Child Welfare Information Gateway
Skip to main content
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
  • Administration for Children & Families
  • Children's Bureau
Child Welfare Information Gateway
REPORT ABUSE OR
NEGLECT
FIND HELP WITH A
PERSONAL SITUATION   

Home Topics Publications Library State Resources More Tools & Resources News & Events
REPORT ABUSE OR
NEGLECT
FIND HELP WITH A
PERSONAL SITUATION   
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Chat
  • Free Subscriptions
  • Resources in Spanish
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Chat
  • Resources in Spanish
  • Shopping Cart
  • Home
  • Topics
    • Family-Centered Practice
      • Philosophy and Key Elements of Family-Centered Practice
      • Family-Centered Practice Across the Service Continuum
      • Engaging Families
      • Family-Centered Casework Practice
      • Family Group Decision-Making
      • Engaging Communities to Support Families
      • Creating a Family-Centered Agency Culture
    • Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Definitions of Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Identification of Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Risk Factors That Contribute to Child Abuse and Neglect
      • People Who Engage in Child Abuse or Neglect
      • Impact of Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Child Abuse & Neglect Fatalities
    • Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect
      • National Child Abuse Prevention Month
      • Overview: Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Promoting Child & Family Well-Being
      • Public Awareness & Creating Supportive Communities
      • Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Programs
      • Developing & Sustaining Prevention Programs
      • Evidence-Based Practice for Child Abuse Prevention
      • Evaluating Prevention Programs
    • Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Introduction to Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect
      • Assessment in Child Protection
      • Differential Response in Child Protective Services
      • Child Protection Casework Practice
      • Responding to Child Maltreatment Near Fatalities and Fatalities
      • Trauma-Informed Practice in Child Welfare
      • Collaborative Responses to Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Supporting & Preserving Families
      • Supporting Families With Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
      • Introduction to Family Support and Preservation
      • In-Home Services Involved With Child Protection
      • Family Support Services
      • Resources for Managers of Family Support and Preservation Services
      • Family Preservation Services
    • Out-of-Home Care
      • National Foster Care Month
      • Overview: Out-of-Home Care
      • Foster Care
      • Group and Residential Care
      • Kinship Care
      • Casework Practice in Out-of-Home Care
      • Transition to Adulthood and Independent Living
      • Placement Decisions
      • Resources for Foster Families
    • Achieving & Maintaining Permanency
      • Overview: Achieving & Maintaining Permanency
      • Reunifying Families
      • Recruiting and Retaining Resource Families
      • Permanency With Relatives and Kin
      • Guardianship
      • Permanency for Specific Youth Populations
      • Legal and Court Issues in Permanency
      • Interjurisdictional Placements
      • Working With Children, Youth, and Families in Permanency Planning
      • Working With Children, Youth, and Families After Permanency
      • Resources for Administrators and Managers About Permanency
      • Resources for Families About Permanency
    • Adoption
      • National Adoption Month
      • All-In Foster Adoption Challenge
      • Children's Bureau Adoption Call to Action
      • Adoption and Guardianship Assistance by State
      • Introduction to Adoption
      • Ethical Issues in Adoption
      • For Adopted People
      • For Adoption Program Managers & Administrators
      • For Expectant Parents Considering Adoption and Birth Parents
      • How to Adopt
      • Laws Related to Adoption
      • Parenting After Adoption
      • Preplacement Adoption Casework Practice
      • Postplacement Adoption Casework Practice
      • Search & Reunion in Adoption
    • Management & Supervision
      • Administering & Managing Child Welfare Agencies & Programs
      • Child Welfare Practice Improvement
      • Disaster Preparedness & Response
      • Ethical Practice & Client Rights
      • Evaluating Program and Practice Effectiveness
      • Funding
      • Information Systems & Data
      • Supervising Child Welfare Services
      • System Reform
      • Training
      • Workforce
    • Systemwide
      • Assessment
      • Behavioral Health & Wellness
      • Courts
      • Cultural Responsiveness
      • Diverse Populations and Communities
      • Domestic Violence
      • Human Trafficking
      • Laws & Policies
      • Service Array
      • Statistics
      • Well-Being
      • Youth
  • Publications
    • Publications Series
    • Browse by Topic
    • Browse by Title
    • índice de Títulos en Español (Spanish Title Index)
  • Library
    • Library Services
    • Library Search Help
  • State Resources
    • State Statutes
    • National Foster Care & Adoption Directory
    • State Guides & Manuals Search
    • State-Related Organizations Lists
    • Adoption and Guardianship Assistance by State
  • More Tools & Resources
    • Related Organizations
    • Learning Center
    • Resources From the Children's Bureau
      • Children's Bureau Discretionary Grants
      • The Story of the Children's Bureau
      • Children's Bureau Video Series
    • Child Welfare Information Gateway Podcast Series
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Webinars
    • Family Engagement Inventory
  • News & Events
    • Free Subscriptions
    • Adoption Triad
    • Children's Bureau Express (CBX)
    • The Grantee Connection
    • New on Information Gateway
    • New From the Children's Bureau
    • Event Calendar
  • Home
  • Topics
  • Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect
  • Trauma-Informed Practice in Child Welfare
  • Resources on Trauma for Caregivers and Families

Resources on Trauma for Caregivers and Families

Many children in the child welfare system have experienced complex trauma. Complex trauma occurs when children are exposed to multiple traumatic events over time that are severe, pervasive, and interpersonal in nature, such as repeated abuse and neglect, and cause long-term harmful consequences (National Child Traumatic Stress Network [PDF - 87 KB]). Complex trauma may interfere with a child's ability to form secure attachments to caregivers and many other aspects of healthy physical and mental development. In this section, find resources to help support children in your care who have experienced complex trauma, including specific trainings. 

Childhood Trauma
North American Council on Adoptable Children
Provides articles and webinars on childhood trauma, the impact of trauma on children, and trauma-informed parenting practices. 

Childhood Traumatic Grief: Information for Parents and Caregivers
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2019)
Provides information for parents and caregivers on their role in helping children learn healthy ways to manage their feelings, specifically as it relates to grief and loss.

Data at a Glance: Completing Treatment Vs. Ending Early Is Better for Kids - What Caregivers Should Know
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2019)
Explains to parents and caregivers the importance of completing therapeutic treatment in order to remediate the negative effects of trauma in the lives of their children and youth.

Data at a Glance: Dissociation and PTSD - What Parents Should Know
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2018)
Informs parents and caregivers about how they can support children and youth experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder and dissociation, including learning more about trauma, paying attention during times of dissociation, and communicating with a doctor or therapist.

Parenting Children and Youth Who Have Experienced Abuse or Neglect

Series Title
Factsheets for Families
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 261KB)
Order (Free)
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.

Parents and Caregivers
Center for Child Trauma Assessment, Services and Interventions
Provides guidance to parents and caregivers on how to speak with children and youth about their experiences as well as five key behaviors that parents and caregivers can adopt to create a supportive environment.

Traumatic Experiences
Sesame Street in Communities
Provides activities and resources designed to help child welfare professionals and parents help children address and heal prior traumatic experiences. There are also resources specific to children in foster care.

(Back to Top)

Training

Educational Trainings for Parent Groups and Professionals
Center for Adoption Support and Education
Provides multiple trainings for caregivers and professionals on a variety of topics related to parenting adopted children, from adopting older youth and teens to attachment disorders. 

Trauma-Free World
Provides trauma-informed care training for people who interact with children frequently, from foster parents to school personnel. The trainings are provided in multiple languages and continuing education units are available. A cost is associated with purchasing or attending a training. 

Trauma-Informed Care Training
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
Offers a free, 2-hour online training on the impact of trauma for professionals and caregivers. The training is available in English and in Spanish. 

Trauma Systems Therapy for Foster Care (TST-FC)
Annie E. Casey Foundation (2017)
Offers a four-part training on a trauma-informed curriculum for foster parents. The training includes a foster parent resource guide and a guide to help children manage their emotions.  

(Back to Top)

 

Spotlight On

Complex Trauma

National Traumatic Stress Network

Families and Caregivers

National Child Traumatic Stress Network

Learning Materials and Resources

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Protective Factors That Help Your Child Overcome High ACEs

Creating a Family (2020)

Related Content

Understanding Children's Developmental Stages

Helping Children Address Past Trauma

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

More From Our Library

2018 to Present

Resources on Trauma for Caregivers

Children's Bureau - An office of the Administration for Children and Families

Child Welfare Information Gateway is a service of the

  • Children’s Bureau
  • Administration for Children and Families
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
↑ Back to top
  • HOME
  • TOPICS
    • Family-Centered Practice
    • Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Supporting & Preserving Families
    • Out-of-Home Care
    • Achieving & Maintaining Permanency
    • Adoption
    • Management & Supervision
    • Systemwide
  • National Initiatives
    • National Adoption Month
    • National Child Abuse Prevention Month
    • National Foster Care Month
  • Publications
    • Publications Series
    • Browse by Title
    • Browse by Topic
    • Índice de Títulos en Español
  • Library
    • Search the Library
  • State Resources
    • State Statutes
    • National Foster Care & Adoption Directory
    • State Guides & Manuals
    • State Related Organizations Lists
    • Adoption Assistance by State
  • More Tools & Resources
    • Related Organizations
    • Learning Center
    • Children's Bureau Resources
    • Information Gateway Podcast
    • Multimedia
    • Family Engagement Inventory
  • NEWS AND EVENTS
    • New on Information Gateway
    • New From the Children's Bureau
    • Event Calendar
  • ABOUT US
    • How to Report Child Abuse or Neglect
    • Find Help With a Personal Situation
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Glossary
    • Search A to Z
  • Contact Us
    • 1-800-394-3366
    • info@childwelfare.gov
    • Subscribe to Free Updates
    • Chat With Us
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on YouTube
  • POLICIES & HELPFUL LINKS
    • Disclaimer and Policies
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
    • FOIA requests
    • No FEAR Act data
    • Office of the Inspector General
    • Performance reports
    • Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
    • USA.gov
    • Download Acrobat Reader
  • ↑ Back to top