Introduction to Childhood Trauma: Resources & Tools for Providers
Child- and family-serving professionals play an important role in helping families break toxic stress cycles and supporting trauma recovery.
In the U.S., more than two-thirds of children have reported at least one traumatic event by age 16. (SAMHSA)
According to SAMHSA’s National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCSTI), potentially traumatic events – also called Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) – include:
- Psychological, physical, or sexual abuse
- Community or school violence
- Witnessing or experiencing domestic violence
- National disasters or terrorism
- Commercial sexual exploitation
- Sudden or violent loss of a loved one
- Refugee or war experiences
- Military family-related stressors (e.g., deployment, parental loss, or injury)
- Physical or sexual assault
- Neglect
- Serious accidents or life-threatening illness
Of the aforementioned traumatic events, the CDC reports that at least 1 in 7 children have experienced child abuse and/or neglect in the past year, and this is likely an underestimate. Further, more than 60 percent of Californians have experienced at least one ACE, and 16.7 percent have experienced four or more. (CDPH/IVPB)
In California, 1 in 3 kids are at risk of toxic stress. (First 5 California)
What is toxic stress? According to First 5 California’s Stronger Starts website, when kids go through difficult or traumatic experiences or ACEs, it can be very stressful on their minds and bodies. If this stress isn’t addressed, it can build up and become toxic, which can lead to lasting challenges and serious health issues. For adults who have experienced their own trauma, toxic stress can make it harder for parents and caregivers to nurture their own kids, sometimes repeating the cycle of trauma. The best way to protect a child from toxic stress is to build them up before tough things happen. With the right support, they can be prepared if that time comes.
Child- and family-serving professionals play an important role in helping families break toxic stress cycles and supporting trauma recovery. Pulling from prior CalTrin trainings that were delivered within our Trauma-Informed Systems Pillar, the resources highlighted in this blog post provide an overview of child trauma, including the prevalence, characteristics, and impact of trauma on children and their families, and tools for early detection and intervention.
Childhood Trauma Tools & Resources
California Training Institute (CalTrin)
Hey, that’s us! Access recordings and materials from prior CalTrin trainings related to childhood trauma, keep an eye on the calendar for upcoming webinars and workshops, and explore our relevant resource collections:
- Training Archive – Revisit recordings and materials from prior CalTrin trainings:
- An Introduction to Child Trauma
- Childhood Exposure to Trauma: Tribal Communities
- Children with Problematic Sexual Behavior
- Healing Interpersonal & Racial Trauma: Integrating Racial Socialization into TF-CBT for Black Youth & Families
- Helping Parents Move Beyond Their Own ACEs
- Historical Trauma in California
- Intervening with Youth with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Who have Experienced Trauma
- Mental Health Matters in Early Childhood
- Nurturing Parent & Child Development
- Parenting Traumatized Infants & Toddlers: Myths vs Facts for 0-5
- Trauma & Resilience in Tribal Communities
- Trauma, Parenting, & Challenging Behaviors (School-Age)
- Trauma, Parenting, and Challenging Behaviors (Adolescent)
- When Trauma Reactions & Neurodevelopmental Disorders Overlap
- Relevant CalTrin Blogs
Note: You will need to log in to your CalTrin account to access the self-paced courses and select archived training materials. You can create a free account here.
ACEs Aware
The ACEs Aware initiative is a first-in-the nation effort to screen patients for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) to help improve and save lives. ACEs Aware strives to create a better world for children, families, and communities by working together across the health, human services, education, and non-profit sectors to prevent and address the impact of ACEs and toxic stress. Explore the following screening tools available at no cost:
- The Pediatric ACES and Related Life Events Screener (PEARLS) is used to screen children and adolescents ages 0-19 for ACEs. This screening tool is available in multiple languages.
- The ACE Questionnaire for Adults is adapted from the work of Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This screening tool is available in multiple languages.
Advancing California’s Trauma-Informed Systems (ACTS)
Advancing California’s Trauma-Informed Systems (ACTS) is a collaboration between the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Office of Child Abuse and Prevention (OCAP) and the Chadwick Center at Rady Children’s Hospital–San Diego. ACTS supports child-serving systems in finding their unique path to advance innovative, trauma-informed change that will support the workforce and lead to improved outcomes for children and families. ACTS has compiled a comprehensive list of evidence-based and trauma-informed resources geared towards child- and family-serving and mental health professionals at all levels. To review a collection of resources focused on supporting caregivers of children and youth who have experienced trauma, click here.
ACTS also developed a series of learning videos to support child-serving systems in advancing trauma-informed practices. Each series consists of 3-5 microlearning videos with a discussion guide to facilitate continued conversation and learning:
- Psychological Safety Video Series
- Introduction to Child Trauma
- Trauma-Informed Interviewing
- Reflective Practice and Supervision
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The CDC-Kaiser Permanente adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study is one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect, household challenges, and later-life health and well-being. The original ACE study was conducted at Kaiser Permanente from 1995 to 1997 with two waves of data collection. Learn more:
- About the CDC-Kaiser ACE Study
- Incidence of Adversity by Type (Original ACEs study)
- Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Resource Hub
- Prevalence of Positive Childhood Experiences Among Adults — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Four States, 2015–2021
Echo
Echo provides trauma and resilience training for families, communities, professionals, and organizations. It draws on the latest scientific research on trauma, emotional regulation techniques, and nonviolent communication to empower survivors and educate those who support them.
The following Echo infographics will help you identify the underlying cause of a child’s behavior and guide you step-by-step in a trauma-informed response:
- What Lies Beneath Behavior: This handy infographic is designed to help adults—and teachers in particular—use a process of elimination to figure out what’s going on with a child whose behavior is causing concern. It starts with basic human needs and progresses to the more serious impacts of trauma.
- What Do I Do?: Trauma-Informed Support for Children: After you’ve worked through the questions in “What Lies Beneath Behavior,” use this infographic for a step-by-step guide to work out a trauma-informed response.
Explore additional Infographics and Videos from Echo.
First 5 California
First 5 California helps lead the movement to create and implement a comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated system for California’s children prenatal through age 5 and their families. Explore resources related to childhood trauma and toxic stress:
- Resources by Search: Trauma
- How to Recognize Signs of Trauma in Children
- Support for Parents Who Have Experienced Childhood Trauma
- What Are Adverse Childhood Experiences?
- Toxic Stress: Stronger Starts Site (en español)
- What Are the Symptoms of Toxic Stress?
- How Toxic Stress Can Affect Children’s Development
- Toxic Stress: Break the Cycle
- How Toxic Stress Can Affect Children’s Development
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) was created by Congress in 2000 to raise the standard of care and increase access to services for children and families who experience or witness traumatic events. This unique network of frontline providers, family members, researchers, and national partners is committed to changing the course of children’s lives by improving their care and moving scientific gains quickly into practice across the U.S. View the NCTSN’s extensive collection of child trauma resources (información en español), including:
- About Child Trauma
- Trauma Types
- Populations at Risk
- Effective Treatments for Youth Trauma
- Families and Trauma
- Trauma and Families: Fact Sheet for Providers
- Child Neglect and Trauma: A Fact Sheet for Providers
- Pause-Reset-Nourish (PRN)* to Promote Wellbeing
- NCTSN Learning Center:
Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center on Child Abuse and Neglect
The Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (CCAN) serves to organize the Health Sciences Center’s efforts in the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. CCAN directs research, program administration, clinical services, professional education, program development, and public education in the field of child maltreatment.
CCAN’s Child Trauma Services program created the following resources:
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Coaching on Coping Skills
- Working More Effectively with Caregivers
- Labeled Praise Handout
- Behavior Chart Handout
- Behavior Management Planning
PACES Connection
PACEs Connection is the human and digital catalyst that unites the people, organizations, systems, and communities in the worldwide PACEs (positive & adverse childhood experiences) movement. It serves as a main information exchange and resource, and support for hundreds of local, state, and national ACEs initiatives. Explore resources, including:
Sesame Workshop
The more you know about traumatic experiences, the more of a difference you can make in children’s lives. Sesame Workshop has created a Traumatic Experiences resource hub featuring articles, videos, printables, games, trainings, and more geared toward helping children ages 0-6 and grownups work through traumatic experiences. These materials are also available in Spanish (en Español).
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA’s National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCSTI) provides information on the prevalence and impact of traumatic events on children, and what actions can be taken to support children who experience traumatic events:
- National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCTSI)
- Immediate and Delayed Reactions to Trauma
- Understanding Child Trauma (Infographic download)
- Recognizing and Treating Child Traumatic Stress (en español)
- Trauma and Violence
- Learning Materials and Resources
Trauma ScreenTIME
Trauma screening is a crucial first step toward identifying and connecting children and families who have experienced trauma with support and appropriate services, including evidence-based treatment. Trauma ScreenTIME, developed by the Child Health and Development Institute in collaboration with families and national experts including the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, is an online training course on how to screen children for trauma. ScreenTIME provides staff working with children and youth the knowledge to effectively screen children for trauma and connect families with their preferred supports and services to help children recover from the effects of trauma exposure. The course is available at no cost to child-serving professionals. Continuing education credits are available. To take the course, visit www.traumascreentime.org.
ZERO TO THREE
- Resources by Search: Trauma
- Trauma-Informed Child and Family Service Systems
- What Does Trauma Do to a Baby’s Brain?
Additional Tools, Handouts, & Briefs
American Academy of Pediatrics: Ages & Stages
Attachment, Regulation & Competency (ARC) Framework
Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center: Helping Children Cope in Difficult Times
Child-Parent Psychotherapy: About CPP
Child Welfare Information Gateway: Child Maltreatment and Brain Development: A Primer for Child Welfare Professionals
National Institute of Mental Health: Publications About Coping with Traumatic Events
PCIT International: Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
Social Emotional Workshop: Feelings Thermometers
Stress and Development Lab, University of Washington: Trauma & the Brain
Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services (SAMHSA): Immediate and Delayed Reactions to Trauma (PDF)
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs: PTSD Coach App (Apple/Android) (Available in English and Spanish)
Watch & Listen
- At Home with the Child Experts: The Science of Stress and Coping During COVID-19 (30:05)
- Epigenetics (9:28)
- Example of Active Ignoring (1:12)
- Ginneh’s Potty Song – Tell Mommy When You Need to Pee! (Original) (1:13)
- Health Connections Special: ACEs – Adverse Childhood Experiences (28:30)
- How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime (16:02)
- InBrief: The Science of Resilience (2:29)
- Remembering Trauma (16:00)
- Sesame Street: Common and Colbie Caillat Sing “Belly Breathe” with Elmo (2:25)
- What is Child-Parent Psychotherapy? (3:04)
Recommended Readings
The following books and articles were recommended by presenters during various CalTrin trainings related to child trauma:
- A Components-Based Practice and Supervision Model for Reducing Compassion Fatigue by Affecting Clinician Experience by Brian Miller and Ginny Sprang
- A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaret M. Holmes, Sasha J. Mudlaff, et. al.
- The Age of Overwhelm by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky
- Defiant Children, Third Edition: A Clinician’s Manual for Assessment and Parent Training by Russell A. Barkley
- Change Trajectories for Parent-Child Interaction Sequences During Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Child Physical Abuse by Melissa Hakman, Mark Chaffin, Beverly Funderburk, & Jane F. Silovsky
- Healing Days: A Guide for Kids Who Have Experienced Trauma by Susan Farber Strauss, PhD
- The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child by Alan E. Kazdin
- Maybe Days: A Book for Children in Foster Care by Jennifer Wilgocki
- Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (Issues in Clinical Child Psychology) by Cheryl Bodiford McNeil and Toni L. Hembree-Kigin
- Reducing Secondary Traumatic Stress by Brian C. Miller
- Treating PTSD in Preschoolers: A Clinical Guide by Michael S. Scheeringa
- What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Oprah Winfrey, Bruce Perry, et. al.
*Last updated October 3, 2024