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Domestic Violence may include various forms such as psychological, physical, sexual, financial, and emotional abuse. It is reported that domestic abuse has a high correlation with child abuse, where approximately half of domestic violence leads to direct child abuse. (Chiyo)

Symptoms:

(Jeffrey)

Physical wounds

Lack of motivation

Increased absence/ tardies

Depression

(Chiyo)

Eating Problems

Stress-related conditions (ex. asthma and bronchitis)

Attention and concentration difficulty

Low self-esteem

Emotional and behavioral problems espeically in young children include:

separation anxiety from non-abusing parent

withdrawal

repetitive play

regressive behavior

impaired understanding

Response Strategies:

1. Communicate with admin

2. Potentially notify law enforcement

3. Closely monitor student's behavior

4. Ensure they know your class is a safe space

(Jeffrey)

Other Organized Strategies:

Prevention education: Many children and victims of violence do not report the incident due to shame and guilt. It is important to perform prevention education so children can recognize when they are being abused, and they can disclose the incident when it occurs.

Early intervention strategy: This is a joint effort with the school and the law reinforcement. If there has been a case of reported domestic violence at the police, they will notify the school before the next morning. The faculty will be notified of the incident so that they can prepare accordingly to manage the trauma of the child.

(Chiyo)

Sources:

https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2023/11/15/responding-to-childrens-disclosures-of-domestic-abuse-a-three-step-approach/#:~:text=The%20three%2Dstep%20approach%3A%20receive,any%20other%20form%20of%20abuse.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6243007/ (Chiyo)

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Responding to children's disclosures of domestic abuse: a three-step approach

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This article presents a few key pieces of advice for working with children and young people who tell you they are witnessing or experiencing domestic abuse. They are taken from Community Care Inform Children's guide, 'Domestic abuse: the impact on children and young people'. The full guide explores the ways in which children can experience ...

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Students experience death losing people who are close or had great positive influence in their lives.

symptoms: fear of talking about death, isolation, anger toward the surviving family members, lack of empathy to other classmates,

lack of learning engagement.

Response stategies: Teachers should use reinforcing language such as:

I am a good listner and am here if you ever would like to talk,

I understand how difficult this must be for you right now

You and your family are in my thought

Please let me know if you want to talk to me.I am always there for you

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Trauma #2: Parents Are Getting a Divorce (Topic from Noah)

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Trauma #2: Parents Are Getting a Divorce (Topic from Noah)

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Symptoms (Noah):

Symptoms of students undergoing traumatic stress due to their parents' divorce can vary widely and can include-

-Emotional distress such as depression, anxiety, irritability and guilt

-Behavioral changes such as regression, social withdrawal, risk-taking behaviors and poorer academic performance

-Physical symptoms such as changes in appetite or irregular sleep patterns

-In more extreme cases, self-harm and/or substance abuse may be involved.

Response Strategies (Noah):

Teachers can play a crucial role in identifying these symptoms and responding appropriately through-

-Observing changes in behavior

-Maintaining consistent communication with both the student and the family in question

-Monitoring the students' academic performance closely

-Identifying signals of emotional stress

-Offering a safe environment in the classroom

-Nudging the student in question to seek additional professional help

-Encouraging their peers to support them

-Staying vigilant and continuing to monitor the situation

Sources:

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TEACHERS AND PARENTS FOR ASSISTING CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS OF DIVORCE (udel.edu)

Helping Children Adjust to Divorce: A Guide for Teachers | MU Extension (missouri.edu)

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Trauma:

Financial difficulties at home- Jeffery

Being homeless- Andreana

Single parent upbringing- Andreana

Not eating at home- Andreana

Parent in an accident- Sonia

Parents are verbally or physically abusive-Noah

Re-marriage or divorce-Chandini

Symptoms:

Overreactions to everyday challenges

Negative outbursts or aggression

Frequent stomach aches or headaches

Appearing very sad

Inappropriate social interactions

Trouble with executive functions like focus, organization, and self-regulation

Falling behind with classwork

Being rude to classmates and teachers

not following school rules and being defiant

Destroying or defacing school property

Response Strategies:

Trauma-Informed Teaching Strategies

Expect Unexpected Responses.

Employ Thoughtful Interactions.

Be Specific About Relationship Building.

Promote Predictability and Consistency.

Teach Strategies to "Change the Channel"

Give Supportive Feedback to Reduce Negative Thinking.

Create Islands of Competence.

Be kind, supportive and compassionate

do not judge or make personal negative comments

Sources  for research:

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/establishing-classroom-norms-todd-finley

Chandini Ganju

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Parents Absent in Their Life Through Emotional Neglect (Stefan)

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Parents Absent in Their Life Through Emotional Neglect (Stefan)

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Symptoms:

Can include:

Depression

Difficulty controlling their emotions

Avoidance of social situations

Low opinion of themselves, self esteem issues

Response Strategies:

Possible trauma informed strategies for teachers:

1. Find a way to change the focus of their thoughts, such as reading a book, or give them a riddle to help calm them down.

2. Using stress relievers like rhythmic movement while trying to have a conversation to calm them down, such as walking around outside to control their heart rate etc.

3. Reduce negative thinking by giving positive supportive feedback, using a positive sandwich approach.

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Vol. 77

No. 2

Abstract

1. Expect Unexpected Responses

2. Employ Thoughtful Interactions

3. Be Specific About Relationship Building

4. Promote Predictability and Consistency

5. Teach Strategies to "Change the Channel"

6. Give Supportive Feedback to Reduce Negative Thinking

7. Create Islands of Competence

8. Limit Exclusionary Practices

Fostering a Feeling of Safety

Small changes in classroom interactions can make a big difference for traumatized students.

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Credit: Shannon Fagan

Abstract

1. Expect Unexpected Responses

2. Employ Thoughtful Interactions

3. Be Specific About Relationship Building

4. Promote Predictability and Consistency

5. Teach Strategies to "Change the Channel"

6. Give Supportive Feedback to Reduce Negative Thinking

7. Create Islands of Competence

8. Limit Exclusionary Practices

Fostering a Feeling of Safety

Up to two-thirds of U.S. children have experienced at least one type of serious childhood trauma, such as abuse, neglect, natural disaster, or experiencing or witnessing violence. Trauma is possibly the largest public health issue facing our children today (CDC, 2019). Traumatized students are especially prone to difficulty in self-regulation, negative thinking, being on high alert, difficulty trusting adults, and inappropriate social interactions (Lacoe, 2013; Terrasi & de Galarce, 2017). They often haven't learned to express emotions healthily and instead show their distress through aggression, avoidance, shutting down, or other off-putting behaviors. These actions can feel antagonistic to teachers who don't understand the root cause of the student's behavior, which can lead to misunderstandings, ineffective interventions, and missed learning time.

Neurobiologically, students can't learn if they don't feel safe, known, and cared for within their schools (Aupperle et al., 2012). When teachers are proactive and responsive to the needs of students suffering from traumatic stress and make small changes in the classroom that foster a feeling of safety, it makes a huge difference in their ability to learn. Here are some examples.

1. Expect Unexpected Responses

First, teachers must learn to put students' reactions into context-and not to take them personally. Students with trauma histories can react and behave in seemingly unexpected ways, such as having a sudden outburst during a favorite activity or crying out of the blue one second after laughing. Teachers may be taken by surprise. They say things like, "But he was fine this morning, I didn't see that coming!" or "She normally loves playing the drums in music class. I have no idea where her reaction came from." This uncertainty leaves the teacher in a constant state of hyper-alertness when interacting with the student. This in turn can result in fatigue, as the teacher is guarded and unable to predict what will happen from one moment to another.

One way to understand these reactions is to think of the student as a soda can, and events that may trigger their trauma stress as shaking that can. We can't tell by looking if the can was recently shaken, but if it was, opening the can results in an unexpected explosive, messy reaction. If a student is triggered and experiencing heightened emotion, even a benign direction such as, "Please move over to make room for Jenny" could result in an "explosion" that the teacher never saw coming. By using trauma-sensitive strategies in the classroom, we can help reduce the times our students are "shaken."

2. Employ Thoughtful Interactions

Traumatized students often behave in ways that may interfere with teaching and learning, which can be frustrating. Teachers are in a position of power, and these students may be overly defensive, anticipating adult criticism, or defiant, as a way to assert control (Jennings, 2018). Yet for traumatized students, the ability to learn and behave appropriately can be person-dependent. When they are with a safe and supportive adult, their behavior reflects that.

Consider this scenario drawn from schools I've worked with: Trevor, a 6th grader whose father overdosed on heroin two years ago and who has witnessed ongoing domestic abuse throughout his childhood, was in Ms. Carlton's class for part of the day and Ms. Finch's class for the other part. Ms. Carlton had a reputation of working well with hard-to-reach kids, and sure enough, Trevor behaved in a stellar way in her class. When he was with Ms. Finch, however, he was sent to the office nearly three times a week for explosive behavior.

The teacher is 50 percent of every interaction with a student: By changing the way we give a direction or respond, we can reduce problematic behavior. Ms. Carlton had taken the time to build a trusting relationship with Trevor and learned to give directions in a way that he would respond well to. Interaction strategies are a type of accommodation that typically go unnamed and unwritten, but they were the reason that Trevor could feel safe and access the curriculum (Minahan & Rappaport, 2012).

If Ms. Carlton had written down the successful strategies she used with Trevor, the list might have started with avoiding authoritative directives such as, "Pick that up." To give Trevor a sense of control, Ms. Carlton always embedded choice in her directions, asking, "Do you want to be in the front of the line or the back of the line?" instead of simply telling him to "line up." This helped prevent a poor reaction (Minahan, 2019).

Ms. Carlton also conveyed respect and transparency by providing the reason behind each direction. Instead of saying, "No backpacks on the floor. I don't want to trip and fall!" Ms. Carlton would say, "Oh dear, I hope I don't fall. I have a bad knee! Could you please move your backpack?" Stating the reason first assured that Trevor knew the context (and necessity) of the demand.

Conversely, Ms. Finch would often go up close to Trevor, tower over him, and say in front of his peers, "Stop tapping your pencil!" This typically ended in a power struggle and Trevor's escalating behavior. Trevor, like many traumatized students, had experienced a loss of control in his life, and power struggles with an authoritative figure were particularly triggering. Ms. Carlton instinctively knew that a more private nonverbal direction could be less confrontational for a student in "fight or flight" mode. She would write, "Please stop tapping" on a piece of paper, put it gently on Trevor's desk without his peers noticing, and then give him space by walking away quickly. When possible, she also gave Trevor extended time to comply with directions to avoid power struggles, asking, for example, "Can you please pick that up before lunch?" rather than, "Pick that up now" (Minahan, 2019). This allowed Trevor time to decompress and respond rationally.

3. Be Specific About Relationship Building

At one point in the year, Ms. Carlton told Ms. Finch that building a relationship with Trevor was key to her success with him, and she suggested that Ms. Finch do the same. Unfortunately, saying, "Build a relationship" is too vague and leaves too much up to the teacher's instincts. Instead, Ms. Carlton could have told Ms. Finch that she greeted Trevor every day at the classroom door and asked him about the Avengers or basketball. She could have told Ms. Finch how she used the "two by ten" rule; she talked to him for two minutes a day for 10 days in a row about topics unrelated to academics or behavior. Whenever Ms. Carlton could see she wouldn't have time for this in the 10-day period, she asked the counselor or special education teacher to cover her class for two minutes so she could go for a walk with Trevor. She repeated this trust-building strategy several times throughout the year, especially after he exhibited anger or frustration and after school vacations and long weekends.

Ms. Carlton skillfully used relationship-building and interaction strategies to work with Trevor. Yet the impact could have been greater had she written and shared those strategies with Ms. Finch and the rest of Trevor's team via a shared document, behavior plan, or student success plan (Minahan, 2019). Likewise, if counselors, school nurses, and psychologists write and share such techniques with each classroom teacher, kids like Trevor, when triggered, wouldn't always have to leave class to find a safe adult.

Not knowing what is coming next can put anyone on high alert, especially traumatized students. Providing predictability through visual schedules of the class agenda or school day can help. Ms. Carlton was adamant about previewing any changes to the normal routine ahead of time (saying, "We are going to have indoor recess today because of the snow," or "The DVD player isn't working so we can't watch a science video at the end of class today"). This prepared Trevor and thus elicited a calmer response.

A teacher's behavior can also feel unpredictable to traumatized students. When students are working independently and quietly-doing what they are supposed to be doing-they don't know when they will get the teacher's attention. But when students are doing the wrong thing-like drumming on the desk with a pencil in each hand or swearing-teachers are more predictable and react quickly! Because predictability is comforting to students with anxiety and trauma histories, they may resort to getting the teacher's attention through inappropriate means. Trevor could get Ms. Finch to react immediately by flipping his water bottle noisily, but could go 20 minutes without so much as eye contact from her when he was quietly reading.

To counter this imbalance and create an overall feeling of safety, teachers can use predictable positive attention (Minahan, 2014). During independent work time, if a teacher says to a student "Great work! I'll be back to check on you," the student has no way of predicting how long they need to wait-and from past experience they know that the teacher may forget to return altogether. Using predictable positive attention, however, the teacher can say, "I am going to check on you in 10 minutes," put a timer on the student's desk, and add, "Come tap me on the shoulder when the timer goes off." If the teacher has many students in the class that could benefit from this, she could transfer the strategy to small groups: "I will check on this desk group at X time."

Another strategy for providing predictable attention, especially for middle and high school students, is to hand an anxious or traumatized student a sticky note with a time on it as they walk into class each day. The first time, the note will need to be explained: "If you don't understand something in class, please don't worry-I am going to check on you during independent work time at 11:45, and I will answer any questions you have then." Ms. Carlton found this strategy comforting to Trevor. This predictable check-in pairs the negative thoughts the student may have ("I don't know how to do this") with a reassuring thought ("But my teacher will be here in seven minutes!"). The student can better tolerate uncomfortable feelings when they know help and a positive interaction are coming. Telling the student what will happen and when and always following through establishes the teacher as a consistent, reliable adult.

5. Teach Strategies to "Change the Channel"

Traumatized students often engage in inaccurate thinking, tending to focus on the negative. Common classroom management strategies often only exasperate this tendency. How many of us have seen frequent movement breaks on a student's IEP or student success plan? It is one of the most common accommodations that we offer to students who seem dysregulated. Unfortunately, during these breaks, students can ruminate on negative memories, current stressors, angry thoughts, or worries. If we ask a high school student who is getting angry and becoming agitated to take a walk, he may ruminate the whole time and return just as angry. Sending a 1st grader to a "calming chair" can leave her to perseverate on worrying thoughts. Instead, we need to help them "change the channel." Both Ms. Carlton and Ms. Finch used breaks with Trevor, but in vastly different ways.

When adults can't sleep, we often read a book or watch TV, which distracts us from uncomfortable thoughts so we can fall back asleep. Teachers can use the same principle for kids with trauma and anxiety: Teach students that their brain is like a remote control that they can use to "switch the channel" to help them calm down (Minahan & Rappaport, 2012). These switching activities are called cognitive distractions or thought breaks and are incompatible with negative thinking. A listening center or "find the picture" activity can be helpful to young children. For older students, you might try Mad Libs, trivia, or more abstract strategies such as counting all the green items in the room, saying the alphabet backwards, or thinking of the first 10 lines of a favorite movie. Ms. Carlton taught Trevor to do Star Wars trivia when he was upset, which helped him calm down quickly. Conversely when Ms. Finch had Trevor go for a walk, his negative thinking would escalate, and he would often not return to class.

6. Give Supportive Feedback to Reduce Negative Thinking

Many traumatized students interpret information through a negativity amplifier. When a teacher says, "Please correct the first problem," the student might hear, "You are stupid." Or a student might report that the teacher screamed at her when the teacher was really using a calm tone, as even neutral facial expressions can be misinterpreted. It is helpful to smile and explicitly say when you are happy with the student, a strategy Ms. Carlton utilized. When giving negative feedback, teachers can use the positive sandwich approach-starting and ending with a positive comment: (1) "I love how you remembered the formula," (2) "You made a small calculation error there," (3) "Great job getting problem #3 correct."

7. Create Islands of Competence

Recognizing areas of strength in students is a powerful way to combat the poor self-concept and negative thinking associated with trauma (Jennings, 2018). To support a more accurate self-concept, teachers can provide what Robert Brooks calls "islands of competence" for students swimming in a sea of inadequacy (2003). When a student thinks negatively, the negative moments during the day tend to weigh more heavily than the positive moments. We need to counter this effect with positive experiences. Educator teams need to ask themselves, "Does the student feel competent during the day?" If the answer is no, contriving an island of competence for the student is in order. Ms. Carlton often asked Trevor to help a younger student or a peer who was struggling in an academic area Trevor was strong in, or had him fix the stapler when it was malfunctioning. She would also point out in a written note to Trevor that he was the first student to finish a math activity. In high school, educators may want to foster students' talents by never letting them drop electives (which might require creativity in scheduling academic support in core classes).

It is important that students experience competence to develop a more accurate self-narrative and to begin to create a positive future picture of themselves. We want them to say, "I really helped that student with her artwork. When I grow up, I could work with kids." Or "I am good at fixing things. I could be a mechanic someday."

8. Limit Exclusionary Practices

Behavior is communication, and we've looked at how traumatized students often communicate feelings through their behavior. Teachers' behavior is also communication-and it may not be communicating the message we are striving to send. Common teacher practices such as ignoring inappropriate behavior, sending students to the office, or sending younger kids to sit alone at a back table or in the hallway can unintentionally trigger students who have experienced abandonment or neglect. We need to remember that when some of our students were young and cried, no one came. Ignoring them can trigger a trauma response and make them feel the teacher doesn't like them or is even happy that they are upset.

Ms. Finch would ignore Trevor when he was expressing anger, such as by crumpling up a paper, growling, or slinging a book from his desk onto the floor. On the other hand, Ms. Carlton responded to such moments at the beginning of the year by validating Trevor's feelings ("I am sorry you are upset" or "I see that you are angry"). This is a much more empathetic approach, will preserve the relationship, and will avoid triggering a trauma response in the student.

Another practice to be cautious about is using time with a preferred adult as an incentive. For example, a principal might say, "If you get all your homework done this week, you and I will have lunch together!" The problem with this is that if the student doesn't get all their homework done, then the principal withholds their attention and time. This implies the relationship is conditional and can trigger an abandonment trauma response for some students. It is better to use one-to-one time with students in a noncontingent way. This way adults are communicating, "I like you for who you are," not "I like you when you behave the right way."

Fostering a Feeling of Safety

Students can't learn unless they feel safe. When it comes to student trauma, there is much that is beyond educators' power, but there is also a great deal they can do to build a supportive and sensitive environment where students feel safe, comfortable, take risks, learn, and even heal.

Reflect & Discuss

➛ As Minahan writes, "Students can't learn if they don't feel safe." What small changes are you willing to try in your classroom to foster a sense of safety among traumatized students?

➛ Think about one of your students who struggles with behavior. How could you help him "switch the channel" when he is upset?

➛ Do you routinely share-and exchange ideas about-what's working with a traumatized student? How could you better improve lines of communication across the whole support team?

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Small changes in classroom interactions can make a big difference for traumatized students.

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Trauma #5: Environmental Disaster Such As Loss of or Damage to House  (Topic From Noah) 

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Trauma #5: Environmental Disaster Such As Loss of or Damage to House  (Topic From Noah) 

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Symptoms:

Sleeping in class

Unable to bathe

Always hungry and seeking food at school

(Jeffrey)

Response Strategies:

1. Personal care and sanitary items can be discretely Distributed to students

2. Open door policy and counseling

3. Collaborate with deans and parents on extra time for students to get more rest and access to food

(Jeffrey)

https://www.cta.org/educator/posts/trauma-how-to-help

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Remain calm and reassuring: "We will be OK."

Acknowledge and normalize their feelings. Use active listening. There are no wrong feelings.

Encourage students to use multiple forms to express their feelings about disaster-related events. Don't force it. Follow their lead.

Promote positive coping and problem-solving skills. Review spaces and activities they can use when feeling upset. Be flexible and model the skills.

Emphasize their resilience and community resilience. Focus on what they have done before to feel better when upset. Identify the helpers.

Strengthen social bonds and peer supports. Assign collaborative group work. Encourage them to be kind to each other.

Take care of you.

Classroom Specifics

Maintain structure and routine.

Shorter lesson plans.

Slower pace.

More time for personal expression and discussion.

Plan hands-on activities.

Structured opportunities for positive social connections.

Expect an overall performance decline.

Model positive coping skills.

Stick to the facts.

Limit media exposure.

Classroom Activities

Elementary - Creative expressions, including drawing, writing and talking about memories, feelings and thoughts. Hands-on/active tasks, including organizing or building projects like scrapbooks or replicas, to give them a chance to organize chaotic or confusing events.

Secondary - Creative expression like art, music, poetry, or keeping a journal to describe their feelings and experiences. Active tasks, including developing a disaster plan for their home or school, or facilitating community involvement.

Special Report: Teaching Through Trauma

This is part of our series that looks at how educators are handling students with trauma. Read more:

Stories

Resources

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Remain calm and reassuring: "We will be OK." Acknowledge and normalize their feelings. Use active listening. There are no wrong feelings. Encourage students to use multiple forms to express their feelings about disaster-related events. Don't force it. Follow their lead. Promote positive coping and problem-solving skills.

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1. Situation: Loss of a parent or family member

1. Symptoms: Increased absences, sad/hopeless feelings, withdrawn from class discussions, no care for grades.

2. Response Strategies: Utilize school resources - counselors, social workers, psychologists, be a bright spot in the student’s day, excuse some assignments for a period of time to lighten the load on the student.

2. Drug/alcohol abuse in the home

1. Symptoms: Intermittent attendance, clothes with odor, openly talking about drugs/alcohol, short temper, more likely to use or bring to school.

2. Response Strategies: Report anything suspicious, educate about drugs and alcohol and their negative effects, teach appropriate responses to help with short temper.

3. Loss of the home/homelessness

1. Symptoms: Wearing the same clothes everyday, poor hygiene, not turning in assignments because no internet access, no way to contact the parent/guardian, no transportation to school/activities

2. Response Strategies: Clothing donations to the student/family, alternative ways of submitting assignments, sending notes home with the student, contact with the homeless liaison.

4. Neglect

1. Symptoms: Weight loss, poor hygiene, “no one cares” mentality, inability to accept help, taking extras of things, hungry.

2. Response Strategies: Snacks available in the classroom, sending home basic hygiene items - soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush, showing them you care, building a relationship so the student accepts help.

5. Parent/guardian with a mental health condition

1. Symptoms: Inappropriate situational responses, inappropriate social behaviors, trouble coping with things, stress due to increased responsibilities

2. Response Strategies: Building a relationship, teaching the student appropriate social responses and coping strategies with the help of appropriate school staff, allowing more time in class to finish assignments/less homework

6. Domestic violence

1. Symptoms: Withdrawn, covering clothing, acting out in class, not willing to discuss home life or negative responses when it is brought up, anger, aggressive behaviors.

2. Response Strategies: Report anything suspicious, teaching coping strategies, cool down/break passes, build a relationship, teaching appropriate behaviors in class.

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The experiences we have early in our lives and particularly in our early childhoods have a huge impact on how we grow and develop, our physical and mental health, and our thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Two important factors to think about when considering our mental wellbeing, are the quality of our attachment relationships and our experience of ACEs.

What is Attachment?

Attachment refers to the pattern of the relationships we have had with our parents or carers early in our lives. It is the emotional bond that forms between a parent and child from birth and has a huge impact on our development. The way a parent or carer responds to their child will impact on the child's attachment style. This attachment style becomes a template for how we build future relationships with others in our lives, and also a template of how we feel about ourselves and other people. If we have experienced a relationship with a parent or carer which has been positive, we will develop a positive template for other relationships as well as positive feelings about ourselves and others. But sometimes how children are cared for is not so positive, for various reasons, and this can make it harder for people to make and maintain positive relationships in the future, manage their feelings and behaviour, or feel good about themselves or others. When our early attachments have been negative and these lead us to go on to have difficulties with relationships and our mental wellbeing, this can sometimes be described as attachment difficulties.

What are Adverse Childhood Experiences?

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are "highly stressful, and potentially traumatic, events or situations that occur during childhood and/or adolescence. They can be a single event, or prolonged threats to, and breaches of, the young person's safety, security, trust or bodily integrity." (Young Minds, 2018).

Examples of ACEs:

Physical abuse

Sexual Abuse

Emotional Abuse

Living with someone who abused drugs

Living with someone who abused alcohol

Exposure to domestic violence

Living with someone who has gone to prison

Living with someone with serious mental illness

Losing a parent through divorce, death or abandonment

How Common are ACEs?

In a 2014 UK study on ACEs, 47% of people experienced at least one ACE with 9% of the population having 4+ ACES (Bellis et al, 2014).

Impact of ACEs

Just like attachment, experiencing ACEs can have an impact on our future physical and mental health, and often ACEs can be barriers to healthy attachment relationships forming for children. Some of the effects of ACEs on our physical and mental health are:

An increase in the risk of certain health problems in adulthood, such as cancer and heart disease, as well as increasing the risk of mental health difficulties, violence and becoming a victim of violence.

An increase in the risk of mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. 1 in 3 diagnosed mental health conditions in adulthood directly relate to ACEs.

The longer an individual experiences an ACE and the more ACEs someone experiences, the bigger the impact it will have on their development and their health.

Some of the other things exposure to ACEs can impact, are:

The ability to recognise and manage different emotions.

The capacity to make and keep healthy friendships and other relationships.

The ability to manage behaviour in school settings.

Difficulties coping with emotions safely without causing harm to self or others.

CAMHS support

Not everyone who has experienced ACEs, or has experienced some difficulties in their attachments may need CAMHS support. But, CAMHS can offer advice and support in a number of ways to help children and young people manage some of the impacts of ACEs, or after having difficulties within early attachment relationships.

Because ACEs affect everyone differently, CAMHS professionals will always complete an assessment to try and find out what has happened to you and how it is affecting you so that the right support can be arranged.

Sometimes CAMHS will work with parents or carers to think about how they can support their child to cope with what has happened and provide healthier care to help their child develop. CAMHS may also provide family therapy or other ways of working together with parents and children together. Finally, it can also sometimes be useful for children and young people to have their own support, and CAMHS may offer a range of different types of therapy or support, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which helps with anxiety, depression and trauma amongst other things, or Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) which also helps with trauma. However, the young person may need other support first to help them learn ways to cope with or manage strong feelings or other difficulties, or to help them spend time building up trust with the CAMHS professional. We can also help link young people up with other local community services, if this is what they want.

What can I / my carers do to help me?

Parents and carers have a responsibility to keep children and young people safe from harm and sometimes need support themselves to protect families from ACEs. Seeking to learn about and adopt healthy caring styles can make a big difference.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Attachment - Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The experiences we have early in our lives and particularly in our early childhoods have a huge impact on how we grow and develop, our physical and mental health, and our thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Two important factors to think about when considering our mental wellbeing, are the quality of our attachment relationships and our [...]

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Drea Freeman - Trauma 9: Grief and anxiety from Sex Abused Victims 

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Drea Freeman - Trauma 9: Grief and anxiety from Sex Abused Victims 

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May students suffer from grief and anxiety in different ways. Some students however this take a very big toll on them and their behavior towards things. For example,

Cognitive

-Extreme sadness

-Withdrawn from everything and everyone around them

-Lack of communication

-Lost of hope

-Jumpy

- Unable to pay attention

Social and Emotional

-Anxiety

-Easley frightened

-Irritability

-Felling guilty

-Difficulties with emotion regulation and impulse control -angry outbursts

- aggression

-increased distress

-Emotional numbness

-isolation

-detachment

Language and Communication

-expressing thoughts and feelings

-eye contact

-to keep others at a distance

-Use of hurtful language towards self and others

Physical

-Increased somatic complaints (e.g., headaches and stomachaches)

-Over- or under-reacting to stimuli (e.g., getting startled easily [or not at all] by bells, physical contact, doors slamming, sirens)

-Increased activity level (e.g., fidgeting, getting out of seat)

-Withdrawal from other people and activities

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Symptoms: Telling peers and teachers that they are hungry,physically tired,less engaged

Response strategies: making sure that if she/he has enough food in this home lunch box(he/she eats at school canteen),

if persists,contact parents through email or in person to talk about the issue

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Students who have experienced natural disasters may carry trauma related to those events.

symptoms: keep flashing back their past experience(disaster,in this case),fear,insecurity,lack of courage in their learning

Response stategies: making sure that the classroom is safe and secured,avoiding any sensitive issues related to natural disaster

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4 Scenarios of Traumatic Stress (Martin)

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4 Scenarios of Traumatic Stress (Martin)

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Different scenarios can cause traumatic stress in students, and each one has its own symptoms and ways to deal with them. Here are some situations, along with possible signs and ways to deal with them:

Bullying or cyberbullying:

Symptoms include anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, poor school success, and physical pain.

Strategies for Responding: Make sure the student has a safe place to talk, start anti-bullying programs, encourage peer support, and, if necessary, get mental health doctors involved.

Family problems, like divorce and physical violence:

Symptoms include changes in behavior, anger, mood swings, worsening school achievement, and missing school.

Response Strategies: Give emotional support, get in touch with school counselors, make sure there is a regular schedule at school, and if needed, send the student to outside support services.

Death of a Family Member or Friends:

Grief, sadness, anger, trouble focusing, and trouble sleeping are some of the symptoms.

Responses: Give the student time to grieve, offer counseling, keep the lines of communication open, and be kind and patient.

Experiencing or seeing abuse or violence:

Signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) include nightmares, flashbacks, fear, and staying away from certain scenarios.

Response strategies include making the child feel safe, giving them access to trauma-informed therapy, working closely with parents and other caregivers, and being there for them all the time.

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students from families with financial instability (Ermias)

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students from families with financial instability (Ermias)

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symptoms: Poor academic performance,limitations of access to resources such as stationery,textbooks and transportation

Response stategies:

Create a Welcoming Environment:

Ensure that your classroom or learning environment is inclusive and welcoming. Make students feel valued and accepted regardless of their financial circumstances.

Be Mindful of Language:

Avoid activities or discussions that may inadvertently highlight economic disparities. Choose inclusive language that doesn't make students uncomfortable about their financial situation.

Connect with Families:

Establish open communication with parents or guardians. Learn about the family's needs, and offer support in a non-judgmental manner. This could involve regular check-ins or parent-teacher conferences.

Provide Resources:

Share information about available resources within the school or community. This may include school supplies, food assistance programs, or extracurricular activities with financial aid options.

Offer Flexible Assignments:

Be flexible with assignments and due dates. Understand that students may have responsibilities at home that could affect their ability to complete tasks within typical timeframes.

Access to Technology:

Ensure that students have access to necessary technology for learning. Work with the school or community to provide laptops, internet access, or other essential tools.

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Symptoms: Increased worry, fear, or nervousness at the health of their family members.

Mood swings: sudden and noticeable changes in mood, from irritability to sadness, social withdrawal, decline in grades, academic engagement, isolation from peers, difficulty communicating, alterations in friendships, forgetfulness,

Response strategies:

.Create a supportive and understanding environment in the classroom.

.Encourage open communication, but respect the student's privacy if they're not ready to share.

.Provide flexibility with assignments and offer additional academic support.

.Collaborate with school counselors to offer emotional support and coping strategies.

.Encourage positive interactions with peers and foster a supportive peer network.

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students who have had a near-death experience(Ermias)

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students who have had a near-death experience(Ermias)

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symptoms:

Difficulty concentrating,decline in academic performace,fatigue,sleep disturbances,memory difficulties,intrusive thoughts,flashbaks,anxiety,depression,fear of death

Response strategies:

Create a Safe and Understanding Environment:

Foster a safe and understanding classroom environment where students feel comfortable expressing their feelings without judgment.

Encourage open communication but respect the student's choice if they prefer not to discuss the experience. Let them know you are there to listen.

Connect the student with mental health professionals, such as school counselors or therapists, who specialize in trauma.

Implement trauma-informed practices in the classroom, recognizing the potential impact of trauma and adjusting teaching approaches accordingly.

Help the student understand that their reactions are normal responses to a traumatic event. Validate their feelings and experiences.

Be flexible with academic expectations, providing extensions on assignments and understanding if the student needs additional support.

Teach and encourage healthy coping skills, such as mindfulness, deep breathing exercises, or other stress reduction techniques.

Collaborate with the student's support network, including parents, family members, and friends, to create a holistic support system.

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symptoms:irregulat attendance at school,lack of stability,limited access to resources,stigma and shame,social withdrawal,mental health concern,lack of hygiene and basic amenities,increased vulnerability to illness,frequent school changes,difficulty keeping up with assignments,challenges affording basic necessities,become dropout.

response strategies:

Raise Awareness:

. Conduct training for school staff to increase awareness of the signs of homelessness and how to identify homeless students.

.Provide Immediate Resources:

Basic Necessities: Ensure homeless students have access to basic necessities such as hygiene products, school supplies, and clothing.

Facilitate participation in school meal programs and consider providing additional support for meals during weekends and holidays.

Counseling Services: Offer counseling services to address the emotional and mental health needs of homeless students.

Establish safe spaces within the school where students can seek support and share their experiences without fear of judgment

Provide flexibility in scheduling and assignment deadlines to accommodate the challenges of homelessness.

Provide transportation assistance to ensure that homeless students can attend school regularly, especially if they are living in temporary shelters.

Establish partnerships with local organizations, shelters, and agencies to enhance the support network available to homeless students.

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Symptoms:

Social and Emotional challenges

Lack of Support

Academic Disruptions

Behavior changes

Educational Disadvantages

Response Strategies

Assign a buddy or Mentor

Connects with Parents and teachers

Create a welcoming Environment

Offer Extra help and Resources

Assess Academic needs

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Amy Ellen Schwartz, Leanna Stiefel, Sarah A. Cordes; Moving Matters: The Causal Effect of Moving Schools on Student Performance. Education Finance and Policy 2017; 12 (4): 419-446. doi: https://doi.org/10.1162/edfp_a_00198

Download citation file:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Moving Matters: The Causal Effect of Moving Schools on Student Performance

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Abstract. Policy makers and analysts often view the reduction of student mobility across schools as a way to improve academic performance. Prior work indicates that children do worse in the year of a school move, but has been largely unsuccessful in isolating the causal effects of mobility.

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Abuse comes in many different forms, and needs to be addressed according to the type of trauma, though some trauma sensitive techniques may be helpful to all

1. Accident/Injury (acute; a one time event)

Symptoms:

-Regression in independence, emotionally and physically

-re-enacting/describing event over and over

-sensitive to triggers related to the accident ie sudden noise (for example, in the case of a car accident)

Strategies:

-Allow them a safe space to express their feelings

-Give them a way to retell/role play the event in a supported way

-Emphasizing the regular routine

2. Chronic Illness (chronic; repeated stressful events)

Symptoms:

-delayed development/regression

-social anxiety due to isolation

-diffulties with cognitive skills/executive functioning

Strategies:

-Have a peer support system in place

-Scaffolding and modeling interactions

-Having an individual learning plan

3. Physical Abuse (chronic)

Symptoms:

-physical marks or injury

-difficulty managing emotions, or behaviors

-senstitive to stimuli

Strategies:

-Be predictable in routine and clear about consequences (ie. never physical)

-Have school be a safe space, mentally and physically

-Try to remove child from situation/prevent child from entering into similar situation

4. Bullying (chronic)

Symptoms:

-Anxiety

-Avoiding previously liked activities

-changes in eating or sleeping habits

Strategies:

-Explicit anti-bullying in the curriculum

-Teacher invention in conflict

-Modeling and teaching empathy

5. Displacment/Homelessness (complex; continuous with multiple elements)

Symptoms:

-Children without homes may not be groomed

-May have few resources and be unable to complete work outside of school

-Anxiety/clinginess

Strategies:

-Stress management strategies

-Allow students to demonstrate strengths

-Connect with oganizations in the community

6. Neglect (Complex)

Symptoms:

-delayed development, especially speech

-difficulty in creating attached relationships

-poor concentration/executive function

Strategies:

-Meeting with colleagues to discuss trauma sensitive techniques

-avoid punishments that focus on symptoms

-Be consistent

https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/trauma-informed-teaching-tips/

https://childabuse.stanford.edu/screening/signs.html

https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/about-child-trauma

https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/spring-2016/responding-to-trauma-in-your-classroom

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Symptoms:

Feelings of guilt or that they should have been able to prevent the suicide

Drug and alcohol abuse

Depression

Response Strategies

Assign a crisis response team to help manage the school response

Identify students who might be more greatly affected by the suicide and offer them support

Inform the student body in small groups such as homeroom

Monitor social media sites where students might communicate about the incident

https://sprc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/AfteraSuicideToolkitforSchools-3.pdf

https://childmind.org/article/supporting-children-after-the-suicide-of-a-classmate/