Parenting Strategies to Help Adopted and Fostered Children with Their Behaviour: Trauma-Informed Guidance And Action Charts

Difficult behaviour in children with developmental trauma comes from a place of hurt. It is often confusing, unpredictable and painful both to the child and the people around them, and can be a form of self-protection or coping with deeply rooted fears and anxieties.

Traumatised children rarely respond to traditional parenting strategies, but once you understand the impact of trauma on children you can master 'developmental reparenting' strategies which do work - by validating their feelings, boosting self-esteem and encouraging open and honest conversations. The first part of this book guides you using easy to understand language through the latest science and research relating to trauma and its impact on the brain and executive functioning. The second part forms the heart of the book, laying out 35 action charts to addresses some of the very hardest challenges for parents and carers - from inappropriate sexualised behaviour and over-familiarity with strangers through to tantrums, food issues and deception.

Written by an experienced adoptive parent who is also a qualified social worker with expertise in trauma-informed parenting, this book will be a welcome relief to any family struggling with the challenges of living with trauma in the home.

A helpful resource for adoptive parents and foster carers, as well as the social workers, counsellors, teachers and other professionals who work with traumatised children.

Table of Contents

PART ONE: Understanding the Behaviour and How to Help

1. Preface.
2. The Impact of Early Trauma.
3. How Neuro-biological Development Affects Behaviour.
4. Developmental Trauma and Attachment Difficulties - Secure Attachments.
5. Developmental Trauma and Attachment Difficulties - Insecure Attachments.
6. Introduction to Developmental Reparenting.
7. Main Principles and Concepts of Developmental Reparenting.
8. Developmental Trauma and Executive Functioning Difficulties.
9. The Behaviour Rating of Executive Functioning (BRIEF).
10. Executive Functioning - Inhibit.
11. EF - Shift.
12. EF - Emotional Control.
13. EF - Initiate.
14. EF - Working Memory.
15. EF - Plan/Organise.
16. EF - Organisation of Materials.
17. EF - Monitor.
18. Comments and Phrases that Support a Traumatized Child.
19. Praise and Reprimands, Consequences and Rewards.
20. Siblings.
21. Children who act out in Aggressive and Angry Behaviour.
22. Compliant 'Acting in' Children.
23. Pee and Poo or Choosing your Battles!
24. How to Use the Charts.
25. Charts.
26. Further Resources.
    
    PART TWO: Action Charts.
27. ccepting Blame/Responsibility.

2. Acting a Victim.

3. Aggression Towards Siblings.

4. Cheating at Games.

5. Completing Tasks.

6. Compliant and Helpful.

7. Consequences.

8. Dangerous Behaviour.

9. Disrupting Others.

10. Focussing on Tasks.

11. Food Issues.

12. Fiddling Constantly.

13. Homework Issues.

14. Hypochondriac Tendencies.

15. Intense Sibling Rivalry.

16. Losing Resources.

17. Lying.

18. Managing Group Settings.

19. Moving On.

20. Peer Problems.

21. Running Away.

22. School and Separation Issues.

23. Self-harming.

24. Sexualized Behaviour.

25. Shouting Out.

26. Stealing.

27. Stranger Familiarity.

28. Substitute Teacher/Carer.
29. Swearing.
30. Switching Off.
31. Talking Constantly.
32. Tantrums.
33. Starting Tasks.
34. Untidiness.
35. Working in Silence.
36. Blank Chart.

"The uniqueness and innovation in this resource is in the practical nature of connecting executive functioning difficulties - the 'why does my child do this?' - to the 'what can I do?' and 'what can I say?'. Packed full of ideas, suggestions and resources for strategies and interventions, all so clearly written by Christine, this guide is not to be missed!"
- Edwina Grant, Chair of SAIA