Foster Care Training

Intimate partner violence continues to happen in families with alarming frequency, and is likely to happen more frequently during stressful economic and social times such as these. It is clear that both adults and children are impacted when there is intimate partner violence. According to research, adult intimate partner violence often occurs in the same homes that child abuse occurs. Consequently, many children and teens who are in the child welfare system have witnessed violence between adult caregivers, and they carry the emotional scars and behavioral symptoms of having been impacted. Is intimate partner violence between parents experienced by children the same way as other exposure to violence? How can foster parents and mental health professionals best support children who have experienced this type of stressor? Concrete scripts for working with children and teens will be explored. We will review the latest research regarding how to promote resiliency and recovery for children who have been affected by caregiver domestic violence.