Mentalization-Based Training Program for Child Care Workers in Residential Settings

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Trauma-Informed Care
• Social Work

Background:

• Children in residential care often experience complex trauma from abuse and neglect.
• Maltreatment negatively impacts child development, including behavior, academics, and mentalization.
• Supporting these children presents significant challenges for child care workers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a mentalization-based training program for child care workers.
• To outline therapeutic strategies for enhancing children's mentalizing capacity.
• To present preliminary findings on the program's efficacy.

Main Methods:

• Development of a mentalization-based training program for child care workers.
• Adaptation of therapeutic strategies to children's developmental levels (ages 6-12).
• Preliminary efficacy study of the training program.

Main Results:

• The training program provides a framework and specific strategies for child care workers.
• Therapeutic interventions are tailored to the child's psychic functioning.
• Preliminary data suggests the program's potential effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• Mentalization-based interventions show promise for children in child welfare residential care.
• The training program offers a structured approach to support vulnerable children.
• Further research is warranted to confirm the program's efficacy.