Healing in the Home: Using Family Centered Treatment to Support Young Children Through Trauma and Relationship Repair
Date, time, and room location:
Session overview
Session Description
This session introduces Family-Centered Treatment (FCT), a trauma-informed, evidence-based, home-based model designed to support families with young children who are experiencing behavioral, emotional, or relational difficulties. Often utilized in child welfare and juvenile justice settings, FCT aims to strengthen family relationships, stabilize placement, and promote long-term healing within the family system.
Participants will gain an understanding of how FCT integrates trauma theory, attachment work, and family systems therapy into a single model that empowers caregivers and centers the child’s developmental needs. The session will include case examples, discussion of implementation in early childhood settings, and practical strategies for engaging families who may be resistant or overwhelmed.
The presenter will also highlight how this model aligns with child welfare goals such as permanency, placement stability, and family reunification.
Learning objectives
- Identify the four phases of Family-Centered Treatment (Joining, Reframing, Value Change, Generalization).
- Explain how FCT addresses trauma and builds resiliency in young children through family systems.
- Apply basic strategies for engaging caregivers in early childhood mental health interventions.
- Understand the intersection of FCT with court-involved or child welfare-involved families.