Foster children face situations early on in their life that no one should have to face, potentially leaving lasting impacts on their emotional and mental health that cause extreme challenges for them as they navigate through life. From experiencing trauma to feeling a lack of stability, these children often carry burdens that many of us can only imagine. While fostering is an amazing gift you can give to the children you foster, many foster parents lack resources for mental health therapists and the therapy these children desperately need.

Counseling can be a lifeline, offering foster children the tools they need to process their emotions. If you are in a foster-to-adopt situation, then learning how to navigate and tame past traumas will help your foster child integrate into your family.

Understanding The Challenges Foster Children Face

When we talk about foster children, it’s important to recognize the difficult circumstances they often face. The Child Welfare Information Gateway reported that there are over 365,000 children and youth in foster care. Many of these children have experienced neglect, abuse, or loss before entering the system. Here are some of the challenges foster children are often facing or have faced:

Trauma and Loss

Foster children are often removed from their homes because of unsafe conditions such as physical abuse, emotional neglect, or parental substance abuse. The separation alone can feel like a traumatic loss, even if their home environment was harmful. On top of that, many children cope with the grief of losing their connection to siblings, friends, and familiar surroundings.

Uncertainty and Instability

According to Lifesong for Orphans, “on average, a child entering care will likely live in more than four homes during the first year of care.” This is the sad reality that many children and youth face in the foster system. This instability contributes to feelings of insecurity and distrust, making it hard for foster children to build meaningful relationships or feel a sense of belonging.

Educational and Social Challenges

Frequent moves and emotional struggles can negatively impact the academic performance (e.g., low grades) and behavioral health (e.g., rule-breaking, defiance, disruptive conduct, etc.,) of foster children. They may find it challenging to focus in school, form friendships, or participate in extracurricular activities, leaving them feeling isolated from their peers.

Mental Health Concerns

Children in foster care are disproportionately affected by mental health issues including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. “Between 50 and 80% of children in foster care meet criteria for a mental health disorder.” Unfortunately, foster children face many barriers to accessing mental health services, and not being able to access this crucial care significantly impacts their development and overall well-being. The Psychiatric Times reports that “this issue is particularly pronounced in rural areas, as there are limited mental health services for all youth, not just foster children, which often means that accessing care requires lengthy travel times.”

Attachment Issues

Foster children often face unique challenges related to attachment issues due to the disruptions in their primary caregiver relationships that happen early in their lives. Frequent changes in caregivers can make it difficult for children to form trusting and secure relationships, leading to feelings of mistrust, rejection, or a fear of abandonment. Multiple placements can disrupt a child’s sense of safety and stability which can cause them to struggle to form meaningful relationships later in life to protect themselves from being hurt.

Identity and Self-Esteem Struggles

Moving between homes and constantly adjusting to new families can leave foster children feeling lost and unsure about their identity. Experiences of abuse or neglect can damage a child’s self-worth, leading to feelings of shame or inadequacy. This trauma often distorts a child’s ability to view themselves positively.

How Therapy Help Foster Children

Counseling provides foster children with a safe space to express their emotions, process their experiences, and develop tools to cope with life’s challenges. It can address both immediate and long-term psychological needs. Here’s why finding the right counselor will help your foster child thrive.

Healing From Trauma

Dawn Lamprecht specializes in helping foster children heal from their trauma by using creative and expressive techniques like sandtray therapy and play therapy. She personalizes every approach to each of her client’s needs. In these sessions, she helps them work through painful memories, gradually reducing the impact of trauma on their daily lives. Therapy equips foster children with positive coping mechanisms, enabling them to process overwhelming emotions like sadness, anger, or guilt. This not only helps improve their mental health but also their ability to function in school or social situations.

Building Trust and Safe Attachments

Therapy can help repair attachment disorders by providing foster children with a consistent and caring relationship with their therapist. Over time, this helps rebuild their ability to trust others and form healthy relationships. Play therapy for example, helps create a nurturing environment where kids can express their thoughts through activities. This is especially important if they don’t have the words to fully articulate their experiences.

Improving Emotional Regulation

Many foster children struggle with managing intense emotions, and therapy teaches them emotional regulation strategies, empowering children to identify and be able to control their feelings. This not only reduces outbursts and frustration, but helps them develop emotional intelligence.

Boosting Self-Esteem and Identity Formation

Therapy can help with foster children’s self-esteem by addressing the root causes of their struggles, and provide tools for emotional resilience and a positive feeling of their self-worth. Our therapists offer a safe and nurturing environment where children feel understood, supported, and empowered to heal and grow.

By making mental health a priority for your foster children, they can work on healing from trauma and achieve their true potential. Our therapists are here to help you; together we can ensure foster children receive the care they so genuinely deserve and need. Email us or call us at (770) 209-3517 to schedule an appointment.