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Using Trauma-Sensitive Strategies to Support Family Engagement and Effective

CollaborationDecember 3, 2015

2:30 pm – 3:45 pm ET (11:30-12:45 PT)Note: The PowerPoint is currently available on the CADRE website

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2Using Trauma-Sensitive Strategies to Support Family Engagement and Effective Collaboration

The National Center on Dispute Resolution in Special Education December 3, 2015

33 R’s of Trauma-Informed Care

• the prevalence of traumaRealizing

• how trauma affects all individuals involved with programs, organizations and systems, including the workforce

Recognizing

• by putting knowledge into practiceResponding

SAMHSA, 2013

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Understanding Trauma

5What is trauma?

Definition from Monroe County ACCESS Research to Practice Subcommittee, 2011

Trauma is a response to a perceived threat to survival or emotional well- being of an individual or large group, such as a community or a culture.

Trauma leads to adverse brain, bodily and psychological changes that damage self, relational and spiritual development and impair living, learning and working.

6Traumatic Stress ResponseA traumatic stress response occurs when our ability to respond to the threat is overwhelmed

7Complex Trauma & Toxic Stress

Complex Trauma

• Physical or sexual abuse

• Severe neglect• Abandonment• Emotional/psychological abuse

• Domestic violence

Toxic Stress

• Poverty• Racism• Discrimination• Disparities• Community Violence

Trauma

• Accidents• Natural/Manmade

Disaster• Serious illness

8Impact on world view

I am not safe I cannot trust others I cannot trust myself I cannot depend upon others I am not worthy of care I deserve the bad things that happen to

me It’s my fault

9Adverse Childhood Experiences

Services, support & resilience

can change this life course

What is an ACE?• Recurrent physical abuse• Emotional abuse• Sexual abuse• Alcohol/drug abuser in household• Incarcerated house- hold member• Household member with chronic mental illness• Violence between adults in the home• Parental separation or divorce

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ACES and Health & Social Problems

COPD

Ischemic heart disease

Any cancer

Stroke

Diabetes

STDs

Depression

Suicide attempt

Alcohol abuse

Illicit drug use

Injected drugs

Risk for intimate partner violence

Multiple sexual partners

Smoking

Unintended pregnancies

Early initiation of smoking

Early initiation of sexual activity

Adolescent pregnancy

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ACES and School Performance

Students dealing with trauma: Are 2 ½ times more likely to fail a grade Score lower on standardized

assessments Have more receptive & expressive

language difficulties Are suspended or expelled more often Found eligible for special education

more frequently

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The Impact of Trauma on Survivors

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Fight, Flight, FreezeFIGHT

FLIGHT

FREEZE

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Impact of Trauma

Instinctive Brain

Emotional Brain

Thinking Brain

Individual reacts as though a “there and then” experience is happening “here and now”

There and Then – Here and Now

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Common Post-traumatic Triggers

Therapy & therapists

Being asked questions

Self-disclosure

Being put on the spot

Being center of attention

Loud noises

Authority figures

Being told “No”

Males/females

Criticism, feedback

Home/family

Eye Contact

Recall of traumatic event

Anniversaries

Not allowed to speak

Being ignored

Emotions, vulnerability

Unfamiliar stimuli

Performance demands

Having to say “Yes”

Night time, sleep

Confrontation

Intimacy

Commitment

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Survival Response Fight

Individual struggles to regain or hold on to power, especially when feeling coerced

Mislabeled as: Non-compliant or combative

Flight Individual disengages, “no shows”, or “check outs”

emotionally

Mislabeled as: Uncooperative or resistant

Freeze Individual gives in to those in positions of power, does

not or is unable to speak up

Mislabeled as: Passive or unmotivated

Our interpretation guides our intervention

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Current problematic behaviors and symptoms may have

originated as legitimate and even courageous attempts to

cope with or defend against trauma.

SEEKING TO COPE

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Trauma & ParentingA personal history of trauma can: Compromise parents’ ability

to make appropriate decisions about their own and their children’s safety

Interferes with their ability to form and maintain secure and trusting relationships (with their children, partners, and service providers)

Source: NCTSN, Child Welfare Training Toolkit, 2010

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Trauma & Parenting cont’dA personal history of trauma can: Impair parents’ ability

to regulate emotions Lead to maladaptive

coping strategies including substance abuse

Cause parents to be triggered by children’s traumas and system interventionsSource: NCTSN, Child Welfare Training Toolkit, 2010

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Family Experience

Families of color, non-

English speaking and

those with limited

education or low income face added

burdens

Additional burdens

which are unrecognize

d and/or unappreciate

d

Parents must serve

as advocate, case

manager and

navigator

Service system not designed

for families

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Key Trauma Informed Concepts

Underlying

Question

What happened to

you?

Symptoms

Adaptations to traumatic

events

Healing Happens

In relationship

SAMHSA, 2015

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Creating a Trauma Sensitive School

“SCHOOLS CAN NO LONGER LIMIT INTERVENTIONS TO INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN WITH KNOWN TRAUMA HISTORIES BUT MUST CREATE INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORKS THAT INTEGRATE A TRAUMA SENSITIVE APPROACH INTO ALL ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL DAY”

Susan Craig, Reaching and Teaching Children Who Hurt

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Trauma Informed Approach

District

School

Individual

• Policies & Procedures

• Code of Conduct

• Universal Strategies• School Climate

• 1:1 Interactions• Supports/

Interventions

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Trauma Sensitive

School

Shared under-

standing

Supports all students to

feel safe

Address students’

needs holisticallyExplicitly

connects students to the school community

Embraces teamwork &

shared responsibility

Anticipate & adapt to ever-

changing needs

Source: Helping Traumatized Children Learn 2, 2013

Trauma Sensitive School

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How to become Trauma Informed Acknowledges the prevalence of

traumatic events and toxic stress in students’ lives

Creates a flexible framework that provides universal supports and is sensitive to the unique needs of students

Mindful of avoiding re-traumatization

NOTE: Trauma Informed Care is NOT a program – It is an ongoing process that is unique to the strengths and needs of

each school/district and community

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Core Values of Trauma-Informed Care Safety: Ensuring physical and emotional

safety Trustworthiness: Maximizing

trustworthiness, making tasks clear, and maintaining appropriate boundaries

Choice: Prioritizing developmentally appropriate choice and control for the student & family

Collaboration: Maximizing collaboration and sharing of power with the student & family

Power restoration: Prioritizing student & family empowerment and skill-building

Source: Community Connections

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Create Safety & Trust

Be warm, respectful, and non-threatening Listen openly and do not judge Clarify the process

Carefully introduce self, process, and possible options

Do not assume that parent/caregiver has been given accurate information

Do not assume parent/caregiver knows what is expected of him/her and what he/she should expect

You may need to repeat information several times Gather information in a private area

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Create Safety & Trust cont’d Role model and facilitate calm

interactions Empathize with parents/caregivers and ask how

you can help Remain calm, quiet and present when

interacting with parents who become agitated Offer concrete suggestions to calm (“Would you

like to take a short break?,” encourage them to take a walk)

Let them know you available when they are ready

Follow through on commitments

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Build Collaboration, Foster Choice, & Restore Power

Balance the need to obtain information (i.e., filling out the paperwork) with families identified needs

Parents/caregivers often need help negotiating other “systems” Responding to individual’s concerns provides an

opportunity to demonstrate commitment and potential capacity for help

Identify & problem-solve barriers Maximize choice and control (i.e., time to meet,

location)

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Trauma Sensitive IEP Process Comprehensive history

Clues to gaps in child’s development of skills

Information about trauma triggers Evaluation

Understanding interface between trauma and student’s cognitive and learning profile

Team meeting Trauma lens for understanding child and

family Holistic IEP planning

Federation for Children with Special Needs

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Self-reflection - Individual What are your beliefs about disability and

special education services? What effect does this have on your contribution to IEP development?

What role should the parent(s) play on the team? Observer? Provider of information? Decision maker?

Who should be responsible for making decisions? Parent(s)? Specific team member(s)? Team as a whole (including parents)?

What value do you place on the collaborative process?

Dabkowski, 2004

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Self-reflection - Team Has the team reached consensus on each of the

preceding issues? (Individual level questions) How does the team respond to diversity of

opinion on these issues? Are conflicts resolved? In general, how might lack of consensus on any

of these issues affect parent participation in your IEP meeting?

Do the attitudes and beliefs held jointly by the professional team members enhance opportunities for parent participation or diminish them?

Dabkowski, 2004

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Let’s hear from you…

Please respond in the chat box:

How can the information presented on ACEs, toxic stress and trauma informed practices be useful to you in your work?

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Final Thoughts

Understand that parents’ anger, fear, or avoidance may be a reaction to their own past traumatic experiences and not a personal “attack”.

Remember that traumatized parents are not “bad” and that approaching them in a punitive way, blaming them, or judging them likely will worsen the situation rather than motivate a parent.

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Final Thoughts cont’d

Build on common ground - parents’ desires to be effective in keeping their children safe and continuing their education while minimizing disruption.

Be patient with yourself and the families with whom you work

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ReferencesThe Heart of Learning and Teaching: Compassion, Resiliency, and Academic Success www.k12.wa.us/CompassionateSchool/Resources.aspx

Helping Traumatized Children Learn http://traumasensitiveschools.org/

Reaching and Teaching Children Who Hurt by Susan Craig

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network www.NCTSN.org

ACES too high

http://acestoohigh.com/

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Contact Information

Elizabeth Meeker, PsyD

Director, Training & Practice Transformation

Coordinated Care Service, Inc.

1099 Jay Street, Building J

Rochester, NY 14611

(585) 613-7645

emeeker@ccsi.org

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Thank you for joining us!Please take a few minutes to respond to this brief survey about your experience:

Webinar Survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/traumasensitive

Upcoming Webinar:Moving Beyond Disputes: Mobilizing and Orchestrating a “Village” When Extensive Change is Required

Dr. Ann Turnbull

Keep on eye on the CADRE website for more details!www.directionservice.org/cadre/turnbullwebinar2.cfm

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