Helping Children Adjust to the New Normal Pt 1: Integrating Trauma-Informed and Resilience Building Practices as Students Return to School

The need for resilience building and trauma-informed approaches in schools is extremely high.  The global pandemic and racial unrest in our communities represent major stressors that can affect student learning and mental health and schools must be prepared to meet the social-emotional needs of students returning to school.  Uncertainty and concerns about safety after a long hiatus from normal school routines will likely be high for all children and youth, and many students may also be returning from more severe exposure to major adversity. 
 

In this webinar, we review a working model for a 3-tiered trauma-informed approach to help schools prepare for the return of children and youth to schools.  The working model includes three tiers of interventions: universal, selected and targeted.  The presentation also focuses on practical Tier 1 approaches that can be implemented by teachers and school-based mental health providers to promote safety, self-regulatory skills, and connections among students in a virtual and in-person school environment.
 

Resources:
 

CTAC Tip Sheets:
Helping Students Transition Back to School: Promoting Connections
Helping Students Transition Back to School: Promoting Safety
Helping Students Transition Back to School: Promoting Regulation
 

Emory University's Global Health Institute sponsored a book writing contest to promote awareness building and emotional processing with children.  Click here to access the website.  All of the books focus on the coronavirus with a diverse set of characters that share their feelings about the coronavirus, what adults have been doing to keep kids safe and things kids can do to help.  All of the books are printable and can be used and displayed on-line. Here are some of the winning submissions:

• COVID-19 Helpers 
• Bray Bray Conquers the Coronavirus
• Together: Living Life During the Coronavirus
• We're Going to be Okay
• What Color is Today