Caring for the Most Vulnerable: Prioritizing the Health of Children in Foster Care

Breakout Session

Caring for the Most Vulnerable: Prioritizing the Health of Children in Foster Care

Date, time, and room location:

Breakout Session A
Date & Time:
Tue, Jun 16, 2026 | 10:20 - 11:20am CDT
This is a repeat session.
Breakout Session B
Date & Time:
Tue, Jun 16, 2026 | 12:40 - 1:40pm CDT

Session overview

Track:

Early Childhood Services

Audience level: 

Enhanced

Intended audience:

All

Session materials: 

This session does not have any session materials currently.

Session Description

Children in foster care face disproportionately high rates of physical, developmental, and mental health challenges—often compounded by trauma, system fragmentation, and inconsistent access to care. This session will provide an overview of the unique health needs of children in foster care and explore why prioritizing their medical and psychosocial well-being is imperative.

Learning objectives

  1.  Identify the unique physical, mental, and developmental health needs of children in foster care.
  2. Describe the impact of trauma, system involvement, and care disruptions on health outcomes for foster youth.
  3. Recognize common barriers to accessing timely, high-quality, and coordinated healthcare for this population.
  4. Discuss key components of trauma-informed and multidisciplinary approaches to caring for children in foster care.
  5. Apply best practices to improve health care delivery within their own professional roles or systems