A Focus on Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health

August 2024

Trauma-Informed Care and Practices 

This newsletter focuses on sharing information on infant/early childhood mental health and the importance of relationship-based approaches and supports that help infants and young children feel safe, supported, and valued by the adults around them. The newsletter, and the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) program, is made possible by a partnership between the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and the Pennsylvania Key.

Welcome

As August unfolds, it can bring a sense of renewal, especially as classrooms prepare for a new school year. The IECMH Consultation team encourages all teachers and administrators to consider trauma-informed practices at this pivotal time.

The impact of trauma is lifelong and can be difficult to assess. We can assume that most, if not all, children we encounter have experienced some form of trauma. Trauma-informed care focuses on understanding and responding to the impact of trauma ensuring that each child needs are met in a safe, sensitive, and supportive way. 

Please keep in mind the potential impact trauma has on you as an important adult in each child’s life. Take care of yourself by talking with colleagues, trusted friends, and family, or a therapeutic professional.  

PA Support & Referral Helpline 

1-855-284-2494 (TTY: 724-631-5600) 

Crisis Text Line: Text PA to 741741 

Coming in September: Empowering Connections:

Strengthening Adult Relationships to Support Children

Did You Know?

Bright Start, Bright Kids, Bright Future is a free monthly e-newsletter that began in 2021. A variety of topics may be accessed in the archives of our past editions here. Browse through past releases to find information about naptime, transitions, positive classroom management and more!

Understanding Trauma

Understanding and Recognizing the Effects of Trauma on Young Children. This tip sheet introduces the types of trauma that young children may experience, the common ways that young children express traumatic responses, and the protective factors that can help children recover from trauma. 

About Child Trauma. Even though adults work hard to keep children safe, dangerous events and experiences still happen. Learn more her about traumatic events and experiences and child traumatic stress.

Signs of Trauma in Children. Learn what the signs of trauma are in children.

The Trauma Informed Classroom

Becoming a Trauma-Informed Teacher 4:55. This video discusses trauma-informed teachers and what it takes to become trauma-informed.

Creating Trauma-Sensitive Classrooms. The behaviors of childhood trauma can often frustrate and overwhelm teachers. Children may have impairments across the developmental domains—physical, cognitive, social and emotional, and language and literacy—that manifest as challenging and troubling behaviors in the classroom. What matters most is having important adults whom children trust and rely on to offer unconditional a love, support and safety. 

Do’s and Don’ts of a Trauma-Informed Compassionate Classroom. Think about the safe, stable, nurturing classroom environment you would optimally like to create.

Responding to Trauma

Responding to the Effects of Trauma on Young Children. This tip sheet covers strategies for helping caregivers prevent and manage challenging behaviors in children who have experienced trauma while also taking care of their own mental health.

Responding to Unmanageable Stress Behaviors in Young Children. Steps adult caregivers can take to prevent stress in a child before challenging behaviors occur, and how to respond when a child uses behavior to communicate feelings.

Applying It: Supporting Executive Function and Self-Regulation Development. This tip sheet covers strategies that adults can use to help co-regulate children and build a foundation for a child's self-regulation skills.

Checklist of Early Childhood Practices that Support Social Emotional Development and Trauma-Informed Care. This checklist is a list of practices that will help guide your thinking about how to support the social emotional development of young children who have experienced trauma.

Free Trauma Resources

Resources to Provide Support Around Traumatic Experiences. In response to traumas within communities, the PA Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) would like to highlight the following resources for early learning programs, schools, community partners and families.

Heal PA & Bright Start, Bright Kids, Bright Futures: Helping kids who have experienced trauma poster series. A poster series for helping kids who have experienced trauma from Heal PA and Bright Strat. Bright Kids. Bright Futures.

The Pyramid Model and Trauma -Informed Care: A Guide for Early Childhood Professionals to Support Young Children’s Resilience. This guide provides resources that support early childhood professionals to integrate the Pyramid Model practices and trauma-informed care. 

Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators (NCTSN). This toolkit provides facts, suggestions and information for educators, parents and caregivers of preschool children through high school.

Pennsylvania PD Registry. Browse the registry and register for one or more of the trauma trainings offered this August through 2025.

Trauma Informed Care & The Pyramid Model (FREE Training – 5 hours). This online training module helps early childhood educators discover how to apply a Trauma‐Informed Care lens to their existing Pyramid Model practices.

Office Hours

IECMH Consultation helps adults strengthen their relationships with young children and build capacity to respond to children’s social-emotional needs. IECMHC can help reduce caregiver stress, as well as increase caregivers’ reflective practice skills.

IECMH Consultants are available by appointment to provide IECMHC Virtual Office Hours consultation via telephone or video conference. IECMHC Virtual Office Hours is a short-term, collaborative, problem-solving conversation to help you find next steps for: Child Social-Emotional Concerns | Child Behavioral or Developmental Concerns Emotional Well-being of Teachers and Caregivers | Partnering with Families.

Appointments are held on the first and third Fridays of the month, or other days/times by request. Get more info.

Accessing IECMHC Services

The Pennsylvania Key has streamlined the process for Keystone STARS programs to request Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC). Child care providers can request services by using the Request for Service Form (PDF). Completed forms can be submitted via email PAIECMH@pakeys.org or faxed to 717-213-3749.

Programs and families can contact the program leadership directly at PAIECMH@pakeys.org with questions or concerns.

Accessing SACCMHC Services

With the generous support of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) the Pennsylvania Key IECMH Consultation team has expanded to include four mental Health consultants to support School Age Child Care (SACC) programs participating in Keystone STARS.  This service is primarily tele-consultation support. Click here to request support.  

Share your feedback! We'd like to hear what you think about infant early childhood mental health.

Are there resources you'd like to see? Questions you have? Tell us! Send your feedback to PAIECMH@pakeys.org.