Resource Library

Highlights the importance of respite for families raising children who have experienced trauma. The guide outlines two main categories of respite: planned respite and crisis or emergency respite. It also describes various forms of respite such as support network development, special events, specific respite events, recreational activities, hub homes, camps or retreats, training and maintaining a directory of respite care providers, and flexible funding to families. This article also provides examples of programs implementing these forms of respite care and offers additional resources for further information.

Describes 12 categories of support for children and youth—including life skills development, job training/employment support, and recreational experiences—and points to examples of successful support programs.

Examines various types of respite care services offered and provides examples of jurisdictions offering each type.

Reviews factors that affect adoption/guardianship disruption and how to respond to them, including examples from various states and jurisdictions.

Explores the impact of traumatic life events on children, including the significant risk for developing serious and long-lasting problems across multiple areas of development. Provides information about how children are far more likely to exhibit resilience to childhood trauma when child-serving programs, institutions, and service systems understand the impact of childhood trauma, share common ways to talk and think about trauma, and thoroughly integrate effective practices and policies to address it—an approach often referred to as trauma-informed care. Presents the four Rs of trauma-informed-care: Realize, Recognize, Respond, and Resist Re-traumatization.

Offers strategies for child welfare workers to develop a self-care plan to help avoid burnout.

Outlines strategies for reaching adoptive and guardianship families before they experience crises, emphasizing proactive outreach, normalizing the need for support, and offering services at various stages of their adoption and guardianship journey.    

Offers advice about ensuring that people with lived expertise receive the development and support they need as they advise, provide, develop, or lead support services for other resource families.

Discusses how Vermont assesses child, family, and system risk and protective factors to help determine how best to support adoptive families.

Describes specific activities associated with Adoption and Guardianship Support and Preservation Services. Having a clear description and guidelines about the delivery of the program is necessary to help ensure the quality of postadoption and guardianship service delivery is equitable and consistent across the state. This manual includes a theory of change, describes the philosophical principles and values that undergird the program, defines assessments and treatment planning steps, and recognizes the racial and cultural differences of clients and their adoptive parents/guardians when providing services.