Tools to Help Children Trust Their Caregivers

Trust is one of those things that is hard to earn and easy to loss.  Often time, children act out due to them not feeling safe or not trusting individuals such as their parents, caregivers or even people within the community.  This lack of trust comes from the child not feeling safe and or being violated due to past traumatic experiences.  Foster parents will learn how to bridge the gap with their child while creating and providing “felt safety”.  Felt safety is when parents arrange the environment and adjust their behaviors so that their child can feel heard, safe and secure.  Researchers have suggested that it is critical that children feel and experience safety for him or herself before trust can develop with the parent.