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 the prevalence and impact of trauma on children in the child welfare system and the rationale for trauma screening and assessment.
Explores the rationale for and utility of screening and assessing for trauma in child welfare setting.
Addresses providing or referring infants, young children, and their caregivers for trauma-sensitive therapeutic interventions, including Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up (ABC).
Addresses the importance of understanding the special developmental needs of young traumatized children. This webinar discusses appropriate referrals for consultation and describes a cutting edge developmental intervention for children in the child welfare system.
Addresses the complex issues and critical needs surrounding young traumatized children in the child welfare system and those who care for them.
Introduces core concepts for enhancing diversity-informed practice. This webinar presents vignettes to highlight how each core concept can be applied to child welfare practice.
Provides an overview of the application and utility of the NIRN Active Implementation Frameworks.
Addresses attachment and its implications for young traumatized children in the child welfare system and discusses the nature of typically developing attachment relationships, as well as the impact of trauma and maltreatment on such relationships.
Describes child and adolescent trauma exposure and psychosocial functioning among NCTSN care recipients in residential care.
Discusses the impact of trauma and the experience of young children in the child welfare system and the signs, symptoms, and consequences of trauma in infants, young children, and their caregivers.
Discusses the unique characteristics of young children in foster care as they recover from abuse and neglect.
Highlights the importance of understanding the serious consequences that trauma histories can have for birth parents and the subsequent potential impact on their parenting. This fact sheet is for child welfare workers.