Building the foundation for
playful, healthful, hopeful
living for children, families, and communities.
Childcare and Community Social-Emotional Wellness Program
Our Mission Center for Child Counseling is building the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children, families, and communities. We envision healthy, resilient children and families through ACEs-aware and trauma-informed communities. Our values are born from love, family, opportunity, and ingenuity. OUR GOAL: Create trauma-aware adults within our homes, schools, and community service centers who recognize and stop childhood trauma and abuse in its tracks, are part of the healing process, and ensure children grow healthy in mind and body.
Meet Elio He is born in a trauma-informed community, surrounded by adults trained to understand and respond to children and families when they experience crisis.
Community Health
Community
Elio grows strong under the care of traumainformed adults in his life. As a young attorney, he fights beside other leaders to create policies that protect children, giving back to the community that raised him.
Mom suffers postpartum depression but is connected to the support she needs to make Elio feel safe and secure as his growing brain develops.
Neighborhood
Home
Elio acts out at others getting off the school bus. His neighborhood police officer knows Elio is grieving the loss of his sister. The officer is a safe and caring figure in his life who helps buffer Elio’s feelings of stress.
Elio’s sister falls ill, and his parents are forced to work extra jobs to care for her. Elio learns to manage his emotions with online therapy, while Mom and Dad receive parenting support.
School
Elio’s teachers understand he is in trauma after his sister dies. They provide him care and time to deal with fear and anger, reinforcing the resiliency skills he is learning through therapy.
People are ready to assume their place in a trauma-informed community.
Childcare and Community Social-Emotional Wellness
About the program
Center for Child Counseling's Childcare and Community Social-Emotional Wellness (CCSEW) Program brings on-site prevention, early intervention, and counseling services into childcare centers and schools in Palm Beach County. Services are embedded at each site, with our therapists and interns working as a part of the fabric of the school and community to meet the social-emotional and behavioral needs of children, their teachers, caregivers, and families.
Prevention and early intervention efforts that focus on resilience, attachment, and play help develop selfregulation, executive functioning skills, and healthy relationships that make a difference in the classroom and at home. And, it sets the foundation for positive behaviors and healthy relationships that last a lifetime. Our approach is research-based meaning it really works - and can make all the difference in a child’s life.
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From birth to 5 years of age, a child learns how to interact with the world. Any child can and will be impacted by family disruption and problems, including illness, death, homelessness, or absence of a parent. During this period, the return on investment for interventions is greatest.”
www.centerforchildcounseling.org/ccsewprogram
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
Low income Crime Domestic Violence Community Violence Arrests Incarceration Parental Absence Racism Abuse Neglect Mental Illness Substance Abuse
Refusing to be held Heightened anger, irritability, outbursts Withdrawn Low self-regulation Poor impulse control Poor communication Hyper-vigilant Hyper-sensitive Easily startled Fidgety Temper tantrums Shut-down, tuned out Nervous/afraid Aggressive Disturbed sleep/nightmares Disturbed eating Forgetfulness Easily overwhelmed Rigidness Anxious or fearful Poor concentration Disorganized Frequent aches and pains
CHILD, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE ACE RISK FACTORS & EXPOSURE
If a child sustains ACEs without "buffers" they are likely to experience one or more adverse effects such as the ones on the left.
Without early intervention, these behaviors often lead to a formal mental health diagnosis.
1
LEVEL 1: UNIVERSAL
Prevention, Promotion and Education to Build Child, Adult, and Community Capacity.
Who: Child (0 - 5th grade) Community/Leaders Childcare/School Staff
How: Role modeling, consultation, teacher and caregiver workshops, on-line learning, classroom based support, classroom curriculum. Outcomes: Increase in understanding child development, emotions and behaviors, trauma, and needs. Increase in self-regulation. Increase in social skills. Decrease in internalizing and externalizing behaviors.
2
LEVEL 2: TARGETED
Identification of Needs, Support to Promote Increased Social-Emotional Wellness, and Referrals.
Who: Child (0 - 5th grade) School Leaders Childcare/School Staff and Parents
How: Individual classroom support, targeted workshops, mental health consultation and support, psychoeducational groups, small group play therapy (ABC-IT), and SNAP. Outcomes: Dyadic regulation. Increased attachment and security, co-regulation, and social skills. Positive Classroom and Home Behaviors.
3
LEVEL 3: INTENSIVE
Treatment to Improve Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Resilience.
Who: Child (0 - 5th grade) Parents and Caregiver(s) Childcare/School Staff
How: Individual, Group, and Family Therapy using evidence-based interventions for parents, caregivers, and children with a formal mental health diagnosis. Outcomes: Healthy communication, attachment, and positive parenting. Individualized treatment outcomes for each child and family.
A 3rd grade boy needed services to handle overwhelming anxiety, overcome past trauma, and to learn coping skills that build resilience. Today, we get to celebrate how far he has come with effective intervention.
“I'm not afraid of the dark anymore, and today I want to tell my story about what happened." -3rd grade boy receiving services at Center for Child Counseling
Level 1: Universal Prevention, Promotion, and Education To Build Adult & Child Capacity How will this look? Promotion of trauma-informed strategies throughout the childcare center, school and community through: Multimedia ACEs and Trauma-Informed Care Awareness; PACEs (Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences), Toxic Stress, and Trauma Education; Parent, Teacher, and Caregiver Workshops, Role Modeling, Mental Health Consultation; Classroom Based Screening and Observations, Support, and Groups; and Leadership and Community-Wide Training, Advocacy, and Awareness Efforts.
Progress is measured by: Adults completing Pre and Post tests on the curriculum and workshops. Children's progress monitored using formal individual and classroom observations and screening tools.
Successful Outcomes: For adults Increase in understanding of child development, emotions, behaviors, and needs Awareness of impact of trauma and stress Increase in buffers and relational health
For children Increase in self regulation Increase in social skills
Reduction in classroom disruption
Decrease in internalizing and externalizing behaviors
Improved expression of emotions
Level 2: Targeted Identification of Needs and Intervention
To Promote Increased Social-Emotional Wellness How will this look? Targeted, early intervention and support for children and families identified through screening, observation, and referral including: Small Group Play Therapy, using Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), an evidence based model. Targeted parent, caregiver, and teacher workshops. Individualized Classroom Support, Crisis Intervention, and Mental Health Consultation to address specific behaviors and concerns. SNAP (Stop Now and Plan), an evidence-based cognitive-behavioral model for teaching children struggling with behavioral issues, and their caregivers, effective emotional regulation, selfcontrol, and problem-solving skills Continual identification of needs, triage, and referral. Online and on-site A Way of Being with Children Workshops, downloadable and printed tip sheets, videos, and resources to promote positive behaviors and adult-child relationships.
Progress is measured by: Assess adult learning with pre and post tests that measure attainment of targeted skills. Children's progress monitored by use of pre and post classroom observations and Pediatric Symptom Checklist at beginning and end of the school year.
Successful Outcomes: For adults Dyadic Regulation Attunement, ability to read cues, age appropriate responses to cues of child Improved therapeutic agents Reduction in classroom disruption Improved adult-child relationship
For children Increased ability to learn Increased attachment and security, co-regulation, social skills Positive behaviors
Level 3: Intensive Treatment To Improve Mental Health How will this look? Support and Evidence-Based Mental Health and Trauma Treatment for Children, Parents, Caregivers, and Families, including: School-Based Individual, Group, and Family Therapy; Office, Community, and/or Home-Based Individual and Family Therapy; and Appropriate Referrals and Linkage for Physical, Speech, Occupational and Other Developmental Concerns and Basic Needs.
Progress is measured by: Adults and children complete assessments with Center for Child Counseling to create an individualized treatment plan. Valid and reliable assessment and outcome rating tools are utilized based on the presenting needs and diagnosis.
Successful Outcomes: For adults
Our ABC-IT Approach ABC-IT is our comprehensive, integrated therapy (IT) approach to the major domains of childhood functioning: Affect (feelings), Behavior (doing), and Cognition (thinking).
Healthy communication, attachment, and positive parenting Healthy caregiver Reduction in intergenerational transmission of ACEs Reduction in school Baker Acts
www.centerforchildcounseling.org/ccsewprogram
For children Individualized treatment outcomes Healthy brain development Improved academic performance and behaviors Improved executive functioning and selfregulation
A 5-year old girl was struggling with behaviors and needed positive ways to regulate anger and aggressive behaviors at school. With the support of her therapist, she was able to learn and practice ageappropriate emotion regulation skills.
"I was able to breathe and calm down when I felt angry because my friend broke my toy!" - 5-year old client receiving services at Center for Child Counseling
www.centerforchildcounseling.org/ccsewprogram
Workshops for everyone Foundational knowledge for everyone A Way of Being with Children: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Building Resilience ACEs: Trauma to Resilience PACEs: Building Trauma-Informed Communities Stress and the Pandemic Promoting Resilience in Children Supporting Empathy Development in Children Separation Anxiety in Children The Power of Play Promoting Social-Emotional Development in Children How to Change Stress to Strength Fostering Social-Emotional Learning in Elementary Aged Children The Power of Co-Regulation Fostering Social-Emotional Learning in Elementary Aged Children Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers Identifying and Addressing Suicide: A guide for parents and caregivers.
For teachers Burnout For Teachers The Power of Parent-Teacher Relationship Trauma Stories and the Impact on Teachers Resiliency Building - A Guide for Educators
For parents The Importance of Family Involvement in Early Education How to Use Positive Parenting and Discipline Strategies Achieving Success with Teenagers - A guide to Effectively Parenting Teens
How to Help my Child Listen Mindful Parenting How to Manage Sibling Rivalry
Tips and Practices Self-Regulation for Classroom and Beyond Creating and Implementing a Calm Down Corner Integrating Mindfulness into Daily Routines Calming Down for High-Energy Children Promoting Engagement for Withdrawn Children Implementing Effective Transitions with Children Building Confidence and Self-Esteem in Children Structuring Child's Day for Success
8895 N. Military Trail, Suite 300C Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
playful. healthful. hopeful.
561.244.9499 | Scan the QR code to visit our website www.centerforchildcounseling.org/CCSEWProgram info@centerforchildcounseling.org
Helping children heal stops the intergenerational cycle of abuse and adversity for our families and in our community. Center for Child Counseling is proud to be a Guidestar Platinum-level Guidestar participant – the highest level, a Top-Rated Nonprofit and accredited by Nonprofits First in recognition of our commitment to transparency and accountability.
for additional resources: www.centerforchildcounseling.org/resources