Description
Building Resiliency
The purpose of this program is to help children and teens in foster care, kinship, and congregate care settings learn to adapt and cope with their difficult and challenging circumstances in positive ways that help them become more resilient. With the right information and supports in place, it is possible for children and teens in substitute care to experience personal growth and improved mental health during their time in substitute care.
Program Content
This 6-session program helps children and teens in temporary, substitute care settings learn to
- express their feelings
- understand what children of all ages need for healthy emotional and physical development
- recognize abuse, neglect, and coping skills
- identify sources of strength for themselves
- value the power and endurance of love
- appreciate their own strengths and resilience
- understand that reaching out for support is a key part of becoming resilient
Connecting with peers who can relate to their feelings and experiences of separation from their families can be powerfully comforting and validating. If group work is not possible, however, facilitators can use the material with individual youth.
2 Day Training
The first day covers core concepts of building resilience in children and teens, along with key elements and materials in each of the 6 carefully sequenced 90-minute sessions in the Children’s Version.
The second day covers the 6 sessions of the Teen Version, along with instructions about the logistics of setting up groups, selecting a site, gathering materials, and communicating with caregivers and referral sources.
Trainees acquire hands-on experience with multisensory activities, simple crafts, role plays, visual aids, relaxation exercises, and techniques for leading group discussions and activities.
They receive access to a digital manual with step-by-step instructions and scripts for each session, supplementary worksheets, visual aids, sample administrative forms, pre- and post-evaluation tools, and an original puppet video about abuse, neglect, and coping skills.