IN THEIR OWN WORDS

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has developed tools and resources for professionals who are caring for children and teens in foster care. These resources were developed by a team of experts in the fields of medicine, child welfare, mental health, and law, as well as foster care alumni and foster parents. They should be useful in not only helping to better understand the intricacies involved in working with children and teens in foster care, but also to enhance collaboration among various professionals within the context of a medical home — essential to improving health outcomes for children and teens in foster care.

Included on this section are tools and resources that we encourage you to use whether you are a professional in an office or court setting, a parent (foster or birth) or kin at home, or a child or teen seeking to learn more:

• Fact sheets on various topics (eg, Tips for Working with Children in Foster Care, Confidentiality Laws Tip Sheet)
• Adaptable checklists and forms that can be used in the office or court settings to encourage collaboration (eg, Consent Form to Release Confidential Records or Information, Health Information Form)
• Coding Fact Sheets to assist in payment
• Links to relevant AAP resources and policy statements
• Web links related to the health and well-being of children and teens in foster care