For some families new to foster care, dealing with children outside of their family circle can be an overwhelming task, especially if the child experienced trauma before their placement. While foster care may be a welcome event in their life, they can still react to it in various ways. Often, they may feel aloof, isolated, and irrational. With this in mind, foster parents need to learn the best way to care for these children.
Caring for Traumatized Children
Assume Trauma Experience
To better understand children under their care, foster parents need to assume that all fostered children have experienced trauma. This way, they don’t view the child’s actions as a disregard of their parental authority, but rather as a reaction to their lived experience.
Understand Behavior
When children are subjected to long-standing trauma, their mind is wired to react in a certain way. Often, the body and brain will respond in a defensive manner. In some cases, their behavior may be aggressive and even dissociative. They may cause injuries to their foster parents because they have a defense mechanism for when they are touched.
If this occurs, it doesn’t mean you should immediately call on your Ormond Beach personal injury lawyer. You need to approach the child with caution at all times. Trauma can make it difficult for them to adjust their reactions, even if they are in a safe environment. Their brains need to take some time to recognize that they are no longer in danger.
Identify Trauma Triggers
It will help if you can identify what actions will trigger the child’s trauma. Sometimes their behavior may be caused by a traumatic event that occurred in their former home. It could be anything from sounds, smells, places, vocal tones, and emotions. For younger children, these behaviors may be seen as a tantrum when it is actually a reflex that they have grown accustomed to through the years of trauma. Often, these children may not be able to think about their reactions or how other people may perceive their actions.
Be Present
Foster children may react in a way that can alienate their foster parents, but this doesn’t mean that you should just leave them alone. You have to be present and provide them with attention, especially if they grew up being neglected. Comfort them when necessary and provide encouragement. For young children, a hug can work wonders. For many older children, a quiet walk along the Florida beach could do a great deal in improving their mood.
Keep Calm
The key to dealing with traumatized children is to respond with calmness. Never react in a way that can trigger their traumas. In case your child begins to feel upset, approach in a calm manner. Don’t shout or agitate them even more. Acknowledge their feelings and be honest with them. Don’t sugarcoat a situation just because you don’t want them to throw a tantrum.
No Physical Punishment
While you need to make sure that you are not triggering trauma, you also need to discipline your foster child. When disciplining, you have to make sure that there are house rules that need to be followed. If they break them, they need to be aware of any repercussions. However, never give them any form of physical punishment, as it can trigger traumatic experiences and cause them to resort to their defense mechanisms.
Caring for a traumatized child requires a sense of balance. You want to give them a new life and discipline them while ensuring that you are not causing them to feel that they are in a traumatic environment again. Take these tips into consideration and always remember to be patient and understanding.
