Aug 31, 2026 · 7 min · 6 segments
In this episode, Anna-Claire shares some actionable ways for school staff to assist children who may be experiencing abuse, neglect, or trauma. Our Kids Care Program is also discussed to bring…
But for a child who has experienced abuse or trauma, it can also bring a lot of stress and uncertainty.
School means changes in routine, new teachers, new classrooms, new expectations, and sometimes separation from caregivers they've grown to feel safe with.
Trauma can also affect how a child responds to transitions.
Something that seems small to an adult, like a schedule change, like a new classroom, a teacher's tone of voice, or even being asked to talk about their summer, can bring up difficult memories or feelings.
For others, returning to school may bring anxiety because they're worried about what will happen when they go home.
It's important for school staff to remember that above all, a child's behavior may be communicating something.
The biggest thing here is that there isn't one specific behavior that automatically means a child is being abused.
That's very important to emphasize.
Instead, we're looking for changes, patterns, and combinations of concerns.
Some things staff might notice include sudden behavioral changes or personality changes, increased anxiety, fear, or sadness.
withdrawal from friends or activities, aggression or outbursts that are new or frequent, difficulty concentrating, a sudden decline in academic performance, frequent absences or tardiness, a child appearing extremely tired or falling asleep in class, changes in eating habits, regression in behaviors or developmental skills, fear of going home or being around a particular person, becoming unusually quiet or compliant, a difficulty trusting adults in general, frequent unexplained injuries, wearing clothing that's inappropriate for the weather to hide injuries, talking about feeling unsafe, and any kind of sexualized behavior or knowledge that isn't necessarily developmentally appropriate.
Again, none of these signs alone proves abuse is occurring.
Children can exhibit these behaviors for many reasons.
What should get our attention is significant or unexplained change, especially when multiple concerns are present.
But for a child who has experienced abuse or trauma, it can also bring a lot of stress and uncertainty.
School means changes in routine, new teachers, new classrooms, new expectations, and sometimes separation from caregivers they've grown to feel safe with.
Trauma can also affect how a child responds to transitions.
Something that seems small to an adult, like a schedule change, like a new classroom, a teacher's tone of voice, or even being asked to talk about their summer, can bring up difficult memories or feelings.
For others, returning to school may bring anxiety because they're worried about what will happen when they go home.
It's important for school staff to remember that above all, a child's behavior may be communicating something.
The biggest thing here is that there isn't one specific behavior that automatically means a child is being abused.
That's very important to emphasize.
Instead, we're looking for changes, patterns, and combinations of concerns.
Some things staff might notice include sudden behavioral changes or personality changes, increased anxiety, fear, or sadness.
withdrawal from friends or activities, aggression or outbursts that are new or frequent, difficulty concentrating, a sudden decline in academic performance, frequent absences or tardiness, a child appearing extremely tired or falling asleep in class, changes in eating habits, regression in behaviors or developmental skills, fear of going home or being around a particular person, becoming unusually quiet or compliant, a difficulty trusting adults in general, frequent unexplained injuries, wearing clothing that's inappropriate for the weather to hide injuries, talking about feeling unsafe, and any kind of sexualized behavior or knowledge that isn't necessarily developmentally appropriate.
Again, none of these signs alone proves abuse is occurring.
Children can exhibit these behaviors for many reasons.
What should get our attention is significant or unexplained change, especially when multiple concerns are present.
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