Helping Foster and Adoptive Families Cope with Trauma

The purpose of this guide is to support adoptive and foster families by strengthening the abilities of pediatricians to: 1) identify traumatized children, 2) educate families about toxic stress and the possible biological, behavioral, and social manifestations of early childhood trauma, and 3) empower families to respond to their childs behavior in a manner that acknowledges past trauma but promotes the learning of new, more adaptive reactions to stress.