Childhood trauma in mind: Integrating trauma-informed care in ECEC

Abstract

Early childhood experience of trauma is highly prevalent and has far-reaching consequences. Young children are particularly vulnerable to experiencing trauma and children who enter foster care often have complex trauma related difficulties. In Ireland, many young children enter foster care each year and services to support their recovery are chronically under resourced. Early Childhood Education and Care Professionals are located in a unique position to provide children with crucial supports that may aid children’s recovery and healing from trauma. This paper describes the impact of childhood trauma and how this may impact Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Then, it describes trauma-informed care, an approach that may support children’s recovery from trauma and how it could be integrated into ECEC practices in the Irish context. The paper concludes that there is a need for trauma-informed care professional development for Early Childhood Professionals to support this. It is also recognising that the current research base to support this intervention is limited and thus, the need for more research is warranted.