$9,700 gift helps Marathon County caregivers with child trauma

MOSINEE, Wis. (WSAW) - Childcare providers around Marathon County are getting the opportunity to be trained to help kids facing anxiety and uncertainty sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program will benefit young children and caregivers.

With the help of a $9,700 gift from the B.A. and Esther Greenheck Foundation that Childcaring in Mosinee applied to, teachers at childcare centers around the county are being specifically trained to help young kids experiencing trauma in their lives.

As life has changed because of the pandemic, childcare facilities learned that many families are struggling to get by.

“We’re all under a lot more stress,” Marshfield Clinic Health System Program Coordinator and Trainer said.

The stress and uncertainty of the pandemic is leading to more trauma for kids.

“We felt it was really important to start looking at the social and emotional wellbeing of the children and families by offering a trauma informed care program to childcare programs we’re actually helping them to help the children and families in their care,” Childcaring Executive Director Kelly Borchardt said.

The folks at Childcaring help families in search of childcare as well as assisting childcare providers.

They helped narrow down 20 providers in Marathon County that could benefit the most from the program.

“Childcare programs aren’t necessarily trained social workers, right? And so if we can give them any tools and background and information on working with kids that are dealing with trauma, I think that will just be an all-around really good opportunity,” Borchardt said.

The trauma informed care approach training is conducted virtually for 15 hours over a span of three days. The final session will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

It helps teachers understand how to help preschool-age kids facing stress, anxiety and loss.

“Giving them some strategies, maybe some toys or a space that kids can go to that’s kind of calming and reassuring, really just benefits the kids,” Smith said.

The training covers safety, trustworthiness, collaboration, empowerment and choice.

Smith says having caregivers trained for stressed kids creates a better environment for them in the center.

“It makes programs a little more successful and allows for kids who might be a little bit more challenging to be served in programs,” Smith said.

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