Almost all of us have seen the signs: a child who cowers in a corner instead of playing with classmates, another who lashes out when asked to put away toys. It could be a normal sign of development. But many times, it’s something far more serious – early childhood trauma.
Almost half of U.S. children – about 35 million – have suffered one or more types of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and our youngest children are at especially high risk. What constitutes an ACE? It can range from living through a natural disaster such as the earthquakes and wildfires that have ravaged western states recently, to witnessing violence, suffering a dramatic loss, discrimination, forced displacement or refugee status.
Childhood trauma has reached epidemic proportions and afflicts all racial, ethnic and economic groups. But it disproportionally impacts low-income children of color.
Early educators are in a unique position to help these children by finding ways to keep them from being caught in a downward spiral. And recognizing ACEs early is critical because developing brains are highly susceptible to toxic stress. This type of long-term stress impairs how the brain works, crushes our will to survive and reduces our ability to learn.
But helping youngsters who have experienced an ACE isn’t easy, especially in early childhood settings that must meet the needs of all children. Affected children may frighten easily and suffer anxiety in unfamiliar situations. They may be clingy, difficult to soothe, aggressive or impulsive. They may have trouble sleeping or falling asleep. Children suffering the effects of an ACE live in a state of constant vigilance, much like PTSD, that leaves them little energy for developing, thinking and learning.
Disruptive behavior is often the first red flag of trauma and should lead educators to explore the cause. The question they should be asking is not “what’s wrong with that child?” but “what happened to that child?” Too often, educators mistake that red flag for bad behavior that needs “fixing.”
Many times, the result is the expulsion of pre-K children. Across the nation, more than 5,000 pre-K children are expelled each year, predisposing them to numerous future risks, including school failure, teen pregnancy, unemployment and violence. Children expelled from pre-school are much more likely to be unprepared for elementary school and among those most at risk for school failure. So, it’s important to give traumatized children the tools to succeed rather than expelling them.
For a traumatized child to bounce back, they need at least one adult who gives them affection, a sense of belonging and support. Here are six tips for working with traumatized children:
The early childhood setting might be the only safe, secure place that some children experience all day. You have the power to ease their anxiety and set them up for a lifetime of success!
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In Janie’s prior role, she was the Vice President of Administration at Equal Justice Works, where she was responsible for leading human resources, financial operations, facilities management, and information technology. She was also accountable for developing and implementing Equal Justice Works Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy focused on attracting diverse, mission-oriented talent and creating an inclusive and equitable workplace environment. With more than fifteen years of private, federal, and not-for-profit experience, Janie is known for her intuitive skill in administration management, human resources management, designing and leading complex system change, diversity and inclusion, and social justice reform efforts.
Before joining Equal Justice Works, Janie was the Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer for Global Communities, where she was responsible for the design, implementation, and management of integrated HR and diversity strategies. Her work impacted employees in over twenty-two countries. She was responsible for the effective management of different cultural, legal, regulatory, and economic systems for both domestic and international employees. Prior to Global Communities, Janie enjoyed a ten-year career with the federal government. As a member of the Senior Executive Service, she held key strategic human resources positions with multiple cabinet-level agencies and served as an advisor and senior coach to leaders across the federal sector. In these roles, she received recognition from management, industry publications, peers, and staff for driving the creation and execution of programs that created an engaged and productive workforce.
Janie began her career with Verizon Communications (formerly Bell Atlantic), where she held numerous roles of increasing responsibility, where she directed a diversity program that resulted in significant improvement in diversity profile measures. Janie was also a faculty member for the company’s Black Managers Workshop, a training program designed to provide managers of color with the skills needed to overcome barriers to their success that were encountered because of race. She initiated a company-wide effort to establish team-based systems and structures to impact corporate bottom line results which was recognized by the Department of Labor. Janie was one of the first African American women to be featured on the cover of Human Resources Executive magazine.
Janie received her M.A. in Organization Development from American University. She holds numerous professional development certificates in Human Capital Management and Change Management, including a Diversity and Inclusion in Human Resources certificate from Cornell University. She completed the year-long Maryland Equity and Inclusion Leadership Program sponsored by The Schaefer Center for Public Policy and The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. She is a trained mediator and Certified Professional Coach. She is a graduate of Leadership America, former board chair of the NTL Institute and currently co-steward of the organization’s social justice community of practice, and a member of The Society for Human Resource Management. Additionally, Janie is the Board Chairperson for the Special Education Citizens Advisory Council for Prince Georges County where she is active in developing partnerships that facilitate discussion between parents, families, educators, community leaders, and the PG County school administration to enhance services for students with disabilities which is her passion. She and her husband Randolph reside in Fort Washington Maryland.
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