BSA324, Sesame Street and trauma support for kids, 11 October, 2017

Sesame Street launches tools to help children who experience trauma, from hurricanes to violence at home

New intitiative called Sesame Street in Communities

"The videos and activities are designed for both children and caregivers to watch or use together, a two-generation approach meant to nurture relationships that can dramatically improve a child’s chances of healing from traumatic experiences. Research shows that a consistent, caring adult is the most effective buffer for a child’s stress. Additional materials designed just for adults explain more about the research and strategies behind how traumatic experiences affect children and how they can help."

Chandler, M. A. (2017, October 6). Sesame Street launches tools to help children who experience trauma, from hurricanes to violence at home. The Washington Post, p. 1. Retrieved October 11, 2017, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2017/10/07/sesame-street-launches-tools-to-teach-coping-skills-to-children-who-experience-trauma-of-all-kinds-from-natural-disasters-to-violence-at-home/?utm_term=.5474f66f49c8

For Traumatized Children, An Offer Of Help From The Muppets

Ann Thomas is CEO of The Children's Place in Kansas City. It's a full-day therapeutic program for children who, on average, have experienced five traumatic events before the age of 6. "They've had some really hard starts in life," she says. "That does impact their development."

Thomas consulted on the new material, even visiting the set when the Muppets were filming.

Though the videos speak directly to children, Thomas thinks they can also help adults. "I think one of the biggest values of this material is as a bridge for adults to take grownup issues and put them in developmentally appropriate words to help children heal," she says.

This is a skill that even the most well-intentioned grandparent, teacher or foster parent may not have. "When it's your child, you don't want them to hurt," she says. "Sometimes we want to say, 'get over it.' It's hard to be with a child in that pain."

She notes that it can be comforting in itself for children to see familiar characters dealing with these emotions. Traumatic experiences are sadly common, but not much talked about in most kids' media.

"When it's done by Sesame it gives it credibility," she says. "If Sesame is doing it you're not alone."

She applauds the focus on skills to manage emotion, rather than having Muppets delve into what caused the emotions. This mirrors the course of treatment for children moving beyond trauma.

"Teaching these coping skills first, creating a sense of safety, consistency and predictability — that is the No. 1 step," she says. "It doesn't matter if it was sexual abuse or a house fire. You're scared, you're not trusting, you're not sleeping."

Kamenetz, A. (2017, October 11). For Traumatized children, An Offer Of Help From the Muppets. Retrieved from NPR: http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/10/06/555363108/for-traumatized-children-an-offer-of-help-from-the-muppets?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=202706