Beginning a new school year can be challenging for students who have experienced trauma. Schools serve as a critical system of support for children. Building a safe, consistent, and supportive environment in schools can help children cope and heal. Administrators, teachers, and staff can help reduce the effects of trauma on children by recognizing trauma responses, accommodating and responding to students in the classroom who have experienced trauma, and referring children to outside professionals when necessary. Learning about a student’s experiences can be challenging for educators and staff and can lead to secondary traumatic stress. It is essential for educators and staff to take care of themselves, and for schools to maintain a trauma-informed structure for the entire community. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has developed tools and materials to help educators, school staff, and administrators provide trauma-informed support in schools for students and school personnel.

Creating, Supporting, and Sustaining Trauma-Informed Schools: A System Framework
Presents a tiered approach to creating a trauma-informed school environment that addresses the needs of all students, staff, administrators, and families who might be at risk for experiencing the symptoms of traumatic stress. This framework offers a vision of a trauma-informed school, adhering to the “4 Rs”: (1) realizing the widespread impact of trauma and pathways to recovery; (2) recognizing traumas signs and symptoms; (3) responding by integrating knowledge about trauma into all facets of the system; and (4) resisting re-traumatization of trauma-impacted individuals by decreasing the occurrence of unnecessary triggers (i.e., trauma and loss reminders) and by implementing trauma-informed policies, procedures, and practices.

Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators
Provides school administrators, teachers, staff, and concerned parents with basic information about working with traumatized children in the school system.

Supporting Trauma-Informed Schools to Keep Students in the Classroom: A Focus on Trauma-Informed Practices
Describes a number of promising trauma-informed practices that were tested and implemented in five school- and district-based sites during the National Child Traumatic Stress Network’s Breakthrough Series Collaborative: Supporting Trauma-Informed Schools to Keep Students in the Classroom.

Looking at Strategies in the Classroom to Support Students
Shares principles and examples of creating meaningful changes in the classroom that form an environment where children feel safe and willing to take risks. This video highlights successful efforts such as Morning and Threshold Greetings to welcome students, Calm Corners, and an approach to identify and support academically at-risk students.

Building Relationships as a Foundation of Trauma-Informed Practices in Schools
Highlights useful strategies for and classroom examples of relationship-building and its positive impact on trauma-informed practice change in schools. In this video, teachers share guidance on practicing empathy, patience, and engagement to build trust and strengthen relationships with their students and create and affirm psychological safety in their classrooms. 

Child Sex Trafficking: A Fact Sheet for Educational Professionals
Offers information regarding child sex trafficking to educational professionals. This factsheet defines child sex trafficking, a child's vulnerability to it depending on different factors, its relation to trauma, and what educational professionals need to know and can do to support children who have or are experiencing childhood sex trafficking.

Understanding and Addressing the Intersection of Substance Use and Child Trauma:
For Teachers and School Professionals
Helps school professionals understand how trauma and substance use can affect students’ behavior, learning, and well-being within school settings.

Bullying and Trauma Infographic
Highlights the intersection between bullying and trauma and offers ways adults can help them feel safe and supported.

Psychological First Aid for Schools (PFA-S) Field Operations Guide
Provides guidance on responding to disaster, violence, or terrorism events using the Psychological First Aid intervention. This version gives school administrators, educators, and staff practical assistance to meet immediate needs and concerns, reduce distress, and foster adaptive coping in the wake of a disaster. The manual includes in-depth information about each of the eight core actions and accompanying handouts for administrators, school staff, educators, students, and parents and caregivers.