Infants and toddlers in foster care

Young children involved in the child welfare system are susceptible to behavioral and physiological dysregulation. These children need nurturing care to develop organized attachments to caregivers, they need synchronous care to support their physiological and behavioral regulation, and they need stable caregivers who can commit to them, supporting their sense of self and behavioral regulation. Without intervention at the level of the parent and the system, most children involved with the child welfare system are unlikely to have these needs met. We present two models of intervention designed to enhance parents' synchrony and nurturance, and highlight aspects of the system that can enhance the stability and commitment of caregivers.