Trauma and Young Children

Trauma Is in Children’s Lives—But So Are You

The world can be a confusing, frightening place to young children. More than ever, early childhood educators need accurate information and practical guidance for helping children and families who have experienced trauma. Following a healing-centered approach to working with children ages 3–6, this book provides an understanding of

• What trauma is, what causes it, and its potential effects on the brain and learning
• Why your relationships with children and families are critical to promoting healing
• How to create trauma-informed programs and implement practices that support children and families
• How to care for your own well-being
• The thread of hope woven throughout will encourage you as you help children and families find a path forward—not only to survive but also to flourish.

“Trauma-informed care is now an absolutely essential component of developmentally appropriate practice for all children, teachers, and early education programs. Grounded in the science of child development, this important book provides effective strategies for supporting the healthy development of every child and teacher during the most challenging and stressful times in recent history. --Sue Bredekamp, Early Childhood Education Consultant and Author”

Early childhood educators are seeking to better understand the effects of trauma on the development of children and asking for concrete strategies to support them. This wonderfully written book addresses that need in a clear and compassionate way.—Whitcomb Hayslip, Early Childhood Education Consultant and former Assistant Superintendent for ECE, Los Angeles Unified School District -- Whitcomb Hayslip
This comprehensive resource could not be more timely. Increasingly, early childhood educators must understand and know how to address the effects of traumatic experiences on young children’s well-being and ability to learn. The authors have given us the what, why, and how of trauma-informed teaching to empower us to respond in positive, constructive ways to help all children thrive.—Diane Trister Dodge, Early Childhood Curriculum Specialist and Founder, Teaching Strategies, LLC -- Diane Trister Dodge
Trauma-informed care is now an absolutely essential component of developmentally appropriate practice for all children, teachers, and early education programs. Grounded in the science of child development, this important book provides effective strategies for supporting the healthy development of every child and teacher during the most challenging and stressful times in recent history.—Sue Bredekamp, Early Childhood Education Consultant and Author -- Sue Bredekamp
The power of Trauma and Young Children: Teaching Strategies to Support and Empower comes from its strength-centered principles and the hundreds of practical activities that translate these principles into action. This book can be your go-to source on using a healing-centered approach to trauma for years to come.—Ellen Galinsky, Author of Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs -- Ellen Galinsky
Early childhood educators are not therapists, so what specifically can we do to implement trauma-informed care? Start by reading this excellent presentation of strategies that support and empower children. This book is a useful blend of the field’s foundational developmentally appropriate practice principles applied to the best of what we know about trauma-informed care.—Valora Washington, CEO, The CAYL Institute -- Valora Washington
Trauma and Young Children clearly lays out why and, more important, how all early learning programs can benefit from incorporating a trauma-informed approach. It offers an important set of tools for early educators to meet children where they are.—Meredith Downing, Manager of Learning, Wonderschool -- Meredith Downing
The authors provide specific strategies to mitigate and buffer the effects of toxic stress on young children. These practical application techniques are precisely what teachers need.—Christine Schull, Professor of Early Childhood Development, Northern Virginia Community College Alexandria -- Christine Schull
An invaluable resource for all who work with young children and their families, this book offers detailed guidance on how to recognize the impact of childhood trauma, work with experts to turn fearful situations into hopeful outcomes, and maintain your own health, sense of well-being, and optimism.—E. Dollie Wolverton, Retired Chief of Education, Head Start Bureau -- E. Dollie Wolverton

Sarah Erdman is an experienced early childhood educator and museum professional in Northern Virginia. Her research and professional practice explore how museums and educators can connect to make meaningful experiences for young children. Sarah teaches at FB Meekins Cooperative Preschool and serves on the board of the Northern Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children. She brings her experience as a mother and educator to all the work she does and is a committed advocate for educators and young children.

She is a graduate of the University of Maine and earned a MAT in Museum Education from The George Washington University and an AAS in Early Childhood Development from the Northern Virginia Community College. Sarah founded Cabinet of Curiosities LLC and has served as the early childhood consultant for institutions such as the National Museum of American History, the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum and The Phillips Collection. She is also a skilled trainer working with both early childhood educators and museum professionals.

Sarah was the creator and editor of The Care and Keeping of Museum Professionals, a collection of reflective essays on the state of the museum field. She has also published extensively in NAEYC’s Young Children and Teaching Young Children as well as contributing to publications of the American Alliance of Museums, the National Museum of American History and the National Science Teachers Association.

Laura J. Colker , EdD, is the President of L.J. Colker & Associates in Washington, DC. She is an author, lecturer, and trainer in early childhood education with 40 years of experience. She has written or co-authored over 150 publications and contributed to the development of 45 educational videos and PBS programs. Dr. Colker is most widely known as a co-author of The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, now in its 6th edition. She is also a co-author of The Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care and the first edition of The Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers, and Twos. Her two most recent books are High-Quality Early Childhood Programs: The What, Why, and How and Making Lemonade: Teaching Young Children How to Think Optimistically. Both books are co-authored with Derry Koralek.

For nine years, Colker was a contributing editor to Teaching Young Children, NAEYC’s journal for preschool teachers. She has also been a consultant to Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), The Council for Professional Development, Zero to Three, WestEd, the Head Start Bureau, NACCRA (now Child Care Aware), the University of Minnesota, Sonoma State University, the Los Angeles Unified School District, all of the military services’ child development programs, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and numerous other education-related institutions and organizations.

Elizabeth C. Winter, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist living in Baltimore, MD. She is a Senior Physician with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General and a faculty member of the Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Winter began her career in private practice, providing medication management and psychotherapy. While in private practice, she became the co-director of the Johns Hopkins Anxiety Disorders Clinic, a tertiary consultation service providing in depth evaluations, formulations, and treatment recommendations. After leaving private practice, Dr. Winter was the medical director of a dual diagnosis facility in Maryland before joining the faculty of University of Maryland as an inpatient hospitalist. She joined the VA OIG in 2018.

Dr. Winter has worked in medical student and resident education for over 10 years at Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland. In addition to individual mentoring, clerkship lectures, and seminars, Dr. Winter developed a 6-month long curriculum on the diagnosis and management of anxiety disorders for third year psychiatry residents in the subspecialty clinic rotation. She has published extensively in academic journals, book chapters, and articles for the general public on issues related to psychiatry.

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