It seems like every day, news stories of tragedy dominate headlines, but our communities need to know that incredible work is happening to build a brighter future for the next generation. Early childhood care is a critical educational space to create opportunity for children, and champions of early learning are committed to creating greater access to trauma-informed services in the Twin Cities every day.

Think of a child’s brain like a garden. When you plant seeds — knowledge and experiences — and care for it through nurturing, learning and exploring, beautiful blooms are the result. Just like a garden, the conditions in which that nurturing takes place matter. Trauma in the form of adverse childhood experience can stunt the growth of the beautiful blooms we hope will come from the garden.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) caused by something negative or traumatic can create lasting impacts and affect children from all walks of life. Violence in the household, substance or physical abuse, mental health challenges, divorce or separation of parents, food or housing insecurity, and more all constitute ACEs that create long-term mental, physical and social impacts on the children who experience them. The latest studies show that 64% of U.S. adults have experienced at least one type of ACE, and the accumulation of ACEs increases the likelihood of adverse health outcomes.

How can our communities mitigate the impact of ACEs, especially when the children dealing with them are powerless to change their situations? We care for the children in a way that emphasizes their inherent resilience, teaches them coping mechanisms and guides them on a path to face these ACEs with the confidence and social-emotional skills children can develop at a young age. This practice is called trauma-sensitive care, and it is at the core of Greater Twin Cities United Way’s 80×3 initiative.

The 80×3 initiative takes the latest science of early learning and applies those teaching methods to children dealing with ACEs — in particular those in marginalized or poverty-stricken communities that are most often impacted by trauma that constitutes ACEs. When educators and caregivers place an emphasis on trauma-sensitive caregiving, children develop resilience at a young age and carry those benefits to adulthood, all while minimizing the impact of ACEs on the child’s well-being.

Working alongside parents, practitioners, educators, advocates and allies, 80×3 provides professional development opportunities — as well as resources, strategies and a network of support — to create systemic change in the early childhood space. By growing the 80×3 network, we are creating an opportunity to fundamentally change the way the Twin Cities and the state of Minnesota approach early childhood education. As 80×3 grows, we’re seeing tremendous opportunities to further develop the network potential and build a broad base of knowledge to draw on for educators and parents working directly with children facing ACEs.

Now, nearly two years into building this program in the Twin Cities, we’ve developed many partnerships across the state. Our program leaders work with over a hundred teachers, hundreds of families and a growing list of organizational partners to bring this trauma-sensitive care to children in the greater Twin Cities area. But we need to reach every corner of our state.

Now, Minnesota’s legislative session is underway, and the opportunity to intercede on behalf of children facing traumatic childhood experiences is here in front of us. Greater Twin Cities United Way is proud to stand in coalition with child care organizations Center for Inclusive Child Care and Think Small across the state who are speaking up for expanding trauma-sensitive early childhood care in Minnesota. At Greater Twin Cities United Way’s upcoming Advocacy for Children Day on April 15 at the Capitol, we hope lawmakers will recognize the potential of the 80×3 initiative to not only change lives but also change our entire approach to educating young children. Together, we can grow this network exponentially to touch the lives of thousands of children and their families.

Despite the doom and gloom we see every night on the news or in our local paper, there are quiet heroes doing the work to build a better future for Minnesota every day. As educators, we must take advantage of the opportunities we have available to us right now. 80×3 is the start of a greater movement to make positive strides in the way we approach the education of our youngest and most vulnerable learners. We at United Way hope that you will join us in our commitment to creating the change we need for the future.

Jamie Bonczyk is the 80×3 program officer at the Greater Twin Cities United Way.

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