Foster care gives children a safe, supportive environment to live in when they can’t stay with their families due to abuse, neglect or other serious challenges. But entering foster care is traumatic. Imagine being separated from your family, your home, your school, your neighborhood and everything familiar… even your bed, routines and the foods you’re used to eating. Foster care can be necessary for safety. But it can also be deeply devastating.

That’s why mental health support is so important for kids and teens in foster care. At KVC West Virginia, we specialize in child welfare, foster care and trauma-informed mental health services. Keep reading to learn how trauma affects kids and why mental health support matters in foster care.

What is Trauma?

“Child trauma” means something scary, dangerous, violent or overwhelming that happens to a child or teen. It can be something they live through or something they witness. For example, an event can be traumatic when we see an immediate threat to a loved one.

What causes trauma? Examples of events that can cause trauma:

• Physical, emotional or sexual abuse
• Neglect
• Household dysfunction (like domestic violence or untreated mental illness)
• A parent or caregiver struggling with substance abuse
• Separation from parents or trusted caregivers
• Significant family disruption, like a violent separation or divorce

Entering foster care is often the result of one or more of these causes, plus the separation from a parent or caregiver for the safety and wellbeing of the youth. Even young children are impacted by trauma that may not show real symptoms until they are older, as their bodies remember the trauma that their minds do not.

How does trauma show up in children and teens? Signs can include:

• Anxiety, including being extra fearful or easily startled
• Crying often and being inconsolable
• Trouble focusing
• Bedwetting
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Eating more or less than usual
• Acting out sexually
• Risky or dangerous behavior
• Self-harm
• Angry outbursts
• Depression, withdrawing or seeming “checked out”

How Trauma Affects Youth in Foster Care

More than 5,800 children and teens are in foster care in West Virginia. Common trauma experiences for youth in foster care include:

• Being removed from their biological family
• Grieving the loss of parents or caregivers
• Living with fear, confusion or uncertainty
• Struggling to trust or connect with new people
• Facing multiple changes in homes, schools or relationships

This trauma can make it harder to learn in school, build friendships or manage emotions. That’s why mental health support matters in foster care. With support, they can work through their experiences, process their trauma and begin to heal.

KVC West Virginia has years of experience helping children, teens and families across the state with outpatient mental health treatment, providing the support that these folks need to heal and thrive.

The Impact of Trauma on Teen Brain Development

The child and teen years are a time of huge brain development. Teenage years are especially big, as the brain continues developing until around age 25. During this time, teens are:

• Learning how to manage emotions
• Developing their identity
• Navigating physical changes
• Figuring out how to make good decisions

But childhood trauma can interfere with this process. When the brain goes into “survival mode” due to trauma, it stays alert for danger and focuses on staying safe. That stress can prevent important brain connections from forming. Trauma can make it harder for teens to think clearly, control emotions or plan ahead.

Adverse Childhood Experiences vs. Positive Childhood Experiences

You may have heard of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). These are traumatic things that happen before age 18. They include:

• Experiencing abuse or neglect
• Witnessing violence at home or in the community
• Unmet basic needs, like housing instability or food insecurity
• Losing a parent or being separated from a parent in a traumatic way

About 64% of adults in the U.S. say they had at least one ACE growing up. But here’s the good news: Positive experiences can help buffer the effects of trauma. These are called Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs). Examples of PCEs include:

• Feeling supported by family, friends, teachers or mentors
• Participating in cultural or community traditions
• Having a trusted adult who makes you feel safe
• Being able to talk about feelings with family members

The Importance of Mental Health Support

Mental health support, especially early in life, is key to helping children and teens recover from trauma. Therapy can help kids and teens:

• Understand and process what they’ve been through
• Learn healthy ways to cope with stress
• Feel safe, seen and supported
• Establish healthy coping skills and tools
• Build strong relationships with caregivers and peers
• Develop a healthy sense of identity and self-worth

Therapy can also help prevent placement disruptions. As youth process their trauma, they’re better equipped to build healthy relationships with their caregivers. Relationships with foster parents, biological family, teachers and even child welfare workers can improve because of mental health support! 

Access Outpatient Mental Health Therapy

Therapy isn’t just for people who’ve gone through the worst situations. It’s for anyone who wants support. At KVC West Virginia, we offer outpatient mental health therapy for kids, teens, adults and families, whether or not they’re involved in the child welfare system. Our licensed therapists are trained to provide individualized, trauma-informed therapy in many ways:

• In-person or virtually
• In homes, schools, KVC offices and community settings
• Customized to fit each person’s needs

Our outpatient therapy services could be just what is needed to heal and move forward. Referring someone to KVC West Virginia’s mental health therapy services is easy, and anyone can do it! Referrals can come from:

• Parents or guardians
• Teachers or school staff
• Child welfare workers
• Health care providers
• Coaches or mentors
• Or anyone concerned about a child or teen’s wellbeing

We’re accepting new clients now! Don’t hesitate to get the help you or your loved one needs. Just fill out this form and our team will connect with you: