Permanency Tip of the Week: The Power of Complex Losses
As our Youth go through their journey in Foster Care, much like they can experience multiple traumas, they can also experience multiple losses. These losses can layer on top of each other, thus making the grieving process even more complex. Sources of these can be the obvious losses (ex. death, end of relationships, etc.), but also the ambiguous losses (ex. Not knowing if they are going home, are my parents alive, etc.). When supporting a Youth through the grieving process, pay close attention to the complexity of these losses and how they are experienced by the Youth.
Permanency Story of the Week: Siblings make educational strides since finding forever family
A Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Adoption – Siblings Carter, Cynthia and Charlie were placed in foster care in 2009 after their parents were arrested for drug-related offenses. Their family history is full of physical and learning disabilities as well as health issues, and all of the children were academically delayed from a lack of active learning when they were younger.
When a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter intervened, he really got to know Carter, Cynthia and Charlie during weekly get-togethers, taught them what adoption meant, and found the right family for them. That family was the Shanahans. The siblings quickly formed strong bonds with the Shanahans and their educational delays have nearly disappeared since becoming a part of their family. At their adoption, Carter spoke volumes for his siblings and himself when he smiled and said, “I get to be a Shanahan forever!”
Permanency Success Stories – Please send me your Permanency Success stories (with identifying information removed) to share with everyone!
VACATION NOTE – Due to my vacation from 07/25/15 – 08/10/15, there will be a 2-week hiatus for Permanency in the News. The next edition will come out the week of 08/11/15.
Current Permanency related articles:
Understanding Ambiguous Loss
This factsheet from MN Adopt defines ambiguous loss; explains how it affects adopted children, birth family members, and adoptive parents; and provides suggestions for helping children manage feelings of ambiguous loss. Dr. Pauline Boss has written a great deal about this topic.
Massachusetts’ Efforts to Address Children’s Complex Trauma
Child abuse and neglect are traumatic experiences for children, and that trauma can be compounded if child protective services must remove the child from home and place the child in foster care. The child may suffer additional trauma if he or she experiences repeated separations and loss due to placement changes. The chronic and cumulative effects of abuse, neglect, and parental loss that children can experience in the child welfare system are called “complex trauma,” and a lack of placement stability can negatively impact a child’s long-term capacity to have healthy attachments and relationships.
Impact of Adoption on Adopted Persons
This Child Welfare Information Gateway factsheet for families discusses the impact of adoption on adopted persons who have reached adulthood. There are several themes that emerge from personal accounts and data from academic studies about issues that adopted persons may face. This factsheet addresses these themes, which include loss, the development of identity and self-esteem, interest in genetic information, and managing adoption issues.
Gratitude – Why I Adopted a 20-year-old
Shannon Paige – When asked to share my feelings on, what I was most grateful for, and to offer something that might inspire that feelin in others, I smiled and knew what I would share. Just over a month ago, at the ripe old age of 42, I legally adopted a 20-year-old woman named Victoria Devine. To those who don’t know me well, this decision seemed a little odd. To those who do know me, it may have seemed perfectly in step with my unconventional way of walking my own path through this world. In truth, it was one of the most natural, positive and profound decisions I have ever made.
NSCAW Findings on Disconnected Youth
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) produced the 21st in a series of National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) briefs that address topics related to children who receive child welfare services. This brief focuses on disconnected youth involved in child welfare. Disconnected youth are defined in the brief as youth ages 16 to 24 that are not in school and have not been employed for 3 years after they were identified and reported as victims of child maltreatment. Characteristics of disconnected youth and their families and the possible negative outcomes of being disconnected are examined.
Parenting Children who have been affected by Maltreatment
To help parents and caregivers of children and youth who have experienced maltreatment–from abuse and neglect to sexual abuse or other trauma, Child Welfare Information Gateway created a series of factsheets for parents explaining how children are affected by maltreatment and how parents can help children recover. 1) Parenting a Child Who Has Been Sexually Abused: A Guide for Foster and Adoptive Parents; 2) Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Abuse or Neglect ; 3) Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Trauma