Supporting Children in Foster Care: Tips for Social Workers
Overview
This collection of resources is designed to help child welfare professionals better support foster youth and their caregivers. Curated with handouts, videos, and online trainings, this collection uses evidence-based behavior management strategies and resilience-promoting parenting skills that help reduce placements for children in LA County’s welfare system, while also promoting family and individual development.
Contents
Courses
Enhancing Family Engagement Through Adaptive Practices
This course is designed to support facilitators and clinicians who work with adolescents and youth involved in various systems (e.g., child welfare, juvenile justice, residential treatment, foster care, and more). When working with youth and adolescents in these settings, facilitators experience distinct challenges when engaging with the youth’s family. In this course, facilitators will enhance family engagement and appreciation while building a more positive family climate for the youth and their families. Facilitators will learn specific strategies such as tokens of appreciation to share with ...
Printable Tools
Addressing Bedwetting
Bedwetting, also known as enuresis, is a frequent occurrence among school-aged children and is the result of interactions between genetic, biological, and psychosocial factors. Navigating bedwetting can often become an overwhelming experience for caregivers. This handout will explore some of the common causes of bedwetting and provide strategies for addressing it.
Connecting Through Play
Play is a great way to foster children’s knowledge as they learn through curiosity and interactions. This handout includes strategies for promoting communication skills and positive behaviors, as well as cultivating connections between the caregiver(s) and their child or children, and reducing problematic behaviors.
Normative Sexual Development
Sexual development is a normal process in human development, and one of the ways in which children and youth experience the world around them. Despite being a normal part of development, it can also be a difficult topic for caregivers to talk about. This guide can help support caregivers in feeling more comfortable having these conversations with their young people by providing discussion tips and information about sexual development milestones.
Quick Tips: Trauma Sensitive Communication
As a provider, the way we communicate with clients is foundational in building trusting and stable relationships. Using trauma and resilience informed skills helps engage individuals in ways that empower them and provide connection. This guide outlines the elements of trauma sensitive communication and gives examples of how to implement it in practice and daily life.
Videos
Ask the Expert: Crying
Anyone who has spent time caring for a baby knows that they cry, but some babies may cry more than others. Although this can be a normal part of their development, it can become overwhelming for caregivers. This video outlines key tips and strategies caregivers can use to feel more prepared to care for a crying baby.
Ask the Expert: Trauma Sensitive Communication
As a provider, the way you communicate with clients is foundational in building trusting and stable relationships. Using trauma and resilience informed skills helps engage individuals in ways that empower them and provide connection. Watch this video to learn why trauma sensitive communication is important and how to implement it professionally and personally.
Tips on Addressing Bedwetting
Bedwetting, also known as enuresis, is a frequent occurrence among school-aged children and is the result of interactions between genetic, biological, and psychosocial factors. Navigating bedwetting can often become an overwhelming experience for caregivers. This video will explore some of the common causes of bedwetting and provide strategies for addressing it.
Tips on Understanding Normative Sexual Development
Sexual development is a normal process in human development, and one of the ways in which children and youth experience the world around them. Despite being a normal part of development, it can also be a difficult topic for caregivers to talk about. Watch this video to gather some helpful tips and information to help build the confidence to have these conversations.
Learning Experiences
Evidence-Based Strategies to Support Young People’s Social Skills
In this learning experience, you will find a curated selection of videos sampled from the PEERS® Virtual Boot Camp training. As a provider, you can use these videos to help inform your work supporting young people with developing the skills needed to cultivate strong interpersonal relationships.
Trainings
LGBTQ+ Youth in Foster Care: Where Are Their Resource Families?
The disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ youth lingering in foster care is a longstanding issue in the child welfare system, both locally in Los Angeles and nationally across the country. This video will increase attendees' understanding of why resource parents are not intentionally stepping up to care for LGBTQ+ youth and include a review of the subsequent health disparities facing LGBTQ+ youth with prolonged involvement in the child welfare system. Results will be presented from a mixed-method project examining factors impacting prospective resource parents' willingness to ...
Reducing Racial and Ethnic Bias in Child Abuse Reporting
This seminar will strengthen the child abuse reporting skills of staff members and administrators in their work with families of color. This seminar will work toward that goal through a brief history of child protective services and its role in society, review of legal obligations and ethical standards related to child abuse reporting, examination of racial/ethnic disparities in the child welfare system, the role of culture in parenting practices, and assessment of how implicit and explicit bias may impact child abuse reporting decisions. Recorded on: 9/10/2020
Understanding the Adolescent Brain and Behavior in the Context of Foster Care/Adoption
Trauma can have a substantial impact on brain development. Learn how histories of trauma, grief, and loss can impact the therapeutic process and gain tools to work with teens in the foster care and adoption population. Recorded on: 12/11/2018
“Sexual Healing:” Embracing a Sex-Positive Approach to Working With Youth and Families
Did you know that, like all aspects of human development, people also develop sexually? Starting in infancy, sexual development is the process of changes in physical growth, sexual knowledge, and sexual beliefs youth come to learn and display through their behavior. It is critical to talk to youth about sexual topics throughout development to minimize shame or judgment, and support them to become sexually healthy adults who understand their bodies, identities, and how to form healthy relationships. In this Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR) Seminar, participants ...
Provider Guides
Building a Foundation, Building Trust
The first few months in a new placement are a time of transition for foster youth and resource parents. Download this guide which highlights specific videos, talking points, and resources that can be used during this transition time to support foster youth and resource parents to develop strong and trusting connections.
Communicating and Goal Setting
A crucial part of supporting foster youth is providing them with the skills needed to achieve success on their own. Download this session guide to teach foster youth to establish effective communication skills and to provide them with tools to set their own goals.
How to Build a Stronger Family
By building on the strengths that already exist you can help them to feel supported and encourage them to recognize positive family attributes. Use this handout to teach families strategies that enhance communication between family members in order to help families to feel stronger and more connected.
Overcoming Tough Emotions and Being Your Own Advocate
Emotion regulation and effective communication skills are foundational to building resilience. Many foster youth have gone through multiple transitions and this guide addresses common stressors and coping skills. Download this guide which highlights specific videos, talking points, and resources that can be used to support foster youth.
Resources in Español
Afrontando la enuresis nocturna
Orinarse en la cama cuando uno duerme, es también conocido como enuresis nocturna, es un hecho frecuente entre los niños de edad escolar y el resultado de interacciones entre factores genéticos, biológicos y psicosociales. Navegar la enuresis nocturna a menudo puede convertirse en una experiencia abrumadora para los cuidadores. Este folleto explorará algunas de las causas comunes de la enuresis nocturna y brindará estrategias para abordarlo.
Comprender el llanto de un bebé: Cómo apoyar a los cuidadores
Cualquiera que haya pasado tiempo cuidando a un bebé sabe que llora, pero algunos bebés pueden llorar más que otros. Aunque esto puede ser una parte normal de su desarrollo, puede volverse abrumador para los cuidadores. Los proveedores pueden usar esta hoja de consejos para ayudar a los cuidadores a sentirse más informados y seguros al cuidar a un bebé que llora con frecuencia.
Conexión a través del juego
El juego es una excelente manera de fomentar el conocimiento de los niños a medida que aprenden a través de la curiosidad y las interacciones. Este folleto incluye estrategias para promover habilidades de comunicación y comportamientos positivos, así como cultivar conexiones entre los cuidadores y su hijo(a) o hijos(as), y reducir los comportamientos problemáticos.
Desarrollo sexual normativo
El desarrollo sexual es un proceso normal en el desarrollo humano y una de las formas en que los niños y jóvenes experimentan el mundo que los rodea. A pesar de ser una parte normal del desarrollo, también puede ser un tema difícil de hablar sobre para los cuidadores. Esta guía puede ayudar a los cuidadores a sentirse más cómodos al tener estas conversaciones con sus jóvenes al brindarles consejos de discusión e información sobre los hitos del desarrollo sexual.
