An educator's function exceeds traditional subject teaching. It includes monitoring and enhancing a child's physical and emotional well-being. Today's children face a plethora of risks and educators are on the front line of the defensive. To build childhood fortitude, the authors call on teachers to become aware of the characteristics of…

According to the American Psychological Association (APA, 2015), trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event, which can lead to difficulties with emotional regulation, social relationships, and the development of physical symptoms. Traumatic experiences may include physical or sexual abuse, neglect, experiencing or witnessing violence,…

Early childhood educators spend extensive amounts of time with young children, so they are often the first adults to notice signs that a child may be abused or neglected. All educators are required by law to report suspected maltreatment, and can play an important role in preventing and responding to abuse and neglect of young children. What is…

Certain at-risk behavior patterns are often associated with traumatic childhood experiences. With the role of schools evolving to shape children's developmental needs in today's world, educators across the globe bear an increasingly greater responsibility to identify and address these symptoms associated with childhood trauma. Given the…

As the school year begins, staff at the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) would like to offer all school personnel (including educators, administrators, counselors and support staff) the opportunity to use their many resources for schools! Their resources were created to highlight issues related to trauma, to explain how trauma can…

Established by Congress in 2000, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) is a unique collaboration of academic and community-based service centers whose mission is to raise the standard of care and increase access to services for traumatized children and their families across the United States. Combining knowledge of child…

This practical handbook for anyone who works with traumatized children--teachers, parents, as well as professionals--provides needed information to understand and guide a child suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through to recovery. It describes the physical and emotional effects of trauma, shows how to recognize maladaptive…

This paper provides an introduction to the nature and extent of the various forms of child abuse, including physical injury, neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional maltreatment. It identifies the behavioral, emotional, and physical characteristics of abuse and neglect, as manifested within the school setting; lists factors that pose a risk for…

The article reviews child abuse and neglect issues of concern to early childhood professionals, focusing on: incidence and prevalence; factors associated with maltreatment, including child and parent characteristics; mediating factors, including social support; cognitive, emotional, and social sequelae; and policy directions and recommendations.…

This article describes child physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. Signs that indicate abuse are provided and state reporting guidelines are examined. Special education implications of child abuse are evaluated. The unique role of the teacher in identifying abuse and interventions that teachers can employ are addressed. (CR)

Sexual abuse of children in the United States is far more pervasive than most educators realize, with studies estimating up to 500,000 annual occurrences. This revised resource and planning guide for Wisconsin schools should help districts deal with sexual abuse on school premises and suspicion of this behavior off campus. While the guide cannot…

Discusses the use of bibliotherapy with students having disabilities. Provides an annotated bibliography of 27 books that address abuse and neglect, anger, differences, and families. (DB)

Teachers receiving training about child abuse issues raised many questions about what they could do in a classroom to facilitate the healing and growth of an abused/neglected child. The questions centered on three main areas of concern: (1) How are children's extreme behaviors to be interpreted? (2) What is the teacher's role? and (3) What can…

Discusses the characteristics of child abusers and physical and behavioral indicators of child abuse. Advocates parenthood education programs for children and parents as child abuse preventive measures. Suggests ways that educators can handle cases of suspected child abuse. (DMM)

The process by which parents become attached to their infants was the focus of a roundtable discussion. Participating were students of the attachment process in various animal species, as well as clinicians and researchers, from various disciplines, engaged in studying the development of attachment in parents of normal infants, parents of…