Social-Emotional and Mental Health Resources for Children and Caregivers This link provides access to many e-books discussing the coronavirus. This is an excellent site for child welfare staff to share with birth, foster, kinship, and adoptive families. (Reach Out and Read)
Taking Care of Yourself This resource presents providers with a list of self-care strategies to use after a difficult event, including awareness, balance, and connection strategies. (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
Coping in Hard Times: Fact Sheet for Parents This fact sheet, developed by NCTSN, helps parents understand how economic difficulties can affect their families in terms of their sense of safety, connectedness, and hope. (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
Trinka and Sam Fighting the Big Virus: Trinka, Sam, and Littletown Work Together This cute downloadable storybook helps young children and families talk about COVID-19. Also available is a companion story Fighting the Big Virus: Trinka’s and Sam’s Questions helps identify questions about the virus. en Español (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
Fighting the Big Virus: Trinka’s and Sam’s Questions This companion guide to Trinka and Sam Fighting the Big Virus: Trinka, Sam, and Littletown Work Together provides questions and ways to answer questions children may have about COVID-19. en Español (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
Helping Children Cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic This tip sheet was designed to address children’s concerns and worries arising from COVID-19 and the disruptions of normal life that has resulted from the pandemic. en Español (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
Coronavirus (COVID-19) NASW provides a variety of articles and resources related to the COVID-19 pandemic for social workers. Topics include guidance on social work safety, self-care, and information on supporting clients and special populations during this crisis. (National Association of Social Workers)
Managing Stress Associated with the COVID-19 Virus Outbreak Created by the VA, this fact sheet can be very helpful for child welfare social workers when discussing the need to manage stress during the pandemic. Tips will be beneficial for the provider, as well as the client. en Español (US Dept. of Veterans Affairs)
Talking with Children: Tips for Caregivers, Parents, and Teachers during Infectious Disease Outbreaks Fact sheet breaks down what physical and emotional expectations might be anticipated for children in various age ranges and discusses how parents, caregivers, teachers, etc. might best support children in managing their responses. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
Secondary Trauma and Child Welfare Staff: Guidance for Supervisors and Administrators This resource gives supervisors and administrators in the child welfare system the information on the importance of addressing secondary traumatic stress (STS). (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
Family Time: Supportive Virtual Family Time Program and Training (eLearning) This online learning course gives skills to child welfare workers to support virtual family visits. (Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence)
It Takes a Village: Child Welfare in a Pandemic This new podcast highlights how COVID-19 is shifting the everyday lives and work of frontline child welfare professionals and the children and families they serve across the state of Minnesota. This page also covers a wide range of topics and will feature interviews with researchers, policy-makers, frontline child welfare workers, community members, youth, and many others. (The Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare)
Caring for Children in Foster Care During COVID-19 This article notes the specific concerns for children in foster care during the pandemic and lists ways that caregivers can support them. en Español (HealthyChildren.Org)
Successful Video Visits with Young Children This article provides information as to why video visits can be challenging for children in foster care. The article also includes tips for improving video visits between children in foster care and their loved ones. (National Council on Crime & Delinquency)
Child Welfare Safety Assessment and Planning During COVID-19 and Physical Distancing [This document describes ideas from the NCCD Children’s Research Center (CRC) for how to conduct child welfare safety assessment and planning during COVID-19. (National Council on Crime & Delinquency)
Trauma-Informed Strategies for Supporting Children and Youth in the Child Welfare System during COVID-19 This brief provides guidance for child welfare administrators and staff to promote healing and increase the likelihood of resilience among children and youth, despite the many adversities associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and their involvement in the child welfare system. (Child Trends)