Foster Care Training

Trauma, once understood as the result of exposure to only the most severe events, nowadays has been afforded a much deeper understanding and broader reach through the burgeoning fields of neuroscience research and attachment studies. Contrary to solely veterans of war, exposed to the acute stress of life-threatening contexts, trauma is more and more being acknowledged as pervasive and prevalent throughout the lifespan. Children and youth navigating the foster system are no exception and, not uncommonly, doubly vulnerable within the framework of attachment challenges, derailed developmental trajectories, and, further, the unstable and unpredictable nature of navigating the child welfare and foster care system.

Trauma informed care emphasizes safety, collaboration, choice, and empowerment, involving services and interventions that are relationally rich and developmentally appropriate. Trauma-informed care also ventures to minimize the impact of past trauma and, further, avoid any additional re-traumatization on the child and systems within which the child is nested through the singular aim to understand the impact and current expressions of trauma on the child’s life. Finally, trauma-informed care promotes insight into the interplay of a dynamic understanding of the protective factors and risk factors that may support and/or obstruct positive treatment outcomes and optimal resiliency.

1. Describe trauma-informed care and 5 principles of trauma-informed care.
2. Identify 2 of [added number to be measurable] the often-misunderstood effects trauma can have on a child’s development, behaviors, and/or functioning.
3. Articulate at least 5 protective factors and 5 risk factors that influence treatment outcomes and resiliency.