PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The city and school district are expanding a program that supports children who witness trauma outside of school.
The Handle with Care program gives school staff a heads-up when a child experiences trauma. It’s not limited to gun violence, said Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel.
“Just having a parent arrested in front of a child can be very traumatic,” he said.
Under a yearlong pilot, police were trained to alert principals and teachers at 15 schools in North Philadelphia’s 22nd Police District to have extra counseling and support ready for students who experienced trauma at home or in their neighborhood, said Meghan Smith, deputy chief for the school district’s Office of Prevention and Intervention.
“Through this pilot, we were able to provide that support to more than 70 students who may otherwise have walked into school carrying the weight of what they experienced without anyone knowing that they just needed a little extra care,” Smith said.
At a news conference Monday at Gideon Elementary School, the police department and school district said Handle with Care proved so effective that it’s expanding to schools throughout the city starting next Monday, Oct. 5.
It notifies teachers if kids experience trauma outside school
It notifies teachers if kids experience trauma outside school
