May was first declared as National Foster Care Month in 1988. Since then, May has been a time to acknowledge the contributions of foster caregivers and the needs of children in foster care. In 2015, there were an estimated 427,910 children in foster care. A child can be removed from the home and placed in foster care for a variety of reasons including abuse or neglect, parent-child conflict, and the presence of serious physical or behavioral problems in the child that cannot be addressed in the home.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) has compiled a list of helpful resources for birth parents, resource parents, (i.e. foster care, kinship care providers, and adoptive parents), youth, and child welfare and mental health professionals that address the needs of children and adolescents in foster care including mental health treatment, permanency planning, and the transition to independence for older foster care youth.
A list of external resources related to foster care is available here.
Supports caseworkers, supervisors, and all other levels of the child welfare workforce in implementing trauma-informed knowledge and skills in their daily interactions, professional services and organizational culture. The third edition of the Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit (CWTTT) incorp
Is a centralized resource for providers and resource parents who are using or interested in using Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma: A Workshop for Resource Parents in their communities.
Provides external resources related to National Foster Care Month.
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.
Highlights the importance for court-based advocates to understand the serious consequences that trauma histories can have for birth parents and the subsequent potential impact on their parenting.
Describes promising approaches to implementing trauma-informed child welfare practice to improve placement stability for children in foster care.
Discusses the many transitions experienced by, and the challenges transitions pose for, young traumatized children in the child welfare system.
Addresses the important role visitation plays for young foster children and their caregivers.
Highlights the importance of understanding the serious consequences that trauma histories can have for birth parents.
Highlights the importance of birth parents understanding the serious consequences their trauma histories can have on them and the subsequent potential impact on their parenting.
Discusses the importance of identifying and implementing effective strategies for self-care in dealing with the emotional challenges of working with infants, young children, and their caregivers who have been traumatized.
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).