Leslie

Thank you for your many kind words !

Daun

Dear Dawn,

Thank you for this thoughtful, comprehensive and amazing compilation of information about safety.  You have done a masterful job of uncovering how our various systems define safety and make excellent suggestions. You are to be commended!  I do agree with your point that it is critical to keep the child at the center of our understanding of safety - however, I also think it's important to acknowledge that environmental safety (such as creating safe buildings and developing safe climates in schools) is also critical.  Community Connections in Washington DC, an organization that has been at the forefront of advocating for trauma informed care, strongly recommends the practice of doing an organizational "walk-through" as a great starting point for organizations/systems interested in becoming trauma informed.  If schools are beginning to look at climate and building safety let's support these efforts and help them understand that doing this is part of, but not nearly enough of an effort to ensure that children are safe.