Trauma seems to be the new hot button issue for those who work
in the child welfare system. So...what exactly is trauma? The
definition that I received at the session on Polyvictimization
and Child Trauma at the National Association of Counsel for
Children (NACC) conference is as follows (and note that this
definition is geared toward children, but is more broadly
applicable): - extraordinary experience that threatens the life
or physical integrity of a child or of someone important to that
child - this extraordinary experience causes overwhelming sense
of terror, helplessness, and horror - this extraordinary
experience produces intense physical effects. Okay, but we all
know that those who are involved in the child welfare system,
whether they are parents or children, have experienced some
truly awful things. Why is trauma as a concept so important for
us to consider and look for? A study called the Adverse
Childhood Experiences (ACE) study found that childhood trauma
results in a reduction of life expectanc