Parenting Children and Youth Who Have Experienced Abuse or Neglect

Children and youth who have been abused or neglected need safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments to recover from the trauma they've experienced. If you are parenting a child or youth with a history of abuse or neglect, you might have questions about the impacts and how you can help your child heal. This factsheet is intended to help parents (birth, foster, and adoptive) and other caregivers better understand the challenges of caring for a child or youth who has experienced maltreatment and learn about available resources for support.

Suggested Citation: Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2018). Parenting children and youth who have experienced abuse or neglect. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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