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Trauma-Sensitive Schools

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Trauma-Sensitive Schools

What Is Trauma?

Trauma is not an event but a response to a stressful experience that can leave a person feeling hopeless, helpless, and fearful for their life, survival, and safety.

Common Traumatic Experiences

A traumatic experience is one that evokes feelings of extreme fear and helplessness. It is important to note that everyone has different reactions to traumatic events, and not everyone who experiences traumatic events will be traumatized. Some examples of experiences that may be traumatic include but are not limited to the following:

Abuse (physical, sexual, or emotional)
Neglect
School-related violence
Bullying
Gang violence and threat
House fire
Medical trauma
Sudden loss/death of a relative or close friend
Domestic violence
Community violence
Incarceration (parent, self)
Natural disaster (tornado, hurricane)
Substance abuse of a caregiver
Removal from primary caregiver (e.g., foster care or treatment facility placement)

Signs and Symptoms

Not all children who experience a trauma will experience these symptoms. These symptoms also do not necessarily mean that a child has experienced trauma. Trauma responses can be complex, and many children have a natural resilience that helps them overcome these kinds of experiences. A student who has experienced trauma may display any of the following signs and symptoms:

Difficulty sleeping or nightmares
Changes in appetite
School avoidance
Anger
Withdrawal from friends or usual activities
Nervousness or jumpiness
Complaining of stomach pains or headaches
Low self-esteem
Hyperactivity
Drug or alcohol use
Self-injurious behavior such as cutting or hurting oneself

If you have concerns that your child is suffering from any of these signs or symptoms, please contact your school's support staff (school psychologist, school social worker, or school counselor) for resources in our community and to discuss a plan for supporting your child's mental health needs in school.

How Can I Support My Child?

If your child may have had a traumatic experience or is experiencing any of the above signs and symptoms, the following strategies may be supportive to them:

Be patient — it takes time to heal.
Maintain a regular home schedule and school routine.
Listen to your child — allow them to express their thoughts and feelings.
Seek a qualified mental health professional if symptoms last for several weeks. Your school's support staff may be a good resource to help you do this.
Self-care is important — it is difficult to support others, so take care of yourself too!

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Local Supports

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Greater Milwaukee provides support — which may include support groups, a helpline to call with questions, and consultation — to the Milwaukee community for those suffering from mental illness and those who care for them.
Children's Wisconsin Craig Yabuki Mental Health Walk-In Clinic provides same-day care for children and teens (ages 5-18) experiencing urgent mental health issues.
Mental Health America of Wisconsin Strong Families Healthy Homes Program provides several supports for families, including mental health consultation, a parent helpline run by the parenting network, home visits for mental health and prenatal care, and stories of families that have found success with the program.
Rogers Behavioral Health Child and Adolescent Care is a mental health facility serving the Milwaukee community that provides several services and supports for families and children suffering with mental illness.
Aurora Behavioral Health Services is a provider of services for mental health and behavior concerns serving the Milwaukee community.
Milwaukee Health Services, Behavioral Health is a provider of services for physical and mental health in the Milwaukee community. This clinic has a sliding fee scale and has two locations (Issac Coggs Heritage Health Center and MLK Heritage Health Center).
Milwaukee Center for Children and Youth, Inc., is a local organization that provides several programs, including advocacy, parenting programs, restorative practice circles for adolescents, trauma groups for children ages 6–12, and other trauma-informed care groups in the Milwaukee community.

Informational Resources

Healing the Invisible Wounds: Children's Exposure to Violence – A Guide for Families is a 32-page PDF handout from the Safe Start Center (a federal program) for families that discusses several topics related to trauma and how to respond to best support your child.
Child Welfare Information Gateway Resources on Trauma for Caregivers and Families is a resource page for families on several topics related to trauma; it includes webinars, PDF handouts, and other resources to support families in caring for a child who has been traumatized.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) Family Resource Page is a resource page for families with definitions and information to empower families with knowledge about trauma and ideas for ways to respond.
Starr Commonwealth's National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC) Family Resource Page is a resource page for families with a brochure that can be purchased that serves as a guide for how to respond to trauma in children.
Attachment & Trauma Network, Inc., is an organization of parents with the goal of supporting families that struggle with trauma through healing and advocacy.