The Office of the California Surgeon General has launched a new trauma-informed training designed to help educators, school personnel and childcare providers respond to trauma and stress in children. Safe Spaces: Foundations of Trauma-Informed Practice for Educational and Care Settings was developed in collaboration with experts in education, youth mental health and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) research. The training is free, accessible online and available in English and Spanish. Safe Spaces engages the learner with case examples, strategies, videos and practices – each varied according to the developmental stage served. Each lesson focuses on helping the learner understand four key concepts:

  • Their role in promoting resilience and healing • How individuals experience stress and trauma
  • The collective conditions for health and well-being
  • The role of systems in supporting health and well-being
  • The training includes three learning modules for those who work with children ages 0-5, 5-11 and 12-18 and will be available in English and Spanish.

All individuals who complete the training will receive a certificate of completion from the California Surgeon General.