Pleasure Priorities
The more foster parents can find ways to engage in pleasurable activities with children and teens, the more they will be able to tolerate and get through the hard times.
The Casey Foundation and the Justice Resource Institute developed ARC Reflections, a training curriculum to develop foster parents and caregivers’ understanding of traumatic stress, increase their own emotional regulation and provide tools to support their parenting skills. In session four, participants will be taught how to build safe relationships with children and teens who have experienced many relationship changes and losses.
Every session includes a check-in to increase awareness and engagement of participants; a facilitator checklist of session materials; practice activities and take home log for participants; a representative case study to follow throughout the sessions; and reflective questions for participant growth and understanding.
Often the best time to start thinking about building the relationship is before a child or teen is placed in a home. Preparing a welcome kit for the child or teen is one way to help children and teens immediately establish a sense of ownership and place. But don't forget to explore all family members’ thoughts, feelings and ideas about having a new member of the family.