Parenting Foster and Adopted Children Across the Lifespan: Care and Discipline (for Parents)

Parenting Foster and Adopted Children Across the Lifespan: Strategies for Developmentally Appropriate Care and Discipline

This course provides a developmentally grounded exploration of how to support adopted and foster children across the lifespan, from infancy through adulthood. Participants will examine stage-specific health and safety considerations, ranging from newborn care practices like safe sleep and the foundations of early attachment to the evolving physical, emotional, relational, and cognitive needs of adopted children as they grow. The series will also examine thoughtful, developmentally responsive approaches to discipline that account for trauma, attachment, and identity development, alongside educational considerations that promote engagement and resilience in school settings. The speaker will provide practical, real-world applications that caregivers and professionals can use to more confidently and effectively support each phase of adoptee development.

*This course is recommended for families adopting children of any age as trauma can disrupt development, causing children to function at different developmental stages than their chronological age. Understanding what children need at each stage helps parents identify gaps and provide appropriate support.

Susan K. Taylor – Training Coordinator, Consortium for Resource, Adoptive, and Foster Family Training (CRAFFT) at Radford University

Course length: 3.5 hours
Certificate type: This course offers an attendance certificate

After attending this course, participants will be able to:

• Describe key developmental stages from infancy through adulthood and the health, safety, and attachment considerations associated with each stage for adopted children, youth, and adults.
• Explain how attachment experiences, separation, trauma, and identity development can influence an adoptee’s emotional, behavioral, relational, and developmental needs throughout the lifespan.
• Identify developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed, and nonphysical parenting and discipline strategies.
• Give examples of appropriate supports, services, and resources that promote health, safety, identity development, and overall well-being for adoptees, including early intervention, school-based supports, and community resources.

Recorded 8/25/26 & 9/15/26

PLEASE NOTE – This course does not provide continuing education credits. To receive social work CEs, please complete the course developed for professionals instead: Parenting Foster and Adopted Children Across the Lifespan: Strategies for Developmentally Appropriate Care and Discipline (for Professionals).