Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) underlie what some researchers and clinicians see as the largest unrecognized public health crisis in our nation. Parents, teachers, and childcare providers often experience heightened stress as they care for children who struggle with the emotional, regulatory, and social challenges that can arise from early trauma. Strong adult-child relationships are the ‘super protective factor’ that buffer children against the negative long-term effects of ACES and traumatic stress, and strong adult-adult relationships buffer teachers against the stress of caregiving and vicarious exposure to adverse events.
Listen to Maya Coleman, PhD and Judith Wides, MA, MEd, LMFT, in this call replay as they explore ways that preschool teachers and administrators can incorporate the Hand in Hand tools into their classrooms and programs. These concrete, connection-based, trauma-informed tools help teachers build the strong relationships on which the development of children’s regulatory, attentional, and social skills depend.
Interested in learning more about how to use the Hand in Hand tools in your own practice? Our Professionals Intensive course does just that.