Child Trauma Foster

Many foster and adoptive parents are raising children with complex emotional trauma, desperate for answers to heal their families. Caught off guard, these families find themselves with shattered dreams, shattered homes, and shattered hearts, with nowhere to turn for answers. Extended family members, friends, and the greater community don't understand the challenges and can, sometimes, add to the problems these families face, prolonging the healing process for all.

Just as you prepared your home to welcome a new child, it is important to prepare your heart and mind - especially if the child has suffered from a background of trauma. Perhaps your invitation for love is met with hostility and you find that this new member of your family rejects connection. It’s critical to acknowledge the effects of trauma on a child’s ability to attach. Mike and Kristin Berry realized this when they became adoptive and foster parents. They now offer guidance from their own journey to others parenting a child who has experienced past trauma.

Her body is thawing, and the smell of death is oozing from her. I want to be sick, but I say nothing. I watch like I was told. Good girls, listen. I want to rub my legs clean; I want a shower. Startled when my mom announced she was done. I finally see. Even though I was watching, I did not truly see. I say nothing. I sit and watch. Wishing for heaven too. Survival is all I can think of, I must do as they say, or I will be next. I am trying to be strong but failing many times. Will I leave the summer alive? will I get to start 8th Grade? I was finally able to tell on my parents. Now I am ...

Children who have been adopted and/or shuttled through the foster-care system experience trauma at a much higher rate than other kids, which can make it difficult for them to trust, relax, regulate their emotions, and connect with their new families. As a parent, learning how to heal attachment trauma, attune to your child's needs, identify triggers, and create felt safety is essential to providing the loving, supportive, and stable home they need to thrive. Written for parents of adopted and foster kids of all ages, this book offers resources for handling common concerns.

When asked, almost everyone agrees they would like to have control over some parts of their lives. Billy, at age ten, is no different. Truth be told, he’d love to have some peace in his day. He knows better than to wish for happiness or a warm dinner, though that’d be super! What he really would love is a mom who recognizes that he’s just a kid and not her enemy. He doesn’t know why she seems to hate him, but like all kids, he holds onto hope. Nothing feels easy for Billy. He leaves one war zone at home to go to school, where he’s an easy target for the class bully. If it ...

Discover a transformative journey with "The Bridge to Forever," your essential guide through the intricacies of foster care and adoption. This comprehensive eBook dives deep into the heart of the foster care system, unraveling its complexities and illuminating a path toward successful and fulfilling adoption experiences. Start with a historical overview that sets the stage for understanding the foster care system. Learn about the vital figures and players involved and gain insight into the system’s paramount goals. From there, delve into the emotional landscapes foster children and ...