Maryland Essentials for Childhood

Understanding trauma isn’t just about awareness—it’s about creating healthier communities. Maryland is working toward a more resilient future by integrating trauma-informed practices across policies, education, and healthcare. Swipe to see why it's important to be trauma-informed. Let’s build a stronger, healthier tomorrow together!

The Maryland State Council on Child Abuse & Neglect (SCCAN), which is one of our backbone organizations, released their 2022 - 2023 Annual Report. The report contains a review of the recommendations made to state agencies and the legislative branch on ways to continue to prevent adverse childhood experiences and when they do occur, mitigate their impact.

Happy 211 Day, Maryland! A day to celebrate the ways 211 connects Marylanders. 211 Maryland is here for grown-ups, making sure kids have what they need to grow up healthy and strong. It connects people to community resources —which make a big difference in a child’s life. When kids and families have access to stable housing, food, healthcare, and mental health resources, we all thrive. The Maryland Information Network, which powers 211 Maryland, is one of our backbone organizations. The nonprofit powers the Maryland EFC resource database connecting grown-ups to essential resources— like child care, parent and caregiver support, school camps and more! Working together, our communities are stronger! ?? Dial 2-1-1 to find help today!

Science tells us that early life experiences shape development, but the story doesn’t end there. Every child has the capacity to grow, heal, and thrive no matter the age — and supportive relationships make all the difference. The good news? It’s never too late to create positive change. Enter... the Brain-Building Toolkit, a one-stop location for grown-ups to get the tools to help us thrive. Maryland Essentials for Childhood pulled together the latest research and information from leading experts, our backbone organizations, and community partners to give parents and trusted adults easy access to the latest tips to support children. Because you don’t have to be a brain scientist to build a child’s brain! Get started: https://lnkd.in/eWRVd45U #PositiveChildhoodExperiences #CollectiveImpact #MultiGenFamilySupport?#BrainBuildingToolkit #TraumaInformed #ChildhoodResilience #HealthyBrainScience #SupportiveFamilyEnvironments #MDFamilyAdvocacy #ThrivingYouth?

This week the Maryland Supreme Court upheld that the Child Victims Act of 2023 was constitutional. This milestone clears the path for civil claims of child sexual abuse to move forward. We continue to stand with survivors in their efforts to seek justice and healing.?

Meet Wendy Lane, Chair of EFC and longtime advocate for child abuse prevention efforts in Maryland. We are honored to have her leading our efforts in this next chapter of our organization's growth. Wendy's past experience as the Chair of the Maryland SCCAN, and her current role as Chair of the Foster Care and Child Maltreatment Committee for the Maryland Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics simply add to her wealth of professional experience as a pediatrician. Her focus is working collectively. She said, “There are so many organizations, groups, and individuals doing wonderful things to help prevent child maltreatment and improve the well-being of children. None can do this on their own, but if we work synergistically, we can limit redundancy and build on what others are doing to effect meaningful change." Wendy is a clinician, and a researcher focused on child maltreatment, prevention and intervention, as well as maternal and child health.

We have a new brand, but the same mission. Working through a grant from the Maryland Department of Health, we worked with The Hatcher Group to complete a rebranding process that included a new logo and tagline. Connecting Science, Policy, and People so Children Thrive captures the essence of our collective work.

For more than 10 years, Maryland Essentials for Childhood has collaborated with policy makers, community members, scientists, and nonprofit partners to strengthen the foundations of our communities. We’ve worked together to strengthen policies, learn the brain science and amplify the tools that support every child reaching their potential child. We’re excited to launch this next chapter in our shared history.