Young people in foster care and adoption have all experienced the loss of their first family and often many more challenges. Children in foster care have typically been abused and neglected and often have experienced complex or ongoing trauma. This trauma can result in lifelong challenges, and result in a higher likelihood of:
- physical, mental health, and emotional disabilities
- trouble in school
- behavioral challenges as they seek to cope with the trauma they’ve experienced
- difficulty forming or maintaining relationships
As a result of these and other difficulties, children in foster care and adoption and their families often need additional support.
The articles below are designed to help child welfare workers and administrators explore how to provide needed support and ensure improved outcomes for adoptive and foster families. Most of the articles were published in Adoptalk, our quarterly newsletter, which is a benefit of NACAC membership.
- Supporting Adoptive Families through Facebook Groups
- Developing a Parent-to-Parent Support Network
- Support During Disruption Is Crucial
- Detangling Diagnoses for Foster and Adopted Youth
- Ensuring Safety, Permanency, and Well-Being for Transgender Youth
- Adoptive Families Need Ongoing Support
- From Fear to Advocacy: My Journey from Foster Care to Helping Others
- Plan, Prepare, and Support to Prevent Disruptions
- Post-Adoption Services: Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Children Adopted from Foster Care
- Post-Adoption Needs Survey Offers Direction for Continued Advocacy Efforts