Vital to Haven’s mission to work with students in the child welfare-impacted space is a focus on developing a trauma-sensitive environment. 92% of children in the NYC child welfare services space have been exposed to at least one traumatic event, while 86% have experienced multiple traumatic events. In response to this need, Haven strives to create a trauma-sensitive environment that is both consistent and predictable while allowing “voice and choice” for students in a way that feels safe and empowering.

While “trauma” is a frequently used phrase, it does have a specific definition that guides how Haven creates a trauma-sensitive school environment. An event is traumatic when it threatens physical survival (of self or someone close) or one’s core sense-of-self. A threat to physical survival is often observable, while a threat to one’s core sense-of-self means that an individual feels that the answer to the question: ‘Who am I?’ may change forever. Examples of traumatic events include: physical abuse; sexual abuse; violence; disasters; terrorism; life threatening injuries or illness; severe neglect.

• Acute trauma results from a single incident.

• Chronic trauma is repeated and prolonged such as domestic violence or abuse.

• Complex trauma is exposure to varied and multiple traumatic events, often of an invasive, interpersonal nature.

• Developmental trauma occurs when a child experiences chronic adversity, abuse, or neglect in their home and the guardian is either the perpetrator or is unable to protect the child. This trauma impacts the child’s development.

• Toxic stress response can occur when a child experiences strong, frequent, and/or prolonged adversity including exposure to violence, and/or the accumulated burdens of family economic hardship—without adequate adult support.

The effects of trauma on individuals is a spectrum, and we can’t make assumptions of what that will look like for each person. But regardless of the degree of the effect of the trauma, or even having had little to no exposure to trauma, a trauma-sensitive environment benefits all students, develops secure attachments between adults and students, and creates a strong school culture.