I speak for the whole team when I say we are happy to celebrate the Center entering its third year! The Center on Child Wellbeing and Trauma (CCWT) was established by the Massachusetts Legislature in 2021 following recommendations made by the Childhood Trauma Task Force and has continued to expand each fiscal year since. The CCWT supports child-serving organizations and systems in becoming trauma-informed and responsive through trainings, technical assistance, communities of practice, and coaching.

We have many accomplishments to share, and you can read about them in the CCWT FY23 Year in Review which highlights the successes of the Center over the last fiscal year. It has been a productive year, and the Center has reached thousands of providers including teachers, human service workers, staff agency staff, and provider organizations across the state.…

Join us to learn how Emily helps educators promote trauma-informed and responsive practices in their classrooms through her program, The Regulated Classroom, a framework that promotes felt safety and co-regulation for students, teachers, and staff. It was recently adopted by The New Hampshire Department of Education, providing 2,500 toolkits across the state. These tools can be applied across sectors and are useful to humans of any age.

VIDEO UNAVAILABLE…

Every few seconds, a report of child maltreatment is filed in the United States, and, on average, five children die from maltreatment every day (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Administration for Children and Families). Child abuse and neglect are preventable: with the right supports, families can build the foundation they need for healthy, happy lives.

By working together, child-serving professionals, families, and communities can prevent child maltreatment and promote children’s safety and wellbeing.

Trauma-Informed and Responsive Principles to Prevent Maltreatment

To mark National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Center on Child Wellbeing & Trauma wants to share how being trauma-informed and responsive (TIR) can help prevent maltreatment. Child-serving organizations and professionals can promote children’s safety and wellbeing by applying the five Guiding Principles of TIR care in their interactions with families.…

This issue brief explores how the Center on Child Wellbeing & Trauma addresses the challenge of burnout and turnover in human service organizations and suggests how being understanding and responsive to trauma can address this problem. It was co-authored by experts at the Center and the Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate.

Click on image to download the issue brief

…

Daylight comes in small doses this time of year, and just as the light diminishes, so can our spirits. It’s called the winter blues, and child-serving professionals may notice that the blues aren’t fading as quickly as the sun in some children and teens who have or are experiencing trauma.

Seasonal affective disorder (i.e., SAD or “winter blues”) can heighten symptoms of depression and anxiety, impact sleep habits, and decrease energy levels, making it hard to focus and function throughout the day. And while SAD can affect all children, studies have found it disproportionately impacts adolescent girls.

For those experiencing the compounding effects of SAD, a walk to a supportive friend’s house, a breeze in summer, can now be treacherous, and the classrooms students spend hours in five days a week can appear even grimmer.…