Dear Community
I would like to complete a universal screening at a K-to 8 school (500 kids) school for ACE/ trauma. Can anyone recommend a tool that is both easy, ideally electronic and free?
Does this exist?
Veronica
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On this website I found versions of the original ACES Questionnaire that was adapted for parents and children. They seem to be used mostly in the clinical setting, not necessarily in schools. Of course there would be consent and HIPAA/FERPA issues to consider for schools.
https://centerforyouthwellness.org/aceq-pdf/
Do you think it’s a good idea to have something like that floating around electronically?
How do you explain child emotional neglect or mental health problem in a parent to a kindergartener?
Have you thought about what you might do with a positive screen? (I don’t want kids to be abused but families could be torn apart and being in foster care and losing siblings is another trauma).
It is important not to believe that we have discovered all childhood adversity by giving kids or parents a questionnaire. In many severely traumatizing families, there can be very strong motivation to keep secrets about such things.
Just a few off the top of my head thoughts.
I am sure the developmental appropriateness of the screener would be key. As a school counselor, we need something.
A professional school counselor considers all FERPA issues.
I have heard some interesting theories on this:
1) No need to screen, treat everyone as though they are at least a "4"
2) If you screen for ACES, you should also screen for resilience
YES !!! Treat everyone!
Help everyone learn and know resilience.
And what we are terming “Resilience” is really a set of protective factors.
Resilience is a biological characteristic of stability in the stress response that develops in the child through safe and attuned relationships between the child and appropriate attachment figures.
