Intervening in a Crisis

Course overview

An increasing number of youth are experiencing crises which affect their functioning in their homes, their schools, and their communities. A crisis can affect anyone and many types of crises (like natural disasters, divorce, etc.) are universal. There are, however, specific effects of crises on children and adolescents. In particular, children and adolescents have been found to exhibit a number of behaviors in need of intervention following a crisis. Children in crisis are regularly seen in child welfare agencies, and the challenge in addressing their behavior is difficult for both foster parents and service professionals. Crisis intervention strategies provide opportunities for clients to learn new coping skills while addressing a crisis event (Dass-Brailsford, 2007). This overview of intervening in a crisis will discuss what constitutes a crisis and explore different techniques and strategies to intervene in a crisis with children and adolescents.