Learn More About Treatment Foster Care at Intercept Health TFC

Discover how to understand and support emotional and behavioral challenges in foster children using trauma-informed strategies, structure, and compassionate care.

Building trust with foster children is key to creating a supportive environment. Discover essential tips for fostering strong bonds.

Learn how to advocate for your foster child in school, from knowing your rights to supporting their unique educational needs.

Foster parents are used to dealing with the ugly realities of this life, but we may not think about the fact that removing children from unsafe home situations doesn’t prevent them from facing abuse from their peers. The unfortunate truth is that kids who are different in any way are more likely to be bullied and kids in foster care are no exception. Why Foster Children Are Targets for Bullying Bullying is actually a big problem for many foster kids for a number of reasons. S

Usually, no. Foster parents shouldn't post photos of a foster child, or anything that could identify them, on social media unless the child's caseworker says it's OK. A single photo can show where a child lives or goes to school, and being in foster care is part of the child's story, not ours to share. Your Intercept case manager can tell you what's allowed for each child in your home. Here's why the rule exists, what you can share, and how to protect a foster child's privacy

Last week, our little guy came home from a visit and had explosive gastrointestinal distress (I will spare you the horrifying details) because his father fed him excessive amounts of fruit and juice. This is not the first time he drank so much juice during a visit that he had diarrhea, but it was the most intense reaction he’s had. Unfortunately, I can only report to the caseworker what happened (again) and ask her to try and prevent it from happening again. Our little guy’s

Foster children’s families may have made some poor choices, but they usually truly love their children and worry about their wellbeing. Like any parent, they want to know who is taking care of their children and how the kids are doing. All three of the families we have gotten to know have thanked us for taking good care of their children and said that meeting us and getting to know us a little bit made them feel a little bit better about their children being in foster care. T

Sometimes people say incredibly intrusive things and seem to think that they have the right to know the most intimate details of your family. This happens even more if people know you are a foster parent. Put Your Child’s Needs First The most important thing to remember when you respond to people in these situations is that you need to do what is best for your children and what other people think doesn’t matter. Even if you are talking with a close friend or family member, it

"I could never foster. I'd get too attached." It's the most common thing foster parents hear. But attachment isn't a reason not to foster. It's what children in foster care need most. Attachment is the emotional bond between a child and the adults who care for them. Many children in foster care have had that bond broken, often more than once. A steady, caring foster parent can help repair it, even if the child later returns home. What Is Attachment? From the first months of l

Foster kids are still kids. It seems like this should go without saying, but sadly, that is not always the case. Yes, foster kids have experienced trauma of some sort and may need some extra patience and grace, but at the end of the day, they are still kids. Like all kids, they need a loving family, friends, and supportive community. They, like all people want to be accepted and valued for who they are and not stereotyped. They want to fit in and not be treated differently th

Stranger Danger is a basic concept that parents teach their kids in order to keep them safe. Unfortunately, the concept of stranger danger, like many things, is much more complicated for children in foster care. Not only are foster children taken from everyone familiar and placed in a family with total strangers, they also have a large number of people coming in and out of their lives, many of whom are basically strangers. When Visits Send Mixed Messages Our little guy is the

When kids have experienced trauma, it can have a big impact on how they act and how they relate to others. This can sometimes make things complicated when they are participating in activities in the community. When organizations are sensitive and willing to make some adaptations it can help a foster child fully participate in activities and have a positive experience. If you need to adapt things for a foster child, make every effort to do it in a way that won’t draw attentio