Story-telling and family play can exert powerful effects on children. Some beliefs, values, and personal life-style choices that relate to how play is created are examined. Using the primary concepts in "narrative therapy,""adventure-based programming," and "family play therapy," play is employed to create an empowerment framework to consider the…

Although the trauma that children experience in abusive situations differs from the trauma of a disaster, its effects are just as profound. The information and skills that caseworkers need to assess families and children who have been traumatized, to make more appropriate treatment planning decisions, and to carry out their professional roles with…

Solution parenting is designed to provide both foster parents and caseworkers a new kind of parenting for difficult children and youth in placement. The specialized training program is for those who will teach solution parenting. Objectives for trainees include: (1) identify small, positive behavioral changes; (2) recognize and use pre-existing…

Addressing the complexities of families facing substance abuse can help caseworkers in assessment and treatment-planning activities. Some basic information and skills that caseworkers and foster care parents can use in the assessment of addiction and treatment-planning decisions are presented in this training manual. The manual and training…