[It will take you about 1h15 to complete this course.]

Children who enter the care system may have had very difficult or traumatic experiences in their early lives, including being the victims of abuse. This can involve emotional, physical and sexual abuse, as well as, neglect. It is estimated that 63% of children went into care because they were victims of abuse or neglect. (Source: Department of Education, 2019).

So, it is quite likely that as a foster carer you will be caring for a child who went through some of this. It is important to know how this could impact the child and what you can do to best support them. Warning: The information in this course is not easy to read.

In this course, you will learn about:
- The types of abuse.
- The effect abuse can have on a child and their future.
- What factors can affect the extent of the trauma on the child.
- The role of therapy.
- How to communicate with the child and build trust.
- How you can support your foster child.
- How to safeguard children from further abuse.