Resources & Products

Caregiver Advocacy Resource for Engagement (C.A.R.E.) Calendar

Purpose

The Caregiver Advocacy Resource for Engagement (C.A.R.E.) Calendar is a roadmap to help parents/caregivers navigate the child therapy process. The C.A.R.E. Calendar provides parents/caregivers with knowledge and tools to better support their child, engage with their child’s clinicians and advocate for their child’s needs. Parents/caregivers can use the resources to better understand what happens in therapy, what questions to ask, and how to get the most out of the child therapy experience. Clinicians themselves can use the C.A.R.E. Calendar as a tool for engagement with a child client and his/her parents/caregivers. 
 

Flexibility

Each part of the C.A.R.E. Calendar resource can be used on its own or all together. For example, some may only use the monthly calendar to provide structure and a space for tracking behaviors. Others may simply read the supplements to learn more about a particular topic. Families and clinicians can choose the parts of the calendar that are most relevant to them. 

 

Monthly Topics

  1. Child Therapy & My Role as a Caregiver
  2. Understanding Confidentiality
  3. Being an Informed Caregiver
  4. Understanding Assessment
  5. Sharing Personal Information and Knowing Where It Goes
  6. Telling My Caregiver Story
  7. Assessment Feedback
  8. Child Advocacy: Partnering with Your Child’s Therapist
  9. Tracking & Communicating Between Sessions
  10. The Challenge of Advocacy & Overcoming Barriers
  11. I’m Stressed, Too – What Do I Do? Caregiver Self-Care
  12. Completion & Next Steps
DOWNLOAD C.A.R.E. CALENDAR RESOURCES

What’s Included

Monthly Calendar - Front

The front page of the C.A.R.E. Calendar provides daily spaces to document any appointments, important events or experiences that may impact the child. Parents/caregivers may also use the space to track moods and behaviors. Parents/caregivers can share this data with their clinician to better understand patterns and make informed decisions on behalf of the child.

Monthly Calendar - Back

The back of the Monthly Calendar page includes space to identify strengths, things to focus on at home, and goals for therapy. It also has one of 12 informational topics that explain the “ins and outs” of therapy. These include tips and ideas on how to support your child, understand what happens in therapy, and address your own stress!

Monthly Supplement

The Monthly Supplement is an additional reading to provide greater detail about each monthly topic. It offers more in-depth information as well as related articles or websites. The supplements are optional for those who want to learn more about a certain topic.

Special Topics

In addition to the Monthly Supplements, CCTASI developed two additional resources to provide information about common situations that not every child and family encounters. These include “Psychotropic Medication” and “Court-Involved Youth (Child Welfare Involved Youth and Legal Dependents).”

Child Therapy Glossary

The Child Therapy Glossary was created to help explain terms used in child therapy that may be confusing or difficult to understand. The glossary includes words that are used in the calendar and supplemental readings. It also includes terms often used by child therapists or professionals in therapy settings.

Tutorials