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Resources on Trauma-Informed Care for Caseworkers
The following resources equip caseworkers with practical tools and strategies for working with traumatized children, youth, and families. Resource include State and local examples.
Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2008)
Provides child welfare workers with basic knowledge, skills, and values essential for working with traumatized children through case analysis and corresponding interventions tailored for the children and their biological and resource families.
Trauma-Informed Care Tip Sheets
Safe Start Center (2011)
Discusses how to work with children exposed to violence. A series of tip sheets is offered for parents, caregivers, child welfare staff, early childhood providers, domestic violence and homeless shelters staff, teachers, youth workers, immigrant families, and those striving to engage men and fathers.
Birth Parents With Trauma Histories in the Child Welfare System: A Guide for Child Welfare Workers (PDF - 243 KB)
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2011)
Highlights the importance of understanding the consequences that trauma histories can have for birth parents and the subsequent potential impact on parenting abilities.
Child Welfare Trauma Referral Tool (PDF - 54 KB)
Chadwick Center for Children and Families (2006)
Helps child welfare caseworkers make more trauma-informed decisions about the need for referral to trauma-specific and general mental health services.
Emotional Trauma in Infancy (PDF - 223 KB)
Wotherspoon, Hawkins, & Gough (2009)
Explains the impact of stress and trauma on infant development and helps child welfare caseworkers understand how to address the needs of traumatized infants and their caregivers.
Fostering a Child's Recovery: Family Placement for Traumatized Children
Thomas & Philpot (2009)
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Outlines the principles of family placement for traumatized foster children based on planning and evidence, and explores the qualities, skills, and insights that create positive placement outcomes.
Reducing the Trauma of Investigation, Removal, and Out-of-Home Placement
Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services, Portland State University & Oregon Department of Human Services
Presents a collection of documents that explores the impact of trauma on children involved in child abuse and neglect cases and strategies for reducing trauma by supporting children and adolescents during investigation, removal, and out-of-home placement.
Responding to Traumatic Events: Children in Life-Threatening Circumstances (PDF - 541 KB)
Wattenberg & Welch (Eds.)
Practice Notes, 20, 2007
Presents guidelines for responding to a child who has suffered a traumatic event and reviews trauma-focused therapeutic interventions and assessment instruments.
Supporting Brain Development in Traumatized Children and Youth | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 438KB) |
Year Published: | 2011 - 24 pages |
Summarizes what child welfare professionals can do to support the identification and assessment of the impact of maltreatment and trauma on brain development, including what to look for at different ages and stages of child development. The bulletin also addresses how to work effectively with children, youth, and families to support healthy brain development and how to improve services through cross-system collaboration and trauma-informed practice. |
Trauma Among Youth in the Juvenile Justice System: Critical Issues and New Directions (PDF - 238 KB)
Ford, Chapman, Hawke, & Albert (2007)
Discusses the prevalence and impact of trauma and traumatic stress among youth in the juvenile justice system and describes emerging responses for identifying and treating these problems.
Trauma Exposure in American Indian/Alaska Native Children (PDF - 140 KB)
BigFoot, Willmon-Haque, & Braden (2008)
Reviews experiences of trauma in Indian communities, major mental health problems in American Indian/Alaska Native youth, and the effects of limited infrastructure on service delivery and youth outcomes.
Understanding the Effects of Maltreatment on Brain Development | |
Series Title: | Issue Briefs |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 365KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2009 - 17 pages |
This issue brief provides basic information on brain development and the effects of abuse and neglect on that development. The information is designed to help professionals understand the emotional, mental, and behavioral impact of early abuse and neglect in children who come to the attention of the child welfare system. |
Wounded Children, Healing Homes: How Traumatized Children Impact Adoptive and Foster Families
Schooler, Smalley, & Callahan (2009)
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Equips adoptive parents and professionals with practical tools for a positive parenting journey and helps prospective adoptive parents understand the realities of the potential challenges and needs of all family members when adopting a traumatized child.
State and local examples
Children and Trauma: An Evaluation of the Bronx Child and Adolescent Witness Support Program (PDF - 139 KB)
Green (2009)
Examines the effectiveness of a program in the Bronx, New York that provides mental health assessment and intervention services immediately following a child's exposure to violent crime and offers individual, family, and group therapy and referrals to help children and their families overcome trauma.
Real Life Heroes Pilot Study: Evaluation of a Treatment Model for Children With Traumatic Stress
Kagan, Douglas, Hornik, & Kratz
Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma, 1(1), 2008
View Abstract
Describes a program in Albany, New York, in which practitioners help traumatized children and families enhance safety and understand the impact of trauma, attachment, affect modulation, coping skills, and trauma processing. Results indicate a reduction in child and parent self-reports of trauma symptoms. Also see the practitioner's manual.
Seen and Heard: Helping Young Children Recover From Trauma: Report to The New York Community Trust
Leicher (2008)
View Abstract
Helps very young, low-income children and their families recover from traumatic events. The program also helps families access basic resources that need to be in place before therapeutic interventions can begin to make a real difference.