Question
As an early childhood provider, what are some key principles I should know about trauma-informed care?
Answer
There are six guiding principles of trauma-informed care to keep in mind.
- Safety - Physical and psychological safety is paramount, for both staff and children. This includes environmental safety as well.
- Trustworthiness and transparency - Healing happens through relationships built on trust, transparency, and healthy boundaries. Providers should demonstrate consistency and reliability.
- Peer support and mutual self-help - Peer interactions can aid in healing and coping with trauma. Create opportunities for positive peer connections.
- Collaboration and mutuality - Partner with families through shared decision-making and equality. Avoid power differentials - you don't have to be a therapist to be therapeutic.
- Empowerment, voice, and choice - Recognize each child's unique needs and support their goals, choices, and autonomy. Let them have a voice.
- Cultural, historical, and gender issues - Appreciate how culture shapes values, beliefs, and behaviors. Avoid assumptions, biases, and stereotypes about social identities based on current and past experiences of individuals and their ancestors. Respect each family's cultural background.
The core theme is providing compassionate care centered on each child's unique needs in an open, validating environment. Building trusting relationships enables healing and growth after trauma. Avoid power struggles and let the child guide the process. Patience, understanding, and respect support the child's resilience.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health is Everybody’s Business, presented by Sherrie Segovia, PsyD.
