The first five years of a child’s life are a time of both great opportunity and vulnerability. Early
childhood lays the groundwork for physical, emotional, social and intellectual development later in life. The human brain grows more quickly during infancy and early childhood than at any other time. However, adverse environments and experiences during these early years can have a critical impact on development and subsequent functioning of the brain and biological systems, leading to lifelong threats to educational attainment and health.
Channel: Early Childhood
How Schools Use Brain Science To Help Traumatized Kids Heal and Learn
Positive Parenting Tips – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
As a parent you give your children a good start in life—you nurture, protect and guide them. Parenting is a process that prepares your child for independence. As your child grows and develops, there are many things you can do to help your child. These links will help you learn more about your child’s development, positive parenting, safety, and health at each stage of your child’s life.
Developmental Milestones for Children – CDC
Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye bye” are called developmental milestones. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, act, and move (crawling, walking, etc.).
MyPre-K (in Kentucky)
My Pre-K is for parents, caregivers, and anyone in Kentucky looking for an easy way to find programs and opportunities in their community before entering Kindergarten.
Embedding the Brain Story: To Catalyze Sustainable Change For Children And Families
The Alberta Family Wellness Initiative has targeted key leverage points across all the major systems, addressing early childhood development and its connection to later physical and mental health outcomes, including addiction.
Trauma-Sensitive School Checklist
A trauma–sensitive school is a safe and respectful environment that enables students to build caring relationships with adults and peers, self-regulate their emotions and behaviors, and succeed academically, while supporting their physical health and well-being.
Supporting Students Experiencing Childhood Trauma: Tips for Parents and Educators
Schools have a unique opportunity and responsibility to help these children recover from trauma and develop the skills necessary to experience academic and social success. This begins with educating school personnel on trauma and effective interventions.
Project AWARE Ohio: Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education
Project AWARE Ohio is a partnership between the Ohio Department of Education, the Center for School Based-Mental Health Programs at Miami University and the educational service centers within three pilot communities: Cuyahoga County, Warren County and Wood County. Funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Project AWARE Ohio supports schools and communities in:
- Raising awareness of behavioral health issues among school-aged youth;
- Providing training to detect and respond to mental health challenges and crisis in children and young adults; and
- Increasing access to behavioral health supports for children, youth and families.
Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators
The Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators was developed to provide school administrators, teachers, staff, and concerned parents with basic information about working with traumatized children in the school system.
Research suggests that approximately 25% of American children will experience at least one traumatic event by the age of 16. A child’s reactions to trauma can interfere considerably with learning and/or behavior at school. However, schools also serve as a critical system of support for children who have experienced trauma.