In any given year, approximately one million children come to the attention of the US child welfare system. Many are victims of abuse or neglect, live with caregivers who are impaired, and/or deal with school and community violence as a fact of life. Identification and early intervention are crucial to helping children traumatized by maltreatment and other stresses. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has developed tools and materials for building skills and increasing knowledge about childhood trauma to help child welfare administrators, caseworkers, frontline staff, mental health personnel, and caregivers understand and respond to the needs of traumatized children. In addition to the NCTSN resources highlighted below, Child Welfare Professionals can learn more about creating trauma-informed Child Welfare Systems in the Trauma-Informed Care section of this website.
Describes how the film Removed gives foster parents a vivid picture of what it must be like for children entering the foster care system. This webinar provides information about how to use the video to facilitate a conversation about being removed from one's home.
Complements the Resource Parent Curriculum (RPC). This course is for resource families who are considering attending a RPC training to help them determine whether it would be worth their time to attend an entire workshop.
Provides information for staff in residential treatment centers on how to understand behavior through a trauma lens.
Details the importance of a holistic, multidisciplinary, multi-level approach to addressing the needs of youth with complex trauma in residential treatment settings.
Shares how the Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit: 2nd Edition has been implemented in three different states by non-profit organizations, in partnership with their child welfare jurisdictions.
Gives supervisors and administrators in the child welfare system the information on the importance of addressing secondary traumatic stress (STS).
Provides information about how traumatic events often generate secondary adversities such as family separations, financial hardship, relocations to a new residence and school, social stigma, ongoing treatment for injuries, physical rehabilitation, and legal proceedings.
Describes what comprehensive care for children in the child welfare system looks like.
Discusses how every traumatic event is made up of traumatic moments that may include varying degrees of objective life threat, physical violation, and witnessing of injury or death.
Outlines practice examples for continuity of care and collaboration across systems, a vital activity for youth involved in multiple service systems. This brief, written by Macon Stewart from the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform describes its Youth Practice Model.
Highlights the content in the Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit: 2nd Edition. This webinar provides information about other resources for those considering using this curriculum within their agencies.
Discusses findings from research on crossover youth and how traumatic stress plays a role in the trajectory of crossover youth, as well as implications for policy and practice.