This word has received a lot of attention lately. But what is trauma and how does it affect a child's ability to learn and function well at school? According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Association (SAMHSA), "individual trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life-threatening with lasting adverse effects on the individuals functioning and mental , physical, social, emotional or spiritual well-being" (2019). When trauma occurs before the age of 18, it is referred to as Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACEs. You can learn more about ACE's through the video links below. Nadine Burke Harris' Ted Talk is a great place to start learning about this important topic.
According to the Iowa Trauma Informed Care Project, becoming trauma informed means recognizing that many people often have different types of trauma in their lives. Click the button to read more about their work to help people become trauma informed and trauma sensitive.