1.3 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered for this training.

Many complicated issues arise when a child is exposed to a traumatic event as a result of a violent crime. This 2-day interactive training is designed for victim advocates who want to develop knowledge and skills to provide appropriate services for children experiencing trauma and grief as a result of violence. You will examine how children perceive death, how they process grief and trauma, and how you can recognize the signs of grief and trauma in children and support their recovery. Using a multidisciplinary team approach, victim service providers, mental health professionals, and law enforcement can improve existing services and create new opportunities to support child living with grief.

Active participation in each of the following training modules will help you accomplish these specific learning objectives:

• Children at Risk
  • Discuss the ways children can be exposed to violence.
  • Identify risk predictors that contribute to trauma in children.
  • Discuss how risk factors influence behaviors over time.
• The Impact of Trauma on Children
  • Explain the impact of trauma on fetuses and developing brains.
  • Define PTSD.
  • Identify symptoms of PTSD.
  • Explain how trauma interferes with the grief process in children.
• How Children Perceive and Respond to Death
  • Cite common myths about child trauma, grief, and mourning.
  • Explain how children perceive and relate to death at different stages in their lives.
  • Describe the types of grief reactions.
  • Describe the effect of the media on children with grief.
  • Describe how culture, family, and rituals play a significant role in how children process the death experience.
• Helping Children Overcome Trauma
  • Identify six core strengths that occur developmentally.
  • Describe seven resiliencies that help children overcome trauma.
  • Identify strategies to promote resilience.
  • Describe the common principles of effective trauma treatments for children.
• Collaborating for Effective Response
  • Describe the challenges and benefits of collaboration.
  • Identify the individual roles of intervening agencies in the aftermath of a violent crime.
  • Examine the intervention process and responses to children and other survivors following a violent crime.
  • Discuss methods for improving collaboration.