Trauma in children causes them to be more certain that something bad will happen in the future. Because of this, many children are not likely to invest trust in a new set of parents. Also, many children tend to believe that they were the ones to cause the trauma, and they think that it was their fault that something happened before. Some children even go as far as thinking that something bad might happen to their new parents, and if it does, it will be their fault as well. Up until five years of age, children commonly believe that discussing a topic might cause to occur (Gray 27). While most adults realize that this is certainly not the case, children earnestly believe in this, and this fear of discussion might lead them to being afraid of talking about their past, as they most certainly do not want a reoccurrence of their trauma. .
Some of the children who are in the system suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a condition that occurs when a person has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event where physical harm occurred or was threatened (Grayson). These traumas could include sexual assault, physical assault, the death of a loved one, accidents, war, and many other events. This disorder causes the child to experience symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, detachment to family, outbursts of anger, difficulty concentrating, and many other problems (Grayson). It has been shown that children suffering from this disorder need someone they trust close by, because if they have a crisis, the child needs to know that someone is there for them. Older children who have gone through the foster care system are usually untrusting of their new family, and why shouldn't they be? These kids have gone relentlessly from one home to the next. Once they felt as if they could finally settle in, they were whisked away to join the next family. .
From the time of birth, children begin to develop a sense of security with their caregiver.
