The Case for Empowering Foster Parents

Gabrielle Dilka

The growing knowledge surrounding trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has led to the creation and implementation of ACEs trainings. Trainings in recognizing trauma and how to support children through traumatic events exists for healthcare providers, educators, child advocates, employees in the foster care system, and the public at large. Research suggests many children in the foster care system have high ACE scores and both foster children and parents would benefit with knowledge of trauma and foster parents specifically would benefit from training about the impact of ACEs on children’s behaviors. This case study examines the increase in publications and trainings about trauma and childhood trauma, publicly available data on the prevalence of ACEs and training on the availability of ACE and trauma training for foster parents. Despite the increase in publications and knowledge, I found that ACE and trauma trainings, are available for workers in the foster care system such as social workers, case workers, and guardian ad litem, but not training specific for foster care parents. These findings suggest that there needs to be training and resources for foster parents in order to provide them with the necessary tools to adjust and assist the children in their care.

• Gabrielle Dilka is a transfer student from the West Coast and a senior sociology major who is minoring in human services. She is currently interning at the United Way of the Lakelands and is volunteering with Agape Care Hospice. She hopes to pursue a master’s in social work post-graduation with a focus on children.