Ashley Pagenkopf, MS, CCLS, child life specialist at Cook Children's, says the emergency room experiences an uptick in the number of kids coming in for behavioral health needs during the first few weeks of school. She says there are so many stressors to starting something new, and post-pandemic we are needing more than ever to be aware of this and address it in every environment a child encounters – home, school and healthcare. The Association of Child Life Professionals (@assocchildlife) recently began an initiative nationwide addressing #emotionalsafety within the healthcare environment. Emotional safety is defined by the ACLP as “an intentional, interdisciplinary practice to promote resiliency, healing and trust for pediatric patients and their families during medical experiences.” As we head #backtoschool, Ashley challenges parents and caretakers to consider how they can promote resiliency among their kids and allow them to really express their emotions (tears and all). Read Ashley’s full message by visiting the link in our bio!