard for kids to no act out when at home they are able to act however they want. I think that it is important that his teacher cares so much about him and she can be a trustworthy adult for mateo to go to.

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A 4-year-old child experiencing housing instability and financial or emotional hardship faces many barriers that impact their development and relationships. Frequent moves and lack of routine can make the child feel unsafe and anxious, leading to emotional stress and difficulty regulating feelings. Without consistency or security, the child may have frequent outbursts as a way to express fear or frustration. These challenges can make it harder for them to trust others or form positive relationships with peers and adults. As a result, the child may struggle with social interactions and may be misunderstood by teachers or caregivers. Providing stability, emotional support, and consistent care can help the child feel secure and begin to build healthy relationships with others.

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To support Mateo's difficulty with transitions, a picture schedule will help to provide a visual representation of the daily plan. Continuing his involvement in preferred classroom routines and maintain a strong connection with his teacher will further enhance his sense of stability. Additionally, targeted instruction in emotional regulation skills will be provided to equip him wight effective coping strategies when he is feeling upset or overwhelm.

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During this time Mateo may be struggling to properly communicate, regulate and understanding how he's feeling or why he responds/reacts a certain way such as feeling remorseful after pushing or hitting another. Some possible barriers could be inconsistency with parents and routines as dad is not home and mom works long hours, recently moving due to financial trouble, big changes occurring suddenly physically, emotionally, psychologically, coming in tired from little and/or bad quality sleep, his occasional aggressive behavior, etc. Home life may have created stress, confusion, fear and frustration. He may struggle adapting and getting used to consistency and routines if he hasn't and continues to not experience it at home, where he possibly spends most of his time. Being separated from his father and his mother being busy and working a ton can cause a lot of emotional distress as well and make it difficult for him to feel connected with parents, peers and create a lack of security and confidence in him. These may also be a leading factor to his struggle sleeping or fighting against bed time, he may just be getting to see, spend time and bond further with his mom and not yet want to separate and sleep knowing or feeling he may not see her again for a while. He might be struggling to understand all he is feeling and experiencing and feel lost without both parents fully present to guide, be there and help him cope with the changes and transition into the new. - Brooklyn Smith

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Given Mateos family situation, he might be acting out due to emotional distress and a lack of sleep. he probably struggles with the unpredictability of the classroom which could lead to frustration and difficulty in resolving conflicts with his peers.

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Mateo experiences many barriers, such as lack of family support and instability having trouble with sleep, becomes overwhelmed with transitions and having very limited coping skills. His father is out of the picture, so with his mom working to provide for Mateo and his siblings it can be difficult to be a parent as well, which is why Mateo is lacking support from his family and it is showing in the classroom. Mateo having a hard time transitioning in the classroom comes from home since he is used to an unstable environment. He is used to throwing a tantrum or causing harm to those around him to let others know he is upset, which is a poor coping mechanism because his peers are the ones who are affected.

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As an educator, it is important to understand the underlying causes of a child's challenging behaviors to provide an effective support. I think that some key information I could gather would be to understand any traumatic experiences, triggers to their behaviors, identifying specific learning styles to help with areas of difficulty, and understanding the child's family's dynamics, cultural background and home environment is essential for support. Especially in Mateo's case.

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In this case study Mateo has many potential barriers in both the classroom and at home. Some barries he faces is housing instability, which caused him to move into an unfamiliar place. This can also be the cause of why it's hard for him to manage group activities. Another barrier is the fact that his father is not present with him and his mother works alot, causing him to not having the strongest relationship with his parents.

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Mateo may be having trouble with trusting others. With his dad gone and his mother working a lot he must be feeling a lot of big emotions he doesn't understand yet.

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Mateo is currently experiencing significant life transitions that may impact his social-emotional development and academic performance. According to information provided by his mother, Mateo’s father is no longer living in the home, which may disrupt attachment relationships and contribute to increased emotional stress. Such family transitions can affect a child’s ability to regulate emotions and maintain focus in learning environments (Bowlby, 1982; Davies & Cummings, 1994). Additionally, Mateo’s mother works long hours, which may lead to inconsistencies in daily routines and reduced opportunities for parent–child bonding. These factors combined may heighten Mateo’s vulnerability to emotional and behavioral challenges in the classroom context. (Bronfenbrenner, 1979).

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Some potential barriers Mateo might be facing in both his classroom and at home that might be impacting his relationships with others are the instability and unpredictability of the environments. It seems as though he has already experienced some behavioral and emotional challenges at school due to these barriers.

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Mateo's home life adverse experiences create barriers to his safety and happiness . Dad is not presence in his life and that is devastating to a four years old boy, and Mateo's feelings of safety is compromise. It affect his sleep with nightmares and with difficulty falling asleep.His mom works long hours which create insecurity and stress not just to Mateo but also to his older siblings. Mateo is 4-year-old and he is in a tender age developmentally needing physical touch, love, assurance and guidance. He wants assurance of caregivers love and rely on his sibling for assurance and comfort. Mon is the main bread winner which take her away from her children for long period of time. Moving to a new home only further the stress and safety for Mateo. And it shows He is not feeling safe and sure about his new preschool with 16 kids. I am sure it can be overwhelming for him. He has difficult time adjusting to activities rotation in the classroom. Because of the inconsistency in his family life, he act out his emotion during group routine and circle time. Any new things can create emotional outburst. He has hard time regulating his emotional and it affecting how he socialize with peers. Preschool provides a safe haven for him to play and meaningful activities with structure under a kind teacher. He likes to be given one on one attention because it provides him with love and comfort. Mateo feels love and important when he is given job or ask to help out in the class. Mom is doing her best to provide for the family financials needs and provide staple home and it is hard for mom to meet and nurture Mateo's emotional, physical, social, and mental needs because she is limited in time and energy.

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I think allthough it mau seem like the parents do not care, they do. When his mom is told how Mateo is acting, she is receptive to it. Working wwith kid,s this is one of the hardest things I deal with is when a kid might be acting out, the parents dont think that their kid is doing anything wrong, which makes it hard. He also has his teacher, who has spoken out to the mother,r which shows that she cares about Mateo and wants to help him be the best he can be.

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Mateo’s strong bond with his teacher and supportive relationship with his mother can help him build more effective relationships in several ways. Having a caring and involved mother provides Mateo with a sense of stability, love, and security at home. This secure attachment helps him feel confident to explore relationships outside the home. His positive connection with his teacher gives him a trusted adult figure at school, which can fill some of the emotional gaps left by his absent father. When Mateo feels valued and understood, he learns that adults can be dependable and caring.

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Mateo has a loving, warm, caring and communicative mother who desires and is open to receive help and is actively trying to see what she can do to help her child and family thrive and adjust. He also has a caring teacher he connects with and an environment/classroom with consistency, positivity, love, opportunities for connection and warmth. These can be used to help his mother and teacher make plans, search for methods/options and practice what works for Mateo such as being a daily helper in transitioning or handing items out to help him thrive, create deeper relationships with his peers, get comfortable and used to consistency, etc. They can prepare and teach him different ways to communicate, regulate his emotions, follow directions and transition smoothly, giving him more opportunities to interact with his peers and helping him thrive during those interactions, creating positive relationships and new experiences to continue building off of. - Brooklyn Smith

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Mateo currently has a lot of support systems around him like his family. To help Mateo build better relationships, id focus on strengthening the bond between him and his teacher through consistent positive interactions. and id consider involving school councilors and family therapy to add additional help.

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Mateo‘s main support systems are his mother and his teacher. His mother gives a warm and open approach when it comes to communicating with his school. Mateo’s teacher cares for him and is observant of his behavior in the classroom which it’s important to notice what he needs further assistance with. In the classroom Mateo helps pass around supplies or snacks which is very helpful when it comes to transitioning time or creating a routine. This is creating a safe space for Mateo and a sense of accomplishment. His mother and teacher both have great communication which is for the better to help Mateo.

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Mateo's current support system is his mother, his two older siblings, and his teacher. I believe that relationships like these can help him with other relationship by those around him teaching him how to respect others, and help him understand kindness. If he can learn those things from people he looks up to, then his behavior will start to change.

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Mateo support system includes his mom, siblings and his teacher. Through positive and constant interactions, they can build contections with him. And help him learn to trust others.

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I think something that could help him is keeping him on a schedule. This means keeping him up to date if something is changing, let him know ahead that he could help from the random outbursts. I also think with that it is also important that he knows that if there is an issure he can come up to you. I know some kids who do not like loud noises wear headphones. I think that could also help him keep himself regulated.

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I think that something that I always like to remember is that most of the time, kids don't act out for no reason. I think its important when a kid is having an outburst, you shouldnt be reactive, more so activ,e and see how you can help the situation without making Mateo more upset.

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To support Mateo’s challenging behavior, teachers can use trauma-informed interventions that focus on safety, connection, and emotional regulation. Building a trusting relationship and maintaining consistent routines help Mateo feel secure and reduce anxiety. I can teach calming strategies, such as deep breathing or using a quiet space, to help him manage emotions in healthy ways. Validating his feelings and using positive reinforcement encourage him to express himself appropriately and build confidence. Regular communication with his supportive mother ensures consistent strategies at home and school. By creating a caring, predictable environment, teachers can help Mateo develop stronger emotional control and more positive relationships.

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As an educator, it’s important to learn more about Mateo’s background, emotional needs, and support systems to better understand his behavior. Gathering information about his family situation, daily routines, and emotional triggers can help identify what causes his outbursts and what supports him best. Talking with his mother in a caring, nonjudgmental way builds trust and provides insight into strategies that work at home. Collaborating with school counselors or support staff can also offer additional resources and guidance. By observing and documenting patterns and maintaining open communication, educators can create a consistent, supportive approach that helps Mateo feel understood and successful.

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Each family goes through challenges, and even though no family is perfect, most are doing the best they can with what they have. Mateo’s family is clearly trying to hold things together, even through financial stress and all the recent changes. His mom sounds caring and open to help, which is a great strength to build on.

From an educator’s perspective, I think it’s important to focus on supporting both Mateo and his mom without judgment. Since his mom works long hours and he’s been missing his dad, it makes sense that he’s having a tough time with transitions and emotions. Helping him feel safe and connected at school could really make a difference.

Some barriers his family might be facing include financial struggles, limited time together, and possible stress from moving and being in a single parent household right now. These things can definitely affect how a child behaves or feels in the classroom.

Possible supports could include connecting his mom to local family resource centers, free or low-cost childcare programs, and community food or housing supports if needed. The school could also share some bedtime or calming routine tips to help with his sleep and nightmares.

As an educator, I’d make sure to keep communication open and positive with his mom, letting her know we’re on the same team. I’d also use trauma-sensitive strategies in the classroom, like giving Mateo choices, using calm tones, and giving him a little extra time for transitions. These small things could help him feel more in control and supported.

Overall, I would say the goal would be to make school a safe place for Mateo while helping his family access support in the community as they need it.

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Some additional information could be his sleep schedule, when he goes to bed, how long he sleeps or is able to sleep, how frequent the nightmares have been, etc. It could also be helpful to know the mom's work schedule, whether it's consistent or not, how long she works, who watches or takes care of him while's she's working, etc. His relationship with his father and siblings, how he responds and acts at home and more. I could have consistent conversations and check in's with the mom and Mateo. Send home progress reports and notes for mom to receive to help build further understanding and communication with how and where he may be struggling and thriving in the classroom. Including communicating what I am doing or practicing with him, what has and hasn't worked and asking for the moms assistance in practicing or talking about certain things at home. For gathering information I may call, email or ask to meet the main caregiver such as mom in person and have a meeting with her about what may be going, communicating and conversing with her about what we could do to help him have a consistent schedule at home and school and what might work or need to be tried both at home and school and keeping each other updated to help him thrive and succeed in both environments. - Brooklyn Smith

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Mateo's educators could give him further heads up before transitions if they aren't already such as a five, three, two minute warning, write the schedule on the board, have him assist in setting up the next activity or getting everyone transitioned like letting everyone know it's time to transition, etc. As they write the schedule out, they could also discuss/speak it out loud for him to see and hear at the same time, to give predictability and consistency of what will be occurring during the day. If he is having a hard time, preparing toys for him to fidget with and a space to relax could help him feel seen and feel supported during those hard moments. Talking with him afterwards about what may be happening, being curious about his feelings and thoughts and listening intently could begin to support and help him practice his communication skills and understanding his emotions, which he can bring into his relationships with his peers. Giving choices and allowing him to choose for himself, could be another way to help him feel more in control of what's happening or what he is doing. - Brooklyn Smith

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Trauma sensitive strategies that could be used to respond to mateos challenging behaviors is mateos educators can create a supportive and nuturing environment that helps his emotional well being and help him develop positive relationships and behaviors. you could use flexible seating in the classroom to give mateo the ability to move around and find comfortability.

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As an educator to better support Mateo it would be important to gather additional information about his background, trigggers, and strengths. knowing his background will help better understand and id be able to help nurture in a way. to gather this information, several methods can be helpful. begin with open sensitive conversations with mateos mother to gain insights into his history and current challenges.

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Mateo’s teacher can slowly ease into transitions with a positive and calm tone and approach in hopes Mateo will not feel overwhelmed or have those triggering emotions to harm his peer or yell. I also believe offering Mateo options and not just immediately telling him what to do will help. This gives Mateo a sense of belonging in the classroom and can help work through his emotions in the meantime. When Mateo is feeling overwhelmed, a calm down corner or any toys that would help calm him down would very helpful to calm him down while also taking deep breaths as well. When Mateo is having an outburst it’s important as an educator to not feel angry or upset at first and keep a calm tone to build trust and understanding with Mateo.

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As Mateo’s teacher, it would be helpful to know how his day to day routines are like at home, and if there may anything that stresses him that may affect his school. Also, any behavioral concerns or changes that happened early on in Mateo‘s life this could let me know if this has some sort of answer to his behavior in class. I would also like to know how he interacts with his peers outside the classroom with this information. I would constantly check in with the mother over anything she may have noticed that is unusual and potentially talk about setting up a routine that could work for Mateo at home. On my part, I would observe Mateo in other settings other than the classroom like recess or lunch. This could help me figure out what he needs help on and also figure out his strengths. I would also ask the mother if she is open to additional support like a school counselor.

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Mateo benefits from multiple support systems, including his mother, preschool teachers and instructional aides, peers, and the community. Developing positive peer relationships can enhance his social connections and emotional well-being. Encouraging interactions such as cooperative play and social engagement outside of school may promote social development and self-regulation. Research indicates that strong peer relationships in early childhood are associated with improved academic and social outcomes later in life. (Denham et al., 2003; Ladd, 1999). Additionally, Mateo’s mother appears to be supportive and involved in his education. Ongoing communication between the family and teaching staff can foster consistent strategies for supporting his growth across multiple areas. (Bronfenbrenner, 1979).

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Mateo's educators could try to keep him on a consitant lesson plan that'll help him feel comfortable, as well as letting him help out more around the classroom. I'd also suggest making carpet time more engaging for him.

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As an educator, it is important to know more about how he interacts with people at home. This is important because Mateo seems as if he's having trouble connecting with others. I would ask this during a parent teacher conference. By identifying what his home life is like and how he communcates with others, I can support him, by giving him more activities that are focused to his needs.

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A trauma-sensitive intervention for Mateo includes predictable routines with visual cues, gentle transitions, and a calm space to self-regulate. His teacher can support him through nurturing tones, one-on-one connection, and classroom helper roles that build confidence. Partnering with his mother to share simple strategies and connect her to resources strengthens support across home and school.

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As an educator, it’s important to know what helps Mateo feel safe and calm, what routines he has at home, and any past supports or challenges. You can gather this through gentle conversations with his mother, daily observations, and collaboration with support staff like counselors or early intervention specialists

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Mateo’s educators can support his emotional and behavioral development by responding to challenging behaviors with patience and intentional regulation strategies. Techniques such as guided breathing, emotion identification, and problem-solving conversations help children recognize and manage their emotions in a developmentally appropriate way. (Denham et al., 2003). Emotional regulation is a critical component of early learning, as it contributes to social competence, peer relationships, and overall well-being. From a trauma-sensitive perspective, providing a predictable classroom environment with consistent routines and clear expectations can help Mateo feel secure and supported. (Perry, 2006). Establishing a designated calming area within the classroom offers a safe space for self-regulation when emotions become overwhelming. Building trusting relationships through active listening and responsive communication further reinforces a child’s sense of belonging and safety in the learning environment. (Souers & Hall, 2016).

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Educators can support Mateo’s family by connecting them with community-based resources that promote early childhood development. Programs such as First Things First and Head Start provide families with access to educational materials, developmental screenings, and family support services, which can enhance both parental involvement and child outcomes. (Head Start, 2023). Given Mateo’s current family circumstances—his father’s absence and his mother’s demanding work schedule—these resources may offer valuable support to strengthen the home learning environment and reduce parental stress.

Educators play a key role in providing such resources by maintaining open communication with families and offering guidance on available programs. If internet access is limited, community institutions such as public libraries can serve as alternative sources of information and support. Collaboration between families and teachers ensures consistent approaches across home and school settings, promoting a sense of stability and continuity for the child (Bronfenbrenner, 1979).

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It seems like Mateo's mother as well as his teacher are his strongest support systems at the moment. The communication between his mother and the school could be a great way for the teacher and mother to start working together so that they can each support Mateo's social-emotional development at home and school. They can share their observations and make suggestions based on how he is doing, hopefully creating more trust and confidence at home, which will then translate to relationships at school as well.

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Some trauma-sensitive interventions that Mateo's educators could use to respond to his challenging behaviors could be creating predictable routines and visual queues for transition times. Since he really enjoys outdoor activities and is energetic, maybe that could be great setting to introduce more socialization and group play during recess. Introducing breaks for him to do some stretching or breathing exercises could also be beneficial. Teaching emotional regulation strategies could also really help him out in managing frustrating situations.

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I would want to keep communication open and honest between parents and myself. I would want to know more about his routine at home, his responsibilities, and how he gets along with people at home. I would also like to consult with Mateo's previous teachers to get an idea of how his development has looked throughout the years.