Building Connection in Foster Families
Explore resources for building connection in foster families.
Foundations for Building Family Resilience
FOCUS (Families Over Coming Under Stress) is used to teach strategies for building resilience in families, within the context of each family's story and goals. Use the FOCUS techniques to help the families you work with to stay strong and support one another during times of stress or transition.
Shifting Perspectives: Adopting a Trauma & Resilience Informed Lens
Employing a trauma and resilience informed lens in your work requires practice. Take this course and learn alongside fictional county employees as they adopt and practice the core principles of trauma and resilience informed care to improve their interactions with the people around them in the “real world.” Consider how applying the skills taught in this video can enhance your current work practices.
Somatic Series: Widening Our Window of Tolerance
This pathway provides an overview of the Window of Tolerance and accessible, body-based mindfulness practices to support yourself or those in your communities. Learn how the Window of Tolerance concept applies to wellbeing and practical body-based strategies to support wellbeing, nervous system regulation, and a wider Window of Tolerance. This pathway includes explanations, examples, and opportunities for practice. Get ready for a different type of experience: after the first step of the pathway, the milestones will guide you through real-life practices. How to get ready to complete ...
A Family Reading List
As a child psychologist and parent coach, I love activities that are fun, engaging, and provide opportunities for families to connect. One of my favorite activities to do with my children is to read together.
How I Handled Intense Tantrums in My Kindergarten Classroom
One of my students, Max, has been having trouble during transitions and new activities. When something is not going his way, he shuts down and I can see him tense up.
Supporting Family Resilience
An unexpected or difficult event always has the potential to get us down; being resilient refers to our ability to move through tough times, grow and adapt in the face of stress, and support our overall wellbeing. Key skills that support resilience can be practiced as an individual or as a family. Communication, problem-solving, setting effective goals, and managing stress all contribute to resilience. Practicing skills that support resilience can be helpful, even when times are difficult. Here are a few of our favorite strategies.
Advice for Foster Parents
This video highlights former foster youth, Annika and Maria, who share their advice for resource parents. Created to inspire and support resource parents, they talk about the important of being patient and keeping an open mind with foster youth. Share this video with resource parents to help them understand the experiences of foster youth.
Advice From a Foster Youth Who Has Had Difficult Experiences
This video features Edwardo, a First Star UCLA Bruin Academy Student and former foster youth, as he talks about building a support system. He explores why his support system was a crucial part of building resilience in the challenging environment of the child welfare system. This video is useful for work with foster youth and their resource families to support and inspire them.
Action Plan
Achieving goals is easier when broken down into actionable steps. This worksheet is useful for teaching strategies to break down large goals into small and specific actions.
Advice to Foster Parents From a Current Foster Youth
This video features a current foster youth offering advice to potential resource parents, such as taking time to listen, offering advice, and being a role model. This video will help you to guide resource parents to create strong bonds with their foster youth.