Training for Schools
We offer specialized training for schools to address the unique needs of school staff who interact with children who have experienced complex trauma.
If you are interested in scheduling training for your school or school system, visit the website to submit your request https://login.community.gadoe.org/events/mental-health-awareness-training-mhat or email [email protected].
Training Courses
Course Length: 3.5 Hours
Course Description
This course will provide participants with foundational knowledge about child trauma and child traumatic stress. Three types of child trauma are defined. The course focuses on the impact of complex trauma on behavior and development, and helps participants identify strategies for working in a school setting with children who have experienced trauma.
Topics Covered
- Child Trauma: Definitions and Types of Trauma
- How Trauma affects Children and Youth
- Overview of Impact of Trauma on the Brain
- Managing Physical and Psychological Safety for Children in a school setting
- Strategies for Educators to Enhance Child Well-being and Resilience
Course Length: 3.5 Hours
Course Description
This course provides participants with foundational knowledge about how adversity and trauma can impact brain development. The course introduces brain architecture and early brain development in children and focuses on the impact of adverse experiences and child trauma on the brain.
Topics Covered
- Adversity & Trauma and the Impact on Brain Development
- Brain Systems
- Adverse Childhood Experiences and Brain Development
- Resilience and Brain Development
Course Length: 3.5 Hours
Course Description
This course focuses on resilience as a primary strategy for combating the effects of trauma. Participants will examine the characteristics of resilience and learn specific strategies for building resilience in children and youth.
Topics Covered
- The concept of resilience including key characteristics, myths, and facts
- The relationship between resilience and brain plasticity
- Trauma-informed strategies for building resilience in children and youth
Course Length: 3.5 Hours
Course Description
This course is designed to educate various helping professionals, including school faculty and staff, on Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and its impact. Participants will learn how to assess STS symptoms in themselves and others, explore factors that help to protect professionals from the negative effects of STS, and discover strategies to use these protective factors to manage STS. Participants will also assess their own personal and professional self-care and develop STS management plans.
Topics Covered
At the conclusion of this training, participants should be able to:
- Explain the potential negative impact of STS on their personal and professional lives, their organization, and the children and families they serve
- Distinguish between Secondary Traumatic Stress and other stress-related conditions
- Identify risk factors and symptoms of STS
- Identify strategies to manage STS
Course Length: 3.5 Hours
Course Description
Participants will explore the concept of psychological safety as a pathway to building resilience in children. Participants examine their role in building a culture of psychological safety for the children and families they serve. Additional emphasis is placed on creating psychological safety in the context of traumatic experiences.
Topics Covered
• The concept of “psychological safety” and how it impacts student performance
• The relationship between psychological safety and resilience
• The four stages of psychological safety and factors associated with each
• Strategies for creating psychological safety in the classroom
Course Length: 3.5 Hours
Course Description
Participants will examine bullying through the lens of trauma. Participants will learn about the negative impacts of childhood adversities and trauma on children and youth, how bullying can be childhood adversity or trauma, the key characteristics of bullying, basic dos and don’ts for preventing and responding to bullying, and how childhood adversities can affect teachers and administrators in their dealings with children and youth in the school.
Topics Covered
- Define bullying
- Recognize the characteristics of bullying
- Define trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
- Describe the relationship between trauma, the pair of ACEs, and toxic stress
- Describe the common signs of trauma in children and youth
- Comprehend bullying behavior from multiple perspectives
- Identify dos and don’ts for addressing bullying behavior
- Identify bullying behaviors
- Recommend strategies for handling bullying behaviors
- Connect trauma history to teaching behaviors
- State strategies for self-regulation
Course Length: 3.5 Hours
Course Description
This course will provide participants with foundational knowledge about child trauma and child traumatic stress. Three types of child trauma are defined. The course focuses on the impact of complex trauma on behavior and development, and helps participants identify strategies for working in a school setting with children who have experienced trauma.
Topics Covered
- Child Trauma: Definitions and Types of Trauma
- How Trauma affects Children and Youth
- Overview of Impact of Trauma on the Brain
- Managing Physical and Psychological Safety for Children in a school setting
- Strategies for Educators to Enhance Child Well-being and Resilience
Workshops
Course Length: 1.5 Hours
Course Description
This workshop introduces the concept of trauma and what it means to use a trauma lens in interactions with children, others in an organization, or community.
Note: This is a workshop version of the more in-depth Trauma 101 course.
Course Length: 1.5 Hours
Course Description
This workshop introduces participants to the concept of epigenetics and explores the impact of trauma on brain development.
Note: This is a workshop version of the more in-depth Brain 101 course. This workshop puts a greater emphasis on brain plasticity as a counteracting force to trauma.
Course Length: 1.5 Hours
Course Description
This workshop focuses on the impact of trauma on anyone involved in a helping relationship including educators, school staff, and caregivers. Participants will explore ways to manage reactions to trauma exposure and engage in a self-assessment of their self-care practices. Specific strategies for managing the effects of trauma exposure will be shared and practiced, and participants will develop individual self-care/wellness strategies they can implement after the training.
Note: This is a workshop version of the Secondary Traumatic Stress course.
Course Length: 1.5 Hours
Course Description
This workshop, designed for school and community leaders, provides attendees with a look into what it means to operate as a trauma-informed organization. Attendees will learn about the key elements of a trauma-informed school system, reflect on the state of these elements within their school or organization, generate ideas for change, and create action items for moving their organizations toward trauma responsiveness. Possible resources for the next steps will be shared.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
The in-person and virtual Trauma 101, Brain 101, Trauma to Resilience: Strategies for Supporting Children’s Well-Being, Recognizing and Managing Secondary Traumatic Stress, Psychological Safety, and Unmasking the Trauma of Bullying trainings are approved for 3 hours of continuing education for MSW (core), LPC and LMFT (related), DECAL, FVIP, POST, Babies Can’t Wait Project SCEIs in Area I | Children and Families – Birth to 8 CEUs, and nursing.
Contact a member of our staff with any questions you have about the Child Welfare Training Collaborative.
The Child Welfare Training Collaborative values the work of different people, agencies, and organizations providing resources to strengthen the work with families in Georgia who may be experiencing trauma.