The Trauma Informed Practices in Education Certificate is designed to prepare students to support and promote social-emotional competence in young children. Students acquire knowledge to integrate developmentally appropriate cognitive and social-emotional support strategies and skills to meet children’s diverse mental health needs. They are taught culturally responsive behavior and discipline techniques, practical prevention and intervention strategies, and brain-appropriate curriculum. Students will identify mental health community resources to help create and build respectful, reciprocal relationships that support children’s mental health and the families they serve.

Learning Outcome(s):

✓ Demonstrate and apply their knowledge of developmentally appropriate cognitive and social-emotional support skills, strategies, and resources to promote social and emotional competence in young children in the educational setting.
✓ Define how discipline and stress affect learning and the mental health of young children.
✓ Describe how child abuse, culture, ability, self-concept, and a child’s experiences impact brain development.
✓ Examine the integration of child development theory and practice within the fields of early education and mental health.
✓ Analyze current research in children's mental health topics and practices in provider and family support and strategies to provide mental health support.