Any type of foster care can provide a child with the warm, supportive environment they need to thrive when they have, through no fault of their own, been removed from their family’s care. Therapeutic foster care, on the other hand, is designed to support children with specific behavioral, emotional, or mental health needs. Often, children and teens in foster care have experienced trauma that requires a higher level of care and understanding than what traditional foster caregivers can offer. Therapeutic foster care providers have the training and skills needed to provide that support.
Key Differences Between Therapeutic Foster Care and Traditional Foster Care
While traditional foster care often focuses on making sure that the child’s physical needs are met, therapeutic foster care also extends to the child’s mental health needs. In many cases, this requires specialized interventions and therapy. Parents may work with a wider range of care providers, including therapists and case managers to ensure children and teens get the full support they need.
Typically, foster parents who choose to focus on therapeutic care undergo additional training to to build the necessary skills to provide for the children in their care. That training can include a deeper understanding of the impact of trauma on child development as well as therapeutic intervention strategies or trauma-informed care.
Who Can Benefit from Therapeutic Foster Care?
Therapeutic foster care homes are generally intended for children whose needs go beyond those that the traditional foster care system can manage. That can include:
- Children and teens who have been through traumatic events, including extreme neglect or abuse
- Children and teens with behavioral issues that require specialized care
- Children and teens with mental health conditions or disorders, including those who have not yet received a diagnosis
- Children and teens with developmental delays that may require additional care
While all children in foster care have been through some level of trauma due to their removal from their parents, children and teens in need of therapeutic care may have been through additional difficult situations or experienced higher levels of abuse than their peers. The Department of Child Safety (DCS) generally identifies these children specifically.
Core Principles of Therapeutic Foster Care
Therapeutic foster care is designed to provide a nurturing, healing environment for foster children and teens who have undergone immense trauma or challenges. It offers a combination of therapy, medical support, and educational support to children who are dealing with problems that cannot be handled through traditional measures, allowing them to receive the support they need to thrive.
The Benefits of Therapeutic Foster Care
Therapeutic foster care can have immense benefits for children and teens.
- Children can get access to the medications they need to effectively manage symptoms of mental or physical health disorders.
- Children can be given the tools they need to deal with emotional and behavioral challenges, allowing them to more successfully manage their emotions and reactions.
- Children and families are given the support they need for long-term living arrangements, whether that means reunification with their biological families or another living situation.
Ultimately, therapeutic foster care puts children with mental and behavioral health disorders, or those who have experienced trauma, in a better position to live up to their full potential.
The Impact of Therapeutic Foster Care on At-Risk Youth
Therapeutic foster care is an incredibly valuable tool for at-risk youth. Children and teens who have experienced trauma or who have behavioral or mental health challenges may be more likely
to drop out of school, engage in substance abuse, or become parents earlier than intended. On the other hand, therapeutic foster care can help change those outcomes and set them up to thrive.
If you are interested in giving at-risk youth the support they need, learn how to become a foster parent, explore foster care resources, or donate now.
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