When a Child is Labeled “Broken”

When a system labels a child as broken, it is often a nervous system being misread rather than a problem to fix. This talk explores what becomes possible when adults stop managing behavior and start restoring attunement, safety, and connection. Drawing from lived experience as an educator and caregiver, Jana Curtis invites audiences to look beyond individual blame and toward the systems that shape how children are seen and supported. She shows how small shifts in adult presence, environment, and repair can transform moments of struggle into moments of belonging. When systems fail children, we do not abandon them. We reimagine what should have always been and build from there.

Bio
Jana Curtis is an educator and consultant with over two decades of experience supporting children, families, and educators. A late-realized neurodivergent adult, she brings both lived experience and professional depth to her work, helping people shift from behavior management toward attunement, dignity, and connection. As the founder of Weaving Legacy, Jana blends neuroscience, trauma-informed practice, and storytelling to reframe behavior as communication and regulation as a relational practice. She has trained thousands of educators and organizations nationwide and is guided by one core ethic. Attunement is allowing space and grace for someone else to call themselves home. Her work invites a reimagining of systems so they better reflect our shared humanity, especially for those who have long been misunderstood.