Enhanced Fostering
The ARC model shows how children’s behaviour is a reflection or a symptom of deeper traumatic experiences that requires understanding and applying a treatment plan that can be used throughout the relationship between a foster carer and child/young person.
The ARC framework is a collection of tools that boost the foster parents strengths, skills and awareness to understand how trauma can affect the day to day experiences of a child and how traumatised children have different and/or greater needs than their peers. ARC is grounded in the theory and research, in particular covering trauma, attachment, child development and resilience.
ARC is currently in use in over 300 child care settings in the US and around the world. The growing research suggests that ARC leads to a reduction in child post traumatic stress symptoms and a general improvement in mental health as well as an increase in resilience and social skills.
Foster carers report a reduction in distress and also a higher rate of permanency in foster care as a result of using the ARC model.
