Foster carers provide daily care for children and young people. Sometimes, these children have experienced traumatic events. It turns out that foster carers themselves are also often affected by trauma: from their own past or through experiencing the stress and difficult situations of the children in their care. This can influence the wellbeing of foster carers as well as the stability of placements.
Sanne Helder, educational psychologist at Levvel and PhD candidate at Amsterdam UMC, together with Levvel colleagues Sander de Vries, Petra Helmond, Ramón Lindauer and Irma Hein, conducted an international literature review on this subject.
Stress and Traumatic Burden among Foster Carers
In this international scoping review, they mapped out what is known worldwide about stress and traumatic experiences among foster carers. This is a topic that has received little attention so far, even though the impact is often significant. The findings are relevant for anyone working towards stable and promising foster care. From 9 studies involving over 2,200 foster carers, it appears that:
- Many foster carers have already experienced traumatic events in their own childhood before a placement.
- While caring for children, foster carers are not only indirectly exposed to trauma, through stories and behaviour, but sometimes also directly, for example through threats, aggression, or unsafe situations.
- 15 to 25% of foster carers experience elevated levels of secondary traumatic stress. This is stress that arises from exposure to the trauma of others, which can lead to symptoms such as tension, anxiety, or sleep problems in the foster carer.
- Greater exposure to trauma is associated with more stress-related complaints.
These figures make it clear: foster care affects not only children, but also the adults who care for them.
What Does This Mean for Children and Young People?
The wellbeing of foster carers and that of children and young people are inextricably linked. Research shows that high levels of stress or trauma symptoms in carers can lead to less sensitive and less consistent parenting. Children with a complex trauma history themselves are especially in need of closeness, predictability, and emotional availability.
When foster carers are under prolonged pressure, it can hinder the recovery of children and young people and put strain on the caregiving relationship. The risk of unstable placements or even breakdowns also increases. Attention to traumatic stress among foster carers is therefore actually a prerequisite for good youth care and sustainable foster care.
Trauma-Informed Foster Care: Caring for the Carers
A trauma-informed approach means looking not only at the child, but at the entire system around the child, including foster carers. It is about professionals understanding that foster carers themselves can also be affected by trauma, and that their wellbeing is essential for a safe and stable caregiving environment.
In practice, this means, among other things:
- Early attention to trauma symptoms in foster carers, both before and during a placement.
- Training and guidance to support foster carers in dealing with trauma in children and in themselves.
- Structural monitoring of stress and resilience, so that support can be provided in a timely manner.
By recognising foster carers as care providers and as people who can themselves be affected, we strengthen their resilience. In doing so, we create better conditions for children and young people to develop safely.
For more research at Levvel, visit their knowledge hub Levvel Up here: Levvel Up | Kennisplatform voor jeugdhulp