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. Throughout the nine sessions, participants follow the life and development of a young girl, named Olivia. Participants first meet Olivia at age f5 and follow her into her late teens. Facilitators use the experiences of Olivia and her caregivers to illustrate many concepts and skills.
In addition to Olivia's story, the ARC Reflections curriculum includes detailed facilitator guides, training presentations, handouts, a case manager guide, facilitator welcome guide, sample pre- and post-surveys and feedback forms.
Olivia’s story did not begin when she was placed in foster care and it did not end when she left it. But, her time in foster care influenced the path she took. All those involved in the child welfare system should never underestimate the role that caregivers play with all the Olivias out there.
