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Mount Wachusett Community College Education Department professors Thom Linehan and Maureen Provost joined Quinsigamond Community College faculty members Karen O’Neill and Julie Tripori to organize and present the Trauma-Informed Care Colloquium for Early Childhood Education Faculty and Administrators at Quinsigamond Community College on Friday, September 8, 2023. In attendance were early childhood education faculty, administrators, and project participants from across the state.
Trauma is a long-standing public health challenge that has started to receive more attention recently, it has significant impacts on young children. The Trauma-Informed Care Colloquium is supported and facilitated by MASSCAP (the Massachusetts Association for Community Action) as well as the Institute for Community Health. The project aims to support faculty and institutions of higher education in preparing future educators of young children.
The Trauma-Informed Care Colloquium was the culminating event of a multi-year project to develop college courses focused on trauma-informed care for early childhood education students and individuals currently working in the field. The faculty involved in this project carefully designed and piloted courses that help educators recognize the impacts of trauma on young children and provide them with constructive, positive strategies for providing care.
“Having the opportunity to work with my colleagues and share solid research and practical information with a broader audience was an essential piece of the Trauma-Informed Care Colloquium,” notes Professor Maureen Provost. “Equally important, hearing from attendees how they will use what they learned to educate others is exciting! Ultimately, this knowledge will positively impact the lives of children, families, communities, and the educators who serve them.”
The Trauma-Informed Care Colloquium furthered this work by sharing the results of the study, including best practices, curricular frameworks, and teaching strategies with other Massachusetts community college professors to integrate the approach into their curricula.