Reach Hurting Kids Institute
Reach Hurting Kids Institute is an interdisciplinary team of researchers, mental health professionals, and children’s ministry experts. Our purpose is to provide trauma-informed children’s ministry resources that empower the Church to reach the hurting kids in our congregations and communities. Learn more about this Contributor here.
Contributed Resources
Reach Hurting Kids Institute Resources
A Beginner's Guide to Trauma-Informed Children's Ministry
This Beginner's Guide to Trauma-Informed Children's Ministry describes the widespread impact of childhood trauma, offers a research-based framework for constructing a trauma-informed children's ministry, and provides eight practical tips for helping children feel safe, in-control, loved, and valued in their church community.....
PDFEffective Ministry to Kids and Youth in Foster Care: Intro
A four-unit mini course to help equip churches to serve children and youth in the foster care system. Through this course, participants will gain a vision for reaching kids in the foster care system, understand the challenges that kids in foster care face at church, connect and build trust with kids in foster care, de-escalate conflicts and discipline with love, and create a supportive ministry en....
VideoPDFUnderstanding Kids in Foster Care: Unit 1
In today's video we will take a deep dive on understanding kids from care. By the end of this unit you will know some key facts about the foster care system, understand that many kids in care have experienced complex trauma, and recognize how this affects their feelings and behaviors.....
VideoPDFConnecting with Kids in Foster Care: Unit 2
Welcome to unit 2. By the end of this unit you will learn the importance of supporting healthy relationships, how to be a warm and caring presence and how to be able to connect with foster children in a personal way.....
PDFVideoDisciplining Kids in Foster Care: Unit 3
Welcome to unit 3. By the end of this session you will be able to, understand the unique circumstances of children in foster care impacts discipline, know key principles for disciplining kids in care and be able to avoid retraumatizing children in foster care when they struggle with their behavior. ....
VideoPDF10 Tips for Helping Kids in Foster Care Succeed at Church: Unit 4
In this final session you will learn practical tips for helping children in the foster care succeed at church. You will learn, child - centered language, setting learning goals, meet individual needs and so much more.....
VideoPDFNext Steps: Unit 5
Let's recap! We have learned so much about trauma, how to form a trauma informed ministry, how to love on children in foster care and tips on how they can thrive within your ministry....
VideoPDFTeaching Empathy to Young Children
We can teach children to respond to their peers with Christ-like empathy! Empathy is all about putting on that “garment of compassion” that Colossians talks about: offering kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience in the name of Jesus. It’s the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, bridging the gap so that we can love in Jesus’ name. Our first step, though, is to te....
VideoAdditional Resources
Understanding Kids in Foster Care: Unit 1
In today's video we will take a deep dive on understanding kids from care. By the end of this unit you will know some key facts about the foster care system, understand that many kids in care have experienced complex trauma, and recognize how this affects their feelings and behaviors.....
