- Press Releases
It could result from chronic exposure to domestic or community violence, the loss of a parent when a child is very young, a terrorist act, or a natural disaster, such as an earthquake. But one thing experts at Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) know is that trauma in early childhood is a growing concern with incalculable repercussions that will be felt in homes, schools, and society as a whole for years to come.
Current research about early childhood trauma will be presented by JFCS professionals and other experts at the groundbreaking international symposium, “Trauma in Early Childhood,” which JFCS’ Child Trauma Training Institute (CTI) is cosponsoring with professional partners from UCSF’s Child Trauma Research Program, the Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, and Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare.The conference will be held in Jerusalem June 28 and 29.
“Data indicate that by the time American children are 16, one in four will experience a significant traumatic episode,” said Lesley Sternin, LCSW, Director of CTI at JFCS’ Parents Place in San Francisco. “These children often manifest exposure to early trauma by behaving with significant aggression or withdrawal. We are seeing more of this type of anti-social behavior in Bay Area nursery schools, preschools, and kindergartens, from which increasing numbers or children are being asked to leave.”
At the Jerusalem conference, Sternin, San Francisco Parents Place Director Amy Weiss, MS, MFT, and JFCS Executive Director Dr. Anita Friedman will discuss these and related issues and share information with colleagues from Israel and other parts of the globe. JFCS’ CTI has become a national training ground for teaching mental health professionals about early childhood trauma. It also continues to gain stature and attention for its direct intervention with children who have experienced significant trauma and with their parents and families. CTI is generously supported by the Ingrid D. Tauber Philanthropic Fund, the Lisa and John Pritzker Family Fund, fees, and individual donations.