Trauma-Responsive Family Engagement in Early Childhood Practices for Equity and Resilience

Designed for all professionals working with parents and families of young children, this practical guide offers comprehensive resources for building trauma-responsive family engagement in your school or program. Throughout this book, you'll find: Evidence-based practices that promote trauma-response family engagement. Exercises and tools for identifying the strengths and learning edges within your program, school, or agency. Vignettes from people and programs striving to create trusting, asset-focused partnerships with families that improve equity and promote culturally responsive practices. Reflective inquiry questions and sample conversations to help you examine your own practices. With concrete examples and easy-to-implement strategies, this critical book helps readers put theory into practice while providing essential support for individuals and groups both new to and experienced with trauma-responsive practices in early childhood.

Introduction: An Urgent Need for Trauma- Sensitive Family Engagement Practices in Early Childhood 1.When We Talk about Parents and Families, Who is Included?2.Understanding State Dependent Functioning: The Importance of Maintaining Regulation in Trauma-Responsive Environments3.Foundations of High-Quality Family Engagement4.Core Principle: Understand Stress and Trauma5.Core Principle: Acknowledge Systems of Privilege and Oppression and Take Actions to Disrupt Inequity6.Core Principle: Establish Safety and Predictability7.Core Principle: Provide Opportunities for Agency and Control8.Core Principle: Promote Coping, Resilience, Healing and Wellness9.Father Engagement: Intentionally Planning for and Centering Fathers and Father Figures in Early Childhood10.Case Studies: Applying Ideas Throughout the Book to Your Practice

Julie Nicholson is Professor of Practice in the School of Education at Mills College and Co-Director of the Center for Equity in Early Childhood Education. Julie Kurtz is CEO at the Center for Optimal Brain Integration® and trains on social-emotional and trauma-responsive practices across the lifespan. She also operates a private practice as a licensed marriage and family therapist in California, USA.