The Role of Preschool as a Point of Intervention and Prevention for Trauma-Exposed Children: Recommendations for Practice, Policy, and Research

Abstract

Schools are increasingly being leveraged as intervention points to address childhood trauma due to the well-established links between childhood trauma exposure and poor child well-being outcomes. However, although preschool-aged children experience higher rates of trauma, such as maltreatment and violence exposure, than their older counterparts, there is a dearth of information available related to trauma-informed preschool models. This conceptual article outlines the need for trauma-informed preschool programming and highlights key components of trauma-informed preschool models for young children. This article does so by discussing the known prevalence and impact of early trauma, exploring evidence related to early childhood trauma interventions and trauma-informed education for older children, and outlining recommendations for practice, policy, and research related to trauma-informed preschools.