Caring for Caregivers: Supporting Resilience in Early Childhood at Aemilian Preschool 

In early childhood education, it’s easy to focus solely on young learners. But at Aemilian Preschool, they know that supporting the adults in the room is just as important.

Through a unique partnership with Wellpoint Care Network, Aemilian has empowered teachers and parents to nurture resilience in young children, creating a ripple effect of wellness throughout the classroom and beyond. 

Caring for the Caregivers 

With funding from the Wisconsin Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Board, Wellpoint Care collaborated with Aemilian Preschool to provide consultation services, working with teachers to refine their approaches to fostering calm, supportive environments for children and families.

The partnership has allowed Aemilian staff to focus on ‘caring for the caregivers’ — giving teachers strategies for self-regulation and stress management.

“We have to be the role models for the children,” says Aemilian’s Executive Director Colleen Belknapp. “It’s important for us to be regulated and be able to show them the best ways to work with all of their emotions that come out.” 

By reinforcing teacher wellness, Wellpoint Care Network and Aemilian have prioritized children’s and educators’ well-being, creating a learning environment where everyone feels supported.

On-the-Ground Support and Practical Resources 

Through the partnership, Aemilian’s classrooms gained access to practical tools like regulation kits, which have been essential in helping young children manage stress and focus on learning.

Belknapp shared a story about how one teacher used a squishy ball from a regulation kit to help a child settle during story time. “These small tools can have a big impact,” she notes, highlighting how Wellpoint Care’s approach focuses on sensory needs as part of the trauma-informed framework. 

Wellpoint Care Network’s therapists also provide ongoing consultation, guiding teachers in supporting students who may have additional behavioral or sensory challenges. These in-classroom visits create a unique opportunity for teachers to ask questions, receive validation and adjust their approach to meet the needs of each child. 

Family Engagement and Community Support 

The Wellpoint Care-Aemilian partnership also extends to parents, offering family education sessions and resources like the same regulation kits used in the classroom. “The parents who attended these sessions appreciated the strategies and tools they could use at home,” says Belknapp. By providing families with these resources, Wellpoint Care supports children’s emotional health beyond the classroom. 

Mental Health Awareness in Early Childhood 

Belknapp emphasizes that mental health support in early childhood doesn’t look like traditional therapy but is woven into every interaction. “Since the pandemic, we’ve seen changes in children’s social skills and comfort with others,” she explains. Aemilian’s program, which centers on play-based, nature-focused activities, allows children to explore emotions, practice social skills, and feel grounded in a safe, nurturing environment. 

Sustaining Skills for the Future 

Since the grant’s completion earlier this year, Aemilian’s teachers are now equipped with tools and strategies they can continue to build on, even beyond the formal partnership. Traditional consultation has ended, and Aemilian Preschool obtained funding to continue some of the work with Wellpoint Care’s team.

“This training has given us the resources we need to support each other and our students well into the future,” says Belknapp. Having an outside perspective from Wellpoint Care Network has been both reassuring and motivating for the Aemilian Preschool team. 

Together, we are creating environments where every child — and the caregivers who support them — can thrive. 

Trauma Sensitive Schools

The Importance of School-Based Mental Health Systems

School-based mental health can be challenging, but Wellpoint Care Network can help you build the right plan and right approach for your school, your district and your community. We can help you move from training and education to action and impact.

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