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Parenting Resources for Foster Parents

Although all parents need support and guidance, foster parents and families face unique challenges when caring for foster children and youth in their homes. The resources in this section provide information on parenting children in foster care, outline ideas for working with the permanency team, and offer helpful links for additional support.

Advocating for Your Foster or Kinship Child at School 
Creating a Family (2021)
Explains how to support your foster youth in an educational setting and why this support is important to education success.

Affirming and Nurturing Racial Identity and Equality in Children [Webinar]
Edwards & Hudson (2020)
Youth Law Center
Explores messages and actions that caregivers could use to assist children in exploring and appreciating their own racial identity as well as adopting an antiracist worldview. 

10 Resources for Foster Parents
Annie E. Casey Foundation (2018)
Provides 10 resources for foster parents and families to help them parent children in their care and navigate the child welfare system. Resources include a blog post on keeping siblings together, a website for raising grandchildren, a magazine written by parents who have experienced the child welfare system, and more. 

Behavioral Management for Adolescents in Child Welfare
California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare
Reviews and rates programs that help manage the behavior of adolescents involved with child welfare for evidence-based practices. Behaviors targeted include general disruptive behaviors (e.g., arguing and back talk), delinquent behaviors (e.g., petty theft and vandalism), truancy, and running away from out-of-home placements.

Child Discipline Techniques for Foster or Adopted Children
Craft (2019)
Verywell Family 
Offers 11 different ways to discipline children who have experienced trauma, including redirecting behavior, consulting a professional, discussing feelings, time in vs. time out, charting the child’s behavior, and more. 

Families and Caregivers
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Examines the effect of trauma on children throughout development and provides resources to guide parents.

Foster Care
Sesame Street in Communities
Provides resources for providers and families to help children in out-of-home care cope with their separation from their parents, their placements in care, and reunification.

Helping Youth Transition to Adulthood: Guidance for Foster Parents

Series Title
Factsheets for Families
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
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Download (PDF - 329KB)
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Year Published
2018
Provides guidance on how foster parents can help youth build a foundation for a successful transition to adult life outside of foster care. It describes the challenges youth face, how the adolescent brain affects them during this time, and Federal laws and programs. It also provides concrete ways they can partner with youth.

Hoarding, Overeating, and Food Obsessions With Foster and Adopted Kids 
Creating a Family (2018)
Guides parents on how to handle concerns surrounding food in adopted and foster children using practical advice.

How to Say Goodbye to Children in Your Home (PDF - 1,137 KB)
Iowa Foster Care and Adoptive Parents Association (2015)
News and Views, Spring
Suggests several ways that a foster parent can prepare to have a child in their care get ready to leave their foster home. Suggestions include life books, engaging the child in the packing process, craft activities, and more.

Parenting a Child or Youth Who Has Been Sexually Abused: A Guide for Foster and Adoptive Parents

Series Title
Factsheets for Families
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 292KB)
Order (Free)
Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 359KB)
Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published
2018
Discusses how you can help children and youth in your care by educating yourself about child sexual abuse, understanding the impact of the abuse, establishing guidelines for safety and privacy in your family, and seeking help if you need it. Reading this factsheet alone will not guarantee that you will know what to do in every circumstance, but you can use it as a resource for some of the potential challenges and rewards that lie ahead.

Parenting Children and Youth Who Have Experienced Abuse or Neglect

Series Title
Factsheets for Families
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
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Download (PDF - 261KB)
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Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 313KB)
Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published
2018
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.

Resources Especially for Foster or Adoptive Families
Center for Parent Information and Resources
Provides information and resources for foster or adoptive parents on raising or caring for a child with disabilities, including how to address and understand the child’s disability, a list of organizations focused on adoption and foster parenting, and information on finding support groups. 

Safe and Sound: Responding to the Experiences of Children Adopted or in Foster Care
American Academy of Pediatrics (2020)
Presents a series of downloadable guides intended to help children who have experienced trauma and adversity by helping their parents, caregivers, and other adults in their lives understand how that early trauma may have affected them.

Social Media: Tips for Foster Parents and Caregivers

Series Title
Factsheets
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 337KB)
Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 350KB)
Year Published
2022
The benefits of social media are explained and tips for helping foster youth use social media are provided, including: discussing social media with youth, setting house rules early on, setting strict privacy settings, teaching youth to keep personal information private, monitoring use, conducting online searches, and discussing cyberbullying. Tips for social media use by foster parents and caregivers are also reviewed.

Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents

Series Title
Factsheets for Families
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 622KB)
Order (Free)
Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 720KB)
Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published
2021
Provides information for foster parents to help them learn about LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and other diverse identities and expressions, including Two-Spirit) youth in the child welfare system, the unique risks they face, and the important role that foster parents can play in reducing those risks. The factsheet outlines specific actions that foster parents can take to create a welcoming and affirming home for all youth in their care and to promote a youth's health and well-being, at home and in the community. Also included are links to many resources for more information and support.

Understanding Children’s Behavior and Helping Them Heal 
AdoptUSKids (2021)
Provides information about why children behave as they do and how to help them heal from traumatic experiences. 

 

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Related Content

Impact of Child Abuse & Neglect

Understanding Children's Developmental Stages

Parenting Children Who Have Experienced Abuse and/or Neglect

Children and Youth Well-Being

Social Media Safety

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