Haven of Hope International launches a one-year trauma-informed certification program to set a new standard of care for the orphaned children they serve.
Congratulations to the first students participating in this game-changing trauma care program at our flagship orphan care home, Refugio de Esperanza in Bolivia. Upon successful completion of this program, each staff member will become a mentor to a staff member in other Haven of Hope orphan care home partners in South and Central America, multiplying the effort and spreading the healing to as many children as possible. This unique one-year program was developed by Haven of Hope International’s Angela Bryan, behavior specialist, and authorized TBRI® and trauma-informed care educator.
Angela explains, “Trauma-informed care is more than a method or the implementation of a 1, 2, 3 step program. It is a paradigm shift, a way of thinking and caring for children 24/7. As we are striving to raise the bar of global orphan care, insightful and highly skilled care-taking professionals are the foundation to deliver healing and hope to the children in our care. Experiences build our brains. Therefore every single adult who is involved in a child’s life has an impact on how those brains develop.”
Angela continues, “I am so excited that so many staff have applied to be part of this journey. It is not just the Refugio de Esperanza caretaking staff but also the office staff, the bus driver and the social worker. Together, in their daily interactions with the children with the skills they are learning in this program, they will deliver 24/7 connected, positive and healing experiences to the children in their care who have suffered so much.”
In the course of one year, these dedicated staff members will study and apply the latest insights of the effects of trauma on brain development and put into practice skilled, therapeutic care-taking techniques for children and youth who have suffered complex developmental trauma. Part of this program will also include conflict resolution skills based on restorative justice practices, the implementation of trauma-informed transition, and career planning steps to help teens launch into productive adulthood, data collection skills to adjust things based on evidence, and mindset training that teaches how to de-escalate a child safely and prevent harm to self and others.
If you would like to become a trauma care program sponsor and support this vital work we are undertaking or learn more about it, please contact Angela at angela@havenofhoptintl.org.