Sept 26, 2017, EdSource: Addressing early childhood trauma requires shift in policy, more training for teachers https://edsource.org/2017/addressing-early-childhood-trauma-requires-shift-in-policy-more-training-for-teachers/587756 For the first time, more than 100 California-based agencies and advocacy groups that have teamed up to raise awareness about the impact of early childhood trauma on families and communities took that effort to state policymakers, urging them to create legislation that can reduce childhood trauma, often associated with long-term illness and academic and behavior problems in school. Early childhood trauma occurs when a child, from birth to age 6, experiences or witnesses a painful and harmful incident, which can include abuse and neglect, domestic violence and loss of, or separation from, a parent. It may also result from high levels of stress associated with living in poverty, according to a recent report titled, “Helping Young Children Who Have Experienced Trauma: Policies and Strategies for Early Care and Education.”... The group’s goal was to urge lawmakers to focus on addressing trauma in current and future legislation. This includes bills that address structural changes in healthcare while also focusing on areas such as education and “promotes collaboration and shared decision-making” across disciplines. 4CA is supporting three bills in the 17-18 legislative cycle, including one that requires “children are assessed for trauma as part of their routine health screening through Medicaid.” A key recommendation from 4CA was to increase training opportunities for professionals who work primarily with children, including teachers. Despite how common trauma is and how damaging it can be to young children, few early childhood educators and programs are prepared to address trauma in schools, according to a recent by the National Center for Children in Poverty that examined policies and strategies around early childhood trauma and education. Without awareness and competency training, it’s difficult for teachers learn how to recognize and respond to trauma appropriately, the report states. ...
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Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.
Anne Dachel, Media editor, Age of Autism
http://www.ageofautism.com/media/
(John Dachel, Tech. assist.)
What will happen in another 4 years? How can we go on like this? This is a national (and international) problem of monumental proportions. We have an entire new class of children who cannot be accommodated by the system: many are manifestly neurologically impaired. Meanwhile, the government and the medical profession sleep on regardless.
John Stone,
UK media editor, Age of Autism
The generation of American children born after 1990 are arguably the sickest generation in the history of our country.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
It seemed to me that with rising autism prevalence, you’d also see rising autism costs to society, and it turns out, the costs are catastrophic.
They calculated that in 2015 autism cost the United States $268 billion and they projected that if autism continues at its current rate, we’re looking at one trillion dollars a year in autism costs by 2025, so within five years.
Toby Rogers, PhD, Political economist
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