Trauma Informed Care (TIC) quite simply is not something you do, rather, it is who you are.
Here at the Northwest Children’s Home we have adopted a treatment philosophy that focuses on building healthy relationships and helping children maintain calm and engaged states. NCH minimizes continuous states of escalation by maintaining structured and collaborative expectations and supports.
It takes a complete understanding of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and how they impact neural development in children and lead to the adoption of maladaptive behaviors. Neurobiological research has shown that high levels of stress, trauma, or neglect impact the parts of the brain that generate thought and memory, often with long term effects, especially in children.
Being trauma informed means we understand the impacts and consequences of trauma and we integrate that approach into every aspect of our services. From the way we train our staff, to the way we interact with the youth we serve, and even in the way we design our facilities. A trauma informed approach minimizes coercive practices as research has shown those can be re-traumatizing.
