{"id":146,"date":"2016-03-06T07:45:28","date_gmt":"2016-03-06T07:45:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/advokids.wpengine.com\/?page_id=146"},"modified":"2021-11-09T14:48:19","modified_gmt":"2021-11-09T22:48:19","slug":"trauma-informed-child-welfare-practice","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/adevine.io\/advokids-backup\/childhood-mental-health\/trauma-informed-child-welfare-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"Trauma Informed Child Welfare Practice"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fl-builder-content fl-builder-content-146 fl-builder-global-templates-locked\" data-post-id=\"146\"><div class=\"fl-row fl-row-fixed-width fl-row-bg-none fl-node-56dbe02fbb0bd\" data-node=\"56dbe02fbb0bd\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-row-content-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"uabb-row-separator uabb-top-row-separator\" >\r\n<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"fl-row-content fl-row-fixed-width fl-node-content\">\n\t\t\n<div class=\"fl-col-group fl-node-56dbe02fbd822\" data-node=\"56dbe02fbd822\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"fl-col fl-node-56dbe02fbdc58\" data-node=\"56dbe02fbdc58\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-col-content fl-node-content\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-module fl-module-rich-text fl-node-56dbe0328ea7a\" data-node=\"56dbe0328ea7a\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-module-content fl-node-content\">\n\t\t<div class=\"fl-rich-text\">\n\t<h1>Trauma Informed Child Welfare Practice<\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-20420 \" src=\"https:\/\/adevine.io\/advokids-backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/social_worker_child.png\" alt=\"social_worker_child\" width=\"358\" height=\"358\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adevine.io\/advokids-backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/social_worker_child.png 250w, https:\/\/adevine.io\/advokids-backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/social_worker_child-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 358px) 100vw, 358px\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"a1\" class=\"_mPS2id-t mPS2id-target\">All children in the child welfare system have been neglected, abused, or abandoned. By definition these children have suffered trauma. They have been traumatized in their homes of origin and they suffer further trauma if they are moved about in foster care, neglected, abused or poorly placed. This experience of trauma increases vulnerability to stress, affects the capacity to problem solve, and results in a resistance to change. If these children are misunderstood as behavior disordered or mentally ill then their care and treatment will be ineffective in meeting their needs and possibly destructive to their development beyond the damage done by the trauma they experience.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0px;\">\u201cUnless caregivers [and professionals] understand the nature of trauma reenactments, they are likely to label the child as \u2018oppositional\u2019, \u2018rebellious\u2019, \u2018unmotivated\u2019, or \u2018anti-social\u2019.\u201d\u00a0 Bessel A. van der Kolk, M.D. <a href=\"https:\/\/traumaticstressinstitute.org\/wp-content\/files_mf\/1276541701VanderKolkDvptTraumaDis.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Developmental Trauma Disorder<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"fl-col fl-node-56dbe02fbdca9 fl-col-small\" data-node=\"56dbe02fbdca9\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-col-content fl-node-content\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-module fl-module-rich-text fl-node-56dbe0572912f\" data-node=\"56dbe0572912f\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-module-content fl-node-content\">\n\t\t<div class=\"fl-rich-text\">\n\t<p class=\"toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#top\">Trauma Informed Child Welfare Practice<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#a1\">Trauma Informed Practice involves a Paradigm Shift<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#a2\">Operationalizing a Trauma- Informed Practice<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#a3\">Relationship-Based Therapy \u2013 One Significant Component<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#a4\">Traumatized Children Require Comprehensive Trauma-Informed Assessment, Trauma Informed Treatment and a Total Environment that is Trauma Sensitive<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#a5\">Comprehensive Assessment is the Foundation<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#a6\">Assessment Guidelines for Infants and Young Children<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#a7\">Trauma In Infancy and Early Childhood<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#tram1\">The Bottom Line<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"fl-col-group fl-node-5964f12e9bca1\" data-node=\"5964f12e9bca1\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"fl-col fl-node-5964f12e9bfab\" data-node=\"5964f12e9bfab\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-col-content fl-node-content\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-module fl-module-rich-text fl-node-5964f1373208b\" data-node=\"5964f1373208b\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-module-content fl-node-content\">\n\t\t<div class=\"fl-rich-text\">\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Trauma Informed Practice Involves a Paradigm Shift<\/h3>\n<p>In order to ensure that children in the child welfare system receive effective care that meets their needs, a trauma informed practice involves a paradigm shift in how these children are treated.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The focus should be \u201cWhat Happened to You?\u201d not \u201cWhat is Wrong with You?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>The child should be viewed as injured, not as behaviorally bad or emotionally ill or genetically flawed.<\/li>\n<li>The child\u2019s responses or behavior were adaptive in a neglectful\/abusive environment.<br \/>\nHowever, in a normal environment these responses may be seriously maladaptive.<\/li>\n<li>The move to a safe environment, alone, may not change the child\u2019s behavior.<\/li>\n<li id=\"a2\" class=\"_mPS2id-t mPS2id-target\">Structural changes may have occurred in the child\u2019s brain itself.<\/li>\n<li>If the child is failing, the care and treatment is not providing what the child needs.<\/li>\n<li>It is not the child failing the treatment program, it is the program failing the child.<\/li>\n<li>Trauma-informed assessment, treatment, and environment are essential.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Jim Henry, Mark A. Sloane, Frank Vandervort: <em>Building Resilience in Traumatized Children. \u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/wmich.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/attachments\/u248\/2013\/Building%20Resilience%20in%20Traumatized%20Children1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Power Point Presentation<\/a> August 15, 2012.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"a2\" class=\"_mPS2id-t\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">a2<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Operationalizing a Trauma-Informed Practice<\/h3>\n<p>The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, recognizing the importance of institutionalizing child trauma research, developed a trauma-informed child welfare model of practice, which includes:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Support positive and stable relationships in the life of the child.<\/li>\n<li>Maximizing the child\u2019s sense of safety.<\/li>\n<li>Services to the child should be guided by a thorough assessment of the child\u2019s experiences and their impact on the child\u2019s development.<\/li>\n<li>Assist children in reducing overwhelming emotion.<\/li>\n<li>Help children make new meaning of their trauma history and current experiences.<\/li>\n<li id=\"a3\" class=\"_mPS2id-t\">Address the impact of trauma and subsequent changes in the child\u2019s behavior, development and relationships.<\/li>\n<li>Provide support and guidance to the child\u2019s family and caregivers.<\/li>\n<li>Coordinate services with other agencies.<\/li>\n<li>Manage professional and personal stress.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"citation\">Connie Black-Pond, James Henry\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com\/MICHBAR\/70fe0e3d-cc9a-4bd8-a671-71c4746d1d0b\/UploadedImages\/pdfs\/journal\/winter08.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>A Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Systems Practice: The Essential Elements<\/em><\/a>. Michigan Child Welfare Law Journal. p 11- 23 Winter 2008.\u00a0 <em>See also<\/em>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.childwelfare.gov\/pubpdfs\/child-trauma.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.childwelfare.gov<\/a> for resources on how to parent, train and\/or educate children that have experienced trauma.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"a2\" class=\"_mPS2id-t\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">a<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-28421 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/adevine.io\/advokids-backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-09-at-2.31.11-PM-218x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"255\" height=\"351\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adevine.io\/advokids-backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-09-at-2.31.11-PM-218x300.png 218w, https:\/\/adevine.io\/advokids-backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Screen-Shot-2021-11-09-at-2.31.11-PM.png 515w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 255px) 100vw, 255px\" \/><\/p>\n<h4>\"Safe stable, nurturing relationships and environments are important for preventing child abuse and neglect and other adverse experiences.\"<\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Violence Prevention released a guide of proposed strategies to combat child maltreatment in communities titled <a href=\"https:\/\/adevine.io\/advokids-backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Essentials-for-Childhood-Steps-to-Crea...rturing-Relationships-and-Environments.pdf\">Essentials for Childhood- Steps to Create Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships and Environments<\/a>.\u00a0 Anyone attempting to inform and\/or educate parties responsible for making placement changes and decisions for a child or youth in foster care, is encouraged to consider sharing this guide.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>For more information on the importance of safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/violenceprevention\/childabuseandneglect\/essentials.html\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"a2\" class=\"_mPS2id-t\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">a<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3>Trauma Informed Legal Practice<\/h3>\n<p>With regard to legal representation of children in foster care, trauma-informed legal practice can strengthen legal advocacy, improve attorney-client relationships, and ensure appropriate screening, in-depth assessment, and evidence-based treatment. In addition, awareness of secondary traumatic stress can improve prevention, identification, and self-care among legal professionals. \u00a0See <a href=\"https:\/\/www.americanbar.org\/content\/dam\/aba\/administrative\/child_law\/TRAUMA%20What%20Child%20Welfare%20Attorneys%20Should%20Know.authcheckdam.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\"Trauma: What child welfare attorneys should know,\"<\/a> National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Justice Consortium Attorney Workgroup Subcommittee (2017) informational guide released by the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Relationship - Based Therapy - One Significant Component<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cThis [case study] follows a five-year treatment of a little girl in foster care\u2026It is full of enactments, demonstrating the pervasive nature of unprocessed trauma where felt experiences of the child\u2019s history reverberate in unremembered form throughout the system. It focuses on the way children with multiple placements in long-term foster care repeatedly reenact their traumatic, disassociated experiences of early and recurring loss. The recurring reenactments take different forms as the child develops chronologically, but the undergirding theses of abandonment, destruction, and loss of self pervade. When these unformulated affective memories are triggered by way of environment, the child often reenacts in destructive and aggressive ways that neither they nor important others can understand\u2026For many children in foster care the ever-changing environment is without continuity or memory.\u201d \u00a0Chapter Nine, page 136.<\/p>\n<p>For this and other illustrative case studies see: <em><strong>Treating Trauma: Relationship-Based Psychotherapy with Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults<\/strong><\/em> edited by Toni V. Heineman, June M. Clausen, and Saralyn C. Ruff, Jason Aranson (2013).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"fl-col-group fl-node-5964f237c8652\" data-node=\"5964f237c8652\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"fl-col fl-node-5964f237c88cb\" data-node=\"5964f237c88cb\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-col-content fl-node-content\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-module fl-module-rich-text fl-node-5964f237c8485\" data-node=\"5964f237c8485\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-module-content fl-node-content\">\n\t\t<div class=\"fl-rich-text\">\n\t<p>Connie Black-Pond and James Henry provide a helpful matrix of how various people may provide a child in the welfare system with positive and stable relationships:<\/p>\n<div>\n<table id=\"box1\" style=\"width: 1100px; height: 386px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 1091.2px;\" colspan=\"2\">BOX 1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\"><strong>Role<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\"><strong>Trauma-Informed Activity<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\">Child Welfare Worker<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\">Frequent contact with child. Willingness to listen. Inform without making promises.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\">Court<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\">Provide orders to support contacts with important people in child\u2019s life.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\">Resource Parents<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\">Respect child\u2019s distrust. Build relationship through predictability.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\">Mental Health<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\">Relationship building as foundation to therapy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\">Medical<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\">Provide continuity in care. Obtain medical and trauma history.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\">Schools<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\">Develop relationships with children that provide safety and predictability<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>Connie Black-Pond, James Henry, <a href=\"https:\/\/higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com\/MICHBAR\/70fe0e3d-cc9a-4bd8-a671-71c4746d1d0b\/UploadedImages\/pdfs\/journal\/winter08.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>A Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Systems Practice: The Essential Elements<\/em><\/a>. Michigan Child Welfare Law Journal. pp. 11-23 Winter 2008.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"a4\" class=\" _mPS2id-t\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">a4<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Traumatized Children Require a <em>Comprehensive<\/em> Trauma Informed Assessment, Trauma Informed Treatment and a Total Environment That Is Trauma Sensitive<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cMost traumatized children now do not even receive a proper mental health assessment. Moreover, hundreds of thousands of them are numbed by powerful drugs that help control their \u201cbad behavior,\u201d but that do not deal with the imprint of terror and helplessness on their minds and brains. Drugs can sedate, but they do not help children deal with trauma \u2013 in fact, they may prevent recovery by interfering with learning and the formation of relationships, essential preconditions for becoming functioning adults.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"citation\">Bessel A. van der Kolk, M.D. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2011\/05\/11\/opinion\/11kolk.html?_r=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Post-Traumatic Childhood<\/em><\/a>. New York Times, May 10, 2011, page A-25.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u2026we must first know how children are experiencing what they are exposed to if we want to determine what might be the most helpful and appropriate trauma-informed response\u2026.if the child\u2019s experience involves terror, worry, guilt, feeling powerless, then that event may become traumatic.\u201d p. 4, 7<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen we say someone is experiencing trauma, the one word that best describes that experience is terror. We define terror as feeling totally unsafe and powerless.\u201d p.8<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNeuroscience has confirmed that trauma is experienced in the mid brain and lower brain, sometimes referred to as the \u201cfeeling\u201d brain or the \u201csurvival\u201d brain. Reason and logic, the ability to make sense of what has happened and act according simply are not accessible in trauma.\u201d p.8<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNeuroscience documents that children in trauma are governed predominantly by the sensations associated with their traumatic memories \u2013 the sounds, smells, sensations of touch and visual memories. When these senses are triggered or activated by similar sensations associated with a real or even a perceived sense of impending danger, they don\u2019t <strong>think<\/strong> but <strong>act<\/strong> on their senses.\u201d p.9<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt this moment children need to experience something that is calming, soothing, familiar, safe; something they have engaged in previously that has allowed them to feel safe and in control\u2026We can <strong>then<\/strong> verbalize we are there to help them. We can clarify what happened and what activated their survival response.\u201d p. 10<\/p>\n<p>It is therefore essential that the child\u2019s entire environment \u2013 caregivers, school, after-school programs, child welfare system, and therapy \u2014 is trauma-informed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"citation\"><a href=\"https:\/\/starr.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/TLC-Whitepaper.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Advancing Trauma-Informed Practices: Bringing Trauma-Informed, Resilience-Focused Care to Children, Adolescents, Families, Schools, and Communities<\/em> <\/a>The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Connie Black-Pond and James Henry provide a helpful matrix of how to ensure that a child in the welfare system has trauma-informed assessment:<\/p>\n<div>\n<table id=\"box3\" style=\"height: 454px; width: 1100px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 1091.2px;\" colspan=\"2\">BOX 3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\"><strong>Role<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\"><strong>Trauma-Informed Activity<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\">Child Welfare Worker<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\">Obtain trauma history. Make referral for trauma-informed assessment.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\">Court<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\">Order trauma-informed assessments on all children entering foster care.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\">Resource Parents<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\">Participate in assessment, providing observations and support. Obtain results through consultation with evaluator\/therapist.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\">Mental Health<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\">Conduct or refer for comprehensive trauma assessments.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\">Medical<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\">Coordinate with the assessment process and consider treatment options that maximize a child\u2019s functioning.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 280.8px;\">Schools<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 804.8px;\">Provide input including classroom observations. Utilize findings to support safety plans, academic support, and social support in the child\u2019s plan.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>Connie Black-Pond, James Henry,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com\/MICHBAR\/70fe0e3d-cc9a-4bd8-a671-71c4746d1d0b\/UploadedImages\/pdfs\/journal\/winter08.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>A Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Systems Practice: The Essential Elements<\/em>.<\/a> Michigan Child Welfare Law Journal. p.17 Winter 2008.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"fl-col-group fl-node-5964f1e3a4719\" data-node=\"5964f1e3a4719\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"fl-col fl-node-5964f1e3a4a27\" data-node=\"5964f1e3a4a27\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-col-content fl-node-content\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-module fl-module-rich-text fl-node-5964f190a746a\" data-node=\"5964f190a746a\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-module-content fl-node-content\">\n\t\t<div class=\"fl-rich-text\">\n\t<p><a id=\"a5\" class=\" _mPS2id-t mPS2id-target\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">a5<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Comprehensive Assessment Is the Foundation<\/h3>\n<p>Assessment forms the foundation for effective practice with children and families. \u00a0Agency risk and safety assessment are often not sufficiently comprehensive.<\/p>\n<p>Comprehensive Assessment Must include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Mental functioning<\/li>\n<li>History of maltreatment<\/li>\n<li>Exposure to violence in the home and community<\/li>\n<li>Loss of significant relationships<\/li>\n<li id=\"a6\" class=\"_mPS2id-t mPS2id-target\">Medical needs<\/li>\n<li>Educational status and needs<\/li>\n<li>Neurodevelopmental functioning<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Must be functional in nature \u2013 not just a paper and pencil test or I.Q. test.<\/p>\n<p class=\"citation\">Frank Vandervort, Mark A. Sloane,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/openminds.com\/market-intelligence\/resources\/121611_trauma-and-children\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Building Resilience in Traumatized Children<\/em><\/a> Power Point Presentation June 26, 2013.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"a6\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">a6<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Assessment Guidelines for Infants and Young Children<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>\u201cAlways use multiple sources of information: \u2018Assessment must be based on an integrated developmental model; involves multiple sources of information and multiple components\u2019, \u2018formal tests or tools should not be the cornerstone of the assessment of an infant or young child\u2019.<\/li>\n<li>The child\u2019s primary relationship is the cornerstone of an assessment: \u2018The child\u2019s relationships and interactions with his most trusted caregiver should form the cornerstone of an assessment\u2019.<\/li>\n<li id=\"a7\" class=\"_mPS2id-t mPS2id-target\">Do not separate child from parents: \u2018Young children should never be challenged during assessment by separation from their parents or familiar caregivers\u2019.<\/li>\n<li>The examiner should know the child: \u2018Young children should never be assessed by a strange examiner\u2019.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p class=\"citation\">S.I Greenspan and S.J. Meisels, (1996) <em>Toward a New Vision for the Developmental Assessment of Infants and Young Children<\/em>. pp. 17, 19, 23, 24 as cited in Connie Lillas and Janiece Turnbull <em>Infant\/Child Mental Health, Early Intervention, and Relationship-Based Therapies<\/em>. (2009) W.W. Norton Co., Inc. New York, pp. 161-162.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"a7\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">a7<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Trauma in Infancy and Early Childhood<\/h3>\n<p>\"Social-emotional and other\u00a0skills are interwoven from birth and develop together in the context of a child\u2019s early experiences. Self-esteem, motivation, persistence, and self-regulation are key indicators of healthy social-emotional development, and result from positive early relationships and stable environments. Healthy social-emotional development also leads to improved academic performance and career prospects, as well as better adult health outcomes. By contrast, growing evidence suggests that poor social-emotional development may contribute to mental illness, obesity, drug dependence, and many other health challenges. It is not difficult to draw connections between how individuals with poor social-emotional skills are challenged personally, and the broader implications for their communities and our country.\"\u00a0Leila Rock and Sarah Crow, <a href=\"http:\/\/toosmall.org\/resources\/TSTF-SED-Whitepaper.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\"Not Just 'Soft Skills': How Young\u00a0Children\u2019s Learning &amp; Health Benefit from\u00a0Strong Social-Emotional Development\"<\/a> Whitepaper by Too Small To Fail.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe causes and symptoms of infant trauma differ from that of older children and adults because very young children are upset or frightened by different things than adults and preverbal children cannot manage intense emotions independently\u2026While chronic stress and trauma can change the adult brain they can seriously alter the <em>organization<\/em> of the infant brain.<\/p>\n<p>[W]hen infants do not get a predictable response to their distress cues, as in situations of neglect, their stress response systems are activated with no resolution. Long term exposure to ongoing elevated stress results in large amounts of cortisol in the brain, which can be toxic to the developing brain and may cause permanent changes in brain structure.<\/p>\n<p>When parents are frightening to infants, such as being physically or emotionally abusive to the infant, violent to one another or consistently unresponsive to their baby\u2019s cues and signals of stress, as in situations of chronic or severe neglect, babies experience intense stress as described above. This type of trauma is referred to as \u2018cumulative\u2019 or \u2018relational\u2019 trauma and has been linked to significant lifelong psychological harm and in extreme cases, to substantial neurological harm.<\/p>\n<p>Babies and young children who are afraid of their caregiver, or who haven\u2019t developed the expectation of a comforting response to distress cues, often have problems with self-regulation. These difficulties can initially appear as problems with feeding\u2026,erratic sleep, inconsolable crying\u2026, extreme passivity or listlessness, primitive and persistent self-soothing behaviors\u2026, and\/or dissociation (distinct period of disorientation or freezing)<\/p>\n<p>The most effective intervention for infant emotional trauma is exposure to high quality, stable, predictable caregiving relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"citation\">Evelyn Witherspoon, Erinn Hawkins, Pamela Gough,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/ocfcpacourts.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Emotional_Trauma_in_infancy_000930.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Emotional Trauma in Infancy.<\/em><\/a> (2009) Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare Information Paper #75E, Canada.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBrain development is actually the process of creating, strengthening, and discarding connections, called synapses, among the neurons. Synapses organize the brain by forming pathways that connect the parts of the brain governing everything we do \u2014 from breathing and sleeping to thinking and feeling\u2026 By the age of 3, a baby\u2019s brain has reached almost 90 percent of its adult size. The growth in each region of the brain largely depends on receiving stimulation, which spurs activity in that region\u2026 If the appropriate exposure does not happen, the pathways developed in anticipation may be discarded\u2026If a child\u2019s caretakers are indifferent or hostile, the child\u2019s brain development may be impaired.<\/p>\n<p>Babies are born with the capacity for <em>implicit memory<\/em>, which means they can perceive their environment and recall it in certain <em>unconscious<\/em> ways\u2026In contrast, <em>explicit memory<\/em>, which develops around age 2, and is tied to language development\u2026allows conscious recollections\u2026 children who have been abused or suffered other trauma may not retain or be able to access explicit memories\u2026However, they may retain implicit memories\u2026, and these may produce flashbacks, nightmares, or other uncontrollable reactions.<\/p>\n<p>An enormous body of research now exists that provides evidence for the long-term damage of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse on babies and children\u2026This chronic stimulation of the brain\u2019s fear response means those regions of the brain are frequently activated. Other regions of the brain, such as those involved in complex thought and abstract cognition, are less frequently activated, and the child becomes less competent at processing this type of information\u2026[E]motional abuse or severe deprivation\u2026may permanently alter the brain\u2019s ability to use serotonin, which helps produce feelings of well-being and emotional stability.<\/p>\n<p>Neglect alone can be devastating\u2026For children to master developmental tasks,\u2026they need opportunities, encouragement, and acknowledgement from their caregivers. If this stimulation is lacking during children\u2019s early years, the weak neuronal pathways that had been developed in expectation of these experiences may wither and die and the children may not achieve the usual developmental milestones\u2026delays may extend to\u2026cognitive-behavioral, socio-emotional, and physical development\u2026severe global neglect can have devastating consequences\u2026 such as significantly smaller brains.<\/p>\n<p>Intensive, early interventions are key to minimizing the long-term effects of early trauma on children\u2019s brain development\u2026In order to heal a damaged or altered brain, interventions must target those portions that have been altered. Because brain functioning is altered by repeated experiences that strengthen and sensitize neuronal pathways, interventions cannot be limited to weekly therapy appointments. Interventions must address the totality of the child\u2019s life, providing frequent, consistent replacement experiences so that the child\u2019s brain can begin to incorporate a new environment \u2013 one that is safe, predictable and nurturing.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.childwelfare.gov\/pubs\/issue-briefs\/brain-development\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Issue Brief. November 2009. <\/a>Child Welfare Information Gateway.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"tram1\" class=\" _mPS2id-t\"><\/a>The Bottom Line<\/h3>\n<p>The research on the most effective treatment to help child trauma victims might be accurately summed up this way: what works best is anything that increases the quality and number of relationships in the child\u2019s life. <strong>Relationships matter<\/strong>. The currency for systemic change is trust, and trust comes through forming healthy relationships.<\/p>\n<p class=\"citation\">Bruce D. Perry and Maia Szalavitz: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/intel-writers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Perry_Bruce_Duncan_Szalavitz_Maia_The_boy_whoz-lib.org_.epub1_.pdf\">The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog: What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love, and Healing<\/a>. <\/em>(2006) Basic Books, p. 80.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p id=\"legal\"><strong>Legal Disclaimer:<\/strong> Advokids provides educational information and resources to those who use our website, call our hotline, or submit requests for information via the website. Any information provided may not be construed as the giving of legal advice to any person about a particular legal matter and should not be relied upon as the basis for taking a particular action or refraining from taking a particular action in any legal matter. If you want or need legal advice about a particular legal matter, you should consult a lawyer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fl-row fl-row-full-width fl-row-bg-none fl-node-5a70ba0016595\" data-node=\"5a70ba0016595\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-row-content-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"uabb-row-separator uabb-top-row-separator\" >\r\n<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"fl-row-content fl-row-full-width fl-node-content\">\n\t\t\n<div class=\"fl-col-group fl-node-5a68ef4eea809\" data-node=\"5a68ef4eea809\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"fl-col fl-node-5a68ef4eea84b\" data-node=\"5a68ef4eea84b\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-col-content fl-node-content\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-module fl-module-rich-text fl-node-5a68ef4eea888\" data-node=\"5a68ef4eea888\">\n\t<div class=\"fl-module-content fl-node-content\">\n\t\t<div class=\"fl-rich-text\">\n\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">5643 Paradise Drive, Suite 12B, Corte Madera, CA 94925\u00a0 \u2022\u00a0 415.924.0587<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">11833 Mississippi Ave. 1st floor, Los Angeles, CA 90025<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><a style=\"color: #ffffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/adevine.io\/advokids-backup\/join-email-list\/\">JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u2022 \u00a0<a style=\"color: #ffffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Advokids\/\">VISIT US ON FACEBOOK<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved | Advokids:\u00a0 A Legal Resource for California Foster Children and Their Advocates<\/span><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"uabb-js-breakpoint\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trauma Informed Child Welfare Practice &nbsp; All children in the child welfare system have been neglected, abused, or abandoned. By definition these children have suffered trauma. They have been traumatized in their homes of origin and they suffer further trauma if they are moved about in foster care, neglected, abused or poorly placed. This experience&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":116,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-146","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Trauma Informed Child Welfare Practice - Advokids: A Legal Resource for California Foster Children and Their Advocates<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Trauma Informed Child Welfare Practice - Advokids: A Legal Resource for California Foster Children and Their Advocates\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/adevine.io\/advokids-backup\/childhood-mental-health\/trauma-informed-child-welfare-practice\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Trauma Informed Child Welfare Practice - 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