How do I help my foster child deal with trauma?

Many foster children have had traumatic experiences. To help them through their trauma and establish a healthy relationship between you and your foster child, try these strategies:

• Listen to them – Encourage them to open up and share their experience. You can do this by providing a safe and secure environment and sharing your own experiences to make them feel more comfortable.
• Praise them for sharing – Praise goes a long way in establishing a healthy bond between you and your foster child. Even praising the smallest piece of information that they feel comfortable sharing helps your foster child to open up further, even if that means having a future conversation.
• Build a trusting relationship – Building trust takes time, but it’s essential for a healthy and communicative relationship. You can build trust with your foster child by participating in team activities together or engaging in a hobby or activity that involves the two of you. Sharing your own experiences and keeping promises (like never being late to collect them) as well as giving the occasional gift are all ways that help to build a trusting relationship. If you are to break a promise, make sure to reach out beforehand and let them know so they don’t feel let down.