Foster Care Truth: Roughly 1 in 3 foster kids have seve...

Foster Care Truth: Roughly 1 in 3 foster kids have severe behavioral, emotional, or developmental problems.

· Parenting

If you are a foster parent, there is a good chance you are going to parent a child with severe behaviors and emotions, often coupled with a developmental delay. ⁠

Remember, entering foster care is TRAUMATIZING. And then there is a chance that there is additional trauma that a child has experienced with their parents.

First, let's remember that kids enter care at no fault of their own. Their behavioral, emotional, and developmental problems are NOT their fault.

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So what can Foster Parents do NOW to prepare or if they are experiencing this in their home today? ⁠

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1) TRAINING AND MORE TRAINING - After the kids head to bed, spend the time getting extra training to specifically address the concerns you are facing at home. This is your JOB as a foster parent. You need to be well trained so you can best serve and support your foster children. ⁠

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2) Immerse yourself in connected and trauma-informed parenting groups. I love "Parenting with Connection" on Facebook. It is mostly foster and adoptive parents and the advice is always connected and trauma-informed. I will share some of my favorite Insta accounts in my stories today. ⁠

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3) Request assessments. This can include a mental health evaluation, psychological evaluation, regional center evaluation, IEP assessment, MAT assessment, etc. Each county offers different types of assessments, so ask your social worker what is available. Usually wait times are long for these assessments, so don't wait to request them. ⁠

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4) Join a local support group. Contact your agency or the county to get a referral for a foster parent support group. This will be one of your best sources for information, resources, assessments, and training opportunities. You can connect with people who are experiencing the same thing, and learn from experts who have been in your shoes. ⁠

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