The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN): Resources for Families and Caregivers

Description:

You can play an important role in helping your children and teenagers recover from traumatic events. We have designed these pages for birth parents, adoptive parents, resource/foster parents, grandparents, caregivers, and all others who care for children and teens.

We are using the words "child" or "children" to include adolescents. Although teens may not think of themselves as children, parents and caregivers most often refer those of any age (toddler, school-age, teen, youth, adult) in our care as children. No matter how old they get, they are always our children!

The more you learn about how traumatic events affect children, the more you will understand the reasons for your kids' behaviors, and emotions, and the better prepared you will be to help them cope. When you let your children know that you and other caring adults are working to keep them safe, that you are there to support them, and that there are people who can help them with what they are feeling, most children who have traumatic stress can recover and go on to live healthy and productive lives. (Trauma)