We are calling for mandatory trauma-informed training for child welfare and juvenile justice professionals so children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or trauma are properly understood and supported instead of being mischaracterized based on behavior alone.

Children involved in child welfare and juvenile justice systems are often misunderstood and mislabeled because of behaviors that are actually rooted in trauma.

This petition is calling for mandatory trauma-informed training for all professionals working with children in these systems so that trauma responses are recognized correctly and handled with support, not judgment, stigma, or punishment.

(what’s wrong)

Children who have experienced abuse, neglect, grooming, or instability are frequently labeled as “bad,” “manipulative,” “attention-seeking,” or “liars” based on behavior alone.

These labels do not reflect how trauma impacts a developing brain and nervous system.

Without proper trauma-informed training, survival responses such as emotional outbursts, withdrawal, impulsivity, distrust, or fleeing perceived threat or overwhelming situations can be misinterpreted as misconduct instead of understood as trauma responses.

This can lead to harmful outcomes, including inappropriate decisions, lack of proper mental health support, and increased emotional harm to already vulnerable children.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Trauma significantly affects a child’s brain and nervous system, including emotional regulation, impulse control, trust, and perception of safety.

When trauma responses are misunderstood, children risk being further harmed by systems meant to protect them. This is not about excusing harmful behavior—it is about correctly identifying its root cause so appropriate support and intervention can happen.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR

We are calling for:

• Mandatory trauma-informed training for child welfare and juvenile justice professionals
• Better recognition of trauma responses in children and teens
• Increased access to trauma specialists in assessments and case planning
• Training on abuse, grooming, and complex trauma in youth behavior
• Accountability to ensure trauma-informed practices are consistently used

WHY NOW?

Too many children are being misunderstood in systems designed to protect them.

Without proper trauma education, survival behaviors are misread—and misreading trauma can change the entire course of a child’s life.

We cannot continue to treat trauma responses as misconduct.

Children deserve understanding rooted in trauma science—not labels rooted in misunderstanding.