Resources for Supporting Students with Trauma

Collaborative Alternate Community Presentation

Shift in practice - from: “What’s wrong with this person?” to “What happened to this person?”

76 % of Canadian adults report some form of trauma exposure in their lifetime 9.2% meet the criteria for PTSD

Factors Influencing a Trauma Response

• Trauma is not just the event itself but rather a response to a stressful experience in which a person’s ability to cope is undermined. Every traumatic experience is different, and each child’s response depends on his or her coping skills, resources and on the context and circumstances in which the stressful event occurs.

Characteristics of the Individual

Characteristics of the Environment

Characteristics of the Traumatic

Event(s)

Childs’ age and stage of development

Prior history of trauma

Intelligence

Strengths and vulnerabilities of personality style; coping and resiliency skills

Individual’s culturally based understanding of the trauma

Immediate reactions of caregivers or those close to child

type of, quality of and access to constructive supports

attitudes and behaviours of first responders and caregivers

Degree of safety afforded the victim in the aftermath

Prevailing community attitudes and values

Cultural and political constructions of gender, race and sexual orientation

Frequency, severity and duration of the event(s)

Degree of physical violence and bodily violation

Level of terror and humiliation involved

Persistence of the threat

Physical and psychological proximity to the event

Neurobiologist Dr. Bruce Perry and his Colleagues at the Child Trauma Academy Explain:

• The most developed areas of a child’s brain are the ones used most frequently. When children live in a persistent state of fear the areas of their brains controlling the fear response can become overdeveloped. “States” can become “Traits”

• The areas of the brain active in fearful states are different from these active in calm states AND it is predominately the areas active in calm states that are required for academic learning.

• The term “plasticity” explains the environment’s enormous influence on the growing child’s developing brian. Our experiences and relationships shape the neuropathways in our brains.

Impact of Trauma on Learning

• affect dysregulation

• shame

• reduced cognitive capacity

• difficulties with memory

• language delays

• need for control

• attachment difficulties

• poor peer relationships

• unstable living situations

The Role of Schools

• Helping children regulate emotions

• Creating safe, predictable school environments

• Managing behaviour and setting limits

• Helping students have a sense of choice and control

• Build on strengths

• Understand the connection between behaviour and emotion

• Avoid labels

• Foster Hope

Supportive Interventions

For Students For Parents and Staff www.mindcheck.ca www.heretohelp.b

c.ca www.youthinbc.comE.P.I. www.psychos

issucks.ca Telephone Helpline(s)Youth Clinic Family DoctorCommunity Mental

Health Community

CounsellingYouth Crisis Response

FORCE www.forcesociety.com Institute of Families

www.instituteoffamilies.cawww.humanstress.caConnect Parenting Group www.heretohelp.bc.cawww.keltymentalhelath.ca www.teenmentalhealth.org http://acestudy.orgwww.childtrauma.orgwww.drdansiegel.comwww.massadvocates.org/documents/HTCL_9-

09.pdfwww.ccyp.vic.gov.au/

childsafetycommissioner/downloads/calmer_classrooms.pdf

http://bccewh.bc.ca/publications-resources/documents/TIP-Guide-May2013.pdf

What we all can do

Know the signs and symptoms of emotional distress and traumaWhen you see signs and symptoms, suspend judgment and ask the

student what is going on. Try to see the perspective of the student Respond with empathy to their emotional concerns Connect by listening, validating what you hear and encouraging

connections with other supports. Let them know you are there for them but expand their circle

of support. Change is often a long and difficult process look for the small

improvements and steps in theright direction Consult discreetly with a trusted colleague, counsellor or administrator. It

is natural to want process these situations with others and to ensure that we have

responded in an appropriate way

Hope

http://www.ted.com/talks/eleanor_longden_the_voices_in_my_head.html