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Families and Caregivers

Parents and caregivers play an essential role in helping children and teenagers recover from traumatic events. These resources are for parents, adoptive parents, resource/foster parents, grandparents, caregivers, and all others who care for children and teens. The more caregivers learn about how traumatic events affect their children (whether toddler, school-age, teen, youth, or adult), the more they understand the reasons for their children’s behaviors and emotions, and the better prepared they are to help them cope. When children know that caring adults are working to keep them safe and support them in understanding their reactions to trauma, most can recover and go on to live healthy and productive lives.

NCTSN Resource

Helping Your Teen Cope with Traumatic Stress and Substance Abuse

Type: Fact Sheet

Provides information for parents and caregivers whose teen might be or is experiencing substance abuse and/or stress from a traumatic event. This fact sheet is a part Understanding the Links Between Adolescent Trauma and Substance Abuse: A Toolkit for Providers.

NCTSN Resource

Understanding Child Traumatic Stress: A Guide for Parents

Type: Fact Sheet

Offers parents information about child traumatic stress (CTS), the best way to treat CTS, what parents can do at home for their children, and how parents can make sure their children receive support at school.

NCTSN Resource

Recognizing Drug Use in Adolescents: A Quick Guide for Caregivers and Adults

Type: Resource Guide

Summarizes the signs of intoxication, substance use, and abuse commonly reported by substance users. This guide for parents and caregivers describes different substances teens use, how a teen may look when on that substance, how they may act, and how the substance may make them feel.

NCTSN Resource

Parenting in a Challenging World

Type: Resource Guide

Looks at parenting concerns, with the help of scenes from the documentary film Surviving September 11th: The story of One New York Family. The guide and film address a terrorist attack.

NCTSN Resource

Family Preparedness: Thinking Ahead

Type: Tip Sheet

Accompanies the Family Preparedness Wallet Card. This guide helps families develop a safety plan so that they may be prepared in the event of disasters.

Partner-In Resource

I Don't Know How to Talk to My Child About Being Safe Online

Type: Video

Includes discussions from providers who work with families on vulnerabilities to exploitation and staying safe online as well as personal experiences faced by those who struggle to talk to their children about being safe.

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