While you are monitoring your foster child's online activities closer, you may wish to consider at the same time giving him a little more freedom. This may depend upon a number of factors.  To begin with, you may find that your foster child is particularly vulnerable to falling victim to hoaxes, scams, and false claims by others.  If so, your foster child is certainly not ready to have such freedom online.  Along with this, you may have a child placed in your home who is unable or unwilling to follow house rules that you have in place.  Furthermore, perhaps your foster child is one who is unwilling to share problems or concerns with you.  In either event, such freedom online is not appropriate, as the child is simply not responsible enough to be allowed access to social networking or online technology. If you feel that a foster child who is older than 12 years of age is mature, responsible, and trustworthy enough to have his own computer, cell phone, or online device, discuss this with the child welfare agent beforehand, as the agency may have some policies and regulations already in place.  Your foster child's case worker should certainly be made aware that the child has regular and consistent access online.  When giving this kind of freedom, it is also most important to stress with your foster child the house rules and the consequences involved in breaking any rules. Read More

Researchers in the field of resilience in children are identifying parenting skills that lead to greater success in life for children exposed to trauma.  Their findings highlight the importance of certain key parenting factors.  The Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation (Sroufe, Egeland, Carlson, & Collins) began in 1975 and continues to assess a large group of at-risk mothers and children.  The two most important factors of resilience identified by this groundbreaking study include whether or not the child was able to form a secure attachment to the primary caregiver, and whether or not that caregiver utilized specific parenting practices.  These key parenting skills are said to lead children to develop adaptive executive function.  New findings are uncovering those specific parenting practices that will provide our children with the support they need. Dr. Marion Forgatch of Oregon Social Learning Center and her colleagues (Forgatch, & Ogden 2006; Forgatch, Patterson, DeGarmo, & Beldavs, 2008) point to five key strategies for parents:

• monitor and track your child's daily activities
• set limits consistently
• encourage skill development with positive reinforcement
• problem solve for resolving conflict and negotiating
• show positive attention and warmth

This sounds simple enough but parenting children with a history of trauma takes a high level of skill, patience and support for the caregiver. Check out the Spotlight Section for helpful reading materials!

During the training, the presenters incorporated TBRI strategies and philosophies by supplying the attendees with nutritious meals and snacks every two hours, providing opportunities to re-energize, and keeping everyone well hydrated. For practitioners and caregivers who implement and use this model, one fundamental component is that children who have been victim to a trauma require just as much attentiveness to their psychological needs as they do to their physiological needs. Caregiver responsiveness is a key factor in healing trauma in children. Read More