*This post was written using valuable input from Catalina Folch, REACH’s Children and Families Program Manager
For most people, September is that cozy time of the year when the leaves start changing color and we gradually shift from the hot summer months into a cooler fall period. But for kids and teens heading back to school, September can be much more stressful. This is especially true for kids and teens who have been exposed to domestic violence, since the schoolteachers and faculty they interact with aren’t always equipped to handle the trauma that younger survivors carry with them.
So how can those working within the school system better support child and teen survivors? Many of the same foundational principles REACH established as part of its prevention programming are certainly applicable in a school setting, but depending on their age and the types of abuse they’ve experienced, kids and teens very much require their own specialized approach for trauma-informed care.
Young Children – Classrooms that Feel Safe and Supportive
For young children who have experienced domestic abuse, it’s vital that any classroom they enter feels like a safe and comforting space. Classrooms are naturally a place of learning for young students, but they can also be a place of healing. Here are just a few ways that schoolteachers can foster a sense of safety, caring, and support:
- Paying attention to the classroom’s layout - small groupings of desks (rather than traditional rows) can encourage collaboration, and having designated spaces for both group and solo work can help individual students discover which learning methods work best for them
- Creating consistent routines - unpredictability is often a major anxiety trigger for students who have experienced trauma, so it’s important to establish daily routines that are easy to follow, and to be consistent in your own behavior to help build trust
- Addressing sensory needs - taking a softer approach to visual and auditory stimuli (lighter colors, sound-absorbing rugs, etc.) can help students feel less overwhelmed, as can sensory-friendly items like stress balls, weighted blankets, noise-cancelling headphones, and even simple fidget toys
Teens – Knowing What Healthy Relationships Look Like
The risks and warning signs of teen dating violence (TDV) are things that all teens should be familiar with, but especially so for teens who have been exposed to domestic abuse in their home lives. The lingering trauma inflicted on teens by their abusers can in turn warp their perception of what a healthy relationship looks like, making it even more vital that they have positive role models for discussing issues like consent and establishing boundaries.
Schoolteachers and faculty who want to serve as those positive role models for teens can do so in the following ways:
- Listening with empathy - teens are often more willing than we might assume to discuss TDV or other traumas they’ve experienced, but it’s important that we don’t react to what they tell us with an overly negative response, or one that conveys a sense of blaming, shaming, or disbelief towards them
- Respecting boundaries - even seemingly harmless physical acts like a hug can make teens uncomfortable, so it’s important to ask about the physical boundaries they set not only with you but with the friends and family in their lives
- Being communicative, but not pushy - simply knowing that you’re available to talk can be a huge comfort to teens who have experienced trauma, and while it’s ok to periodically remind them of your availability, the reminders shouldn’t be overly pushy or make them feel guilty for not coming to see you
Additional Resources
If you think that some hands-on training around domestic violence, trauma-informed care, or teen dating violence would be helpful for the school or educational institution you work at, you can look through the list of REACH training services and workshops we offer. We work closely with local schools to ensure that students of all ages have access to safe spaces where they can discuss whatever’s bothering them, and that those they talk to approach the conversation with empathy and understanding.
You can also consult the following websites for further reading on helping children and teens manage the trauma they’ve experienced:
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Starr Commonwealth for Trauma-Informed Care
Love is Respect – Healthy Relationships for Young Adults
Boston Area Rape Crisis Center – Teaching Your Teens About Consent
