Abstract:
Foster youth endure disproportionate levels of trauma compared to the general population, often experiencing complex trauma before and during care. Complex trauma refers to repeated trauma events, usually faced during a youth’s development, often within or associated with the caregiver context. While there is a recognition of the difficult experiences foster youth face, the current system fails to systematically promote trauma healing. By shifting towards a trauma-informed care system and representing the voices of foster parents and foster youth in research, foster youth and foster families could have better outcomes. In this project, I present information on complex trauma and trauma diagnoses, the trauma experiences of foster youth, and how the foster system currently supports youth with trauma. In addition, I surveyed foster parents about their experiences serving youth with trauma by analyzing the relevant training they received, factors that helped them support youth, and the obstacles they faced. Finally, I integrate information from the literature and my survey data to make suggestions for improving how the foster care system serves youth with trauma.