ABSTRACT
This chapter offers several recommendations for teachers and their administrators who are eager to get started in creating trauma-informed programs and want to know how to begin. Although teachers and administrators have powerful roles to support young children's healing and well-being, they cannot do this work alone. Trauma-informed early childhood programs are rooted in empathy and validation of all young children's life experiences. They have compassion for children exposed to trauma and understand that they have developed adaptive behaviors to manage their feelings of terror and feelings of helplessness in the face of adverse experiences. They acknowledge children's strengths, creativity, and persistence instead of focusing solely on their complex and challenging behaviors. They have an unwavering commitment to build consistent, caring, and attuned relationships with every child, every day, so they can communicate to each one that they are deeply loved, full of promise and possibility, and will be safe and protected in their care.
