Frey, Lauren

Gardiner, Rhys

Keane, Anni

McRoy, Ruth

Nasanga, Victoria

Perez, Jennifer

English

ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst

RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2015www.PosterPresentations.comNotes	from	the	field:If	family	is	the	primary	place	the	trauma	happened,	family	is	the	place	the	healing	will	happen.- LaurenChildren	that	have	long-term	unmet	attachment	needs,	what	they	need	the	MOST	are	primary	attachment	relationships. It's	terrifying	for	them	to	move	into	the	vulnerability	of	attachment.	You	will	see	increased	behaviors	from	them, as	they	start	to	get	feelings	of	connection,	they	will	start	to	get	feelings	of	fear.																																																																																										 - AllisonOur	intention	is	to	keep	you	safe.	But	often	(in	child	welfare)	what	we're	doing	is	breaking	relationships- how	can	they	move	forward	if	we	don't	teach	them	how	to	make relationships?- AnniChild	prep	is	AS	IMPORTANT	as	parent	prep!!!																			- LaurenTHEY	(teens	should)	get	to	say,	when	do	I	want	to	see	your	physical	home,	when	do	I	want	to	stay	over,	when	do	I	want	to	move- you	give	them	the	control.	They	are	driving	the	car-of	course,	you	(the	adults)	need	to	help	them	drive	it,	like	a	bumper	car.													 - BarryWhat	parents	basically	need	to	know	is:		The	behavior	is	an	expression	of	the	need-‘We're	taking	the	next	step	in	the	relationship,	and	it's	scary!’											 - AnniWorkers	need	to	understand	what	'giving	consent'	means- it	means	giving	consent	to	the	adoption, it's	not	giving	consent	for	us	to	do	our	job.	Older	kids	totally	need	some	efficacy,	need	their	say- our	job	is	to	try	to	teach.																																															 - MichelleIf	the	kid	refuses,	I	would	just	ask	them	what's	going	on?	What	fears,	energies,	what	memories	are	coming	up	when	they	go	on	visits?	We	tell	everyone	this	is	going	to	happen,	strong	emotions	will	come	up...	Love	is	extremely	scary! - AnniTeens	and	tweens	(are)	at	the	age	where	they	are	psychosocially	trying	to	yoyo	away	from,	out	of,	attachment- but	if	they	haven't	had	it,	they	don't	know	how	to	accept	it,	and	they	need	it!- AllisonNo,	you	don't	have	to	be	sure	this	is	what	you	want	for	the	rest	of	your	life,	you	can	move	in	and	see	how	the	relationship	builds.		Now	we'll	build	a	relationship,	and	when	you're	ready-YOU	will	decide	when	you're	ready.																																																																									- MichelleLoving	someone,	a	child	who	has	been	traumatized	in	any	way,	it's	very	challenging,	it's	ugly,	it	looks	like	running	away, acting	out,	crying,	screaming,	all	the	ugly	things	people	are	uncomfortable	with,	but	it	needs	to	happen.	People	are	uncomfortable	with	those	ugly	feelings	and	emotions,	but	it	needs	to	happen for	the	youth’s	emotional	health,	their	spiritual	health,	and	healing.																						 - AnniThe	ability	of	a	foster	parent	to	build	a	relationship	with	the	permanent	parent	and	work	in	partnership	with	them	can	make	or	break	a	successful	transition	for	a	child	or	youth.				-Lauren																																																																																																																				The	current	caregiver's	#1	job	is	to	be	a	bridge	to	permanency.That's	the	whole	point	of	the	child	welfare	system,	is	to	achieve	permanency.						 - MichelleWhere's	the	checklist	for	a	teen	to	evaluate	a	prospective	match?	There	isn't	one	-the	only	thing	that	matters	is	how	committed	the	new	parent	is.	If	they	aren't	completely	committed,	nothing	else	matters; if	they're	completely	committed	to	that	kid,	nothing	else	matters!	Unconditional	commitment- that's	the	mantra	we	teach/preach	to	our	parents.								- PaulParaphrased	from	talks	on	“Neuroscience	&	Permanency”	by	Bruce	D.	Perry,	MD,	PhD	2017	National	Permanency	Conference,	Harmony	Family	Center,	Nashville,	TN					Listen:		http://harmonyfamilycenter.org/2017-national-permanency-conference/What	fires	together,	wires	together:0-5	is	when	our	brains	hardwire	the	patterns	of	our	early	experiences.If	a	child	has	fear,	pain,	unmet	needs,	or	unpredictability,	in	early	childhood,	it	can	get	wired	into	their	pattern	of	what	a	"mother"	is. This	pattern	will	be	used	to	interpret	interactions	with	all	future	primary	caregivers.	Youth	who	had	0-5	trauma	are	at	risk	to	misperceive	and	mistrust	even	nurturing	caregivers.Everything	new	is	scary- good	OR	bad!	Let	the	teen	control	their	own	dosing.We	manage	our	stress	over	anything	new	or	scary	by	"dosing"- controlling	how	often	and	how	much	we	allow	ourselves	to	think	about	it.	A	youth	sensitized	by	early	trauma	may	need	to	take	it	slow.Dr.	Perry	suggests	that	even	a	skilled	clinician	may	only	be	able	to	"dip	into"	the	topic	twice,	or	maybethree	times,	in	a	weekly	session.	Raising	the	topic,	unless	the	teen	brings	it	up,	robs	them	of	their	controllability	of	the	dosing- which	can	turn	the	new	thing,	good	or	bad,	into	a	negative	stressor.Regulate,	relate,	reason- in	that	order!With anything new, a	kid's biggest	need	is for	regulation. Supportive	adults	can	help	youth	regulate	and	learn	to	self-regulate,	to	stay	out	of	alarm	state.	When	we’re	well-regulated,	we	can	reason	and	learn.Flock,	Fight,	Flight,	FreezeIf	a	kid’s	stress	escalates	into	alarm,	they'll	Fight,	Flight	or	Freeze,	and	the	higher	reasoning	brain	shuts	off.The	biggest	determinant	in	how	a	kid	reacts	to	something	new	is,	FLOCK- they	look	to	see	how	their	adults	react.	If	adults	are	calm,	kids	are	more	likely	to	stay	calm.	If	the	adults	show	alarm,	so	will	a	kid.Learn	more:	The	Seven	Slide	Series	(Youtube),	Child	Trauma	Academy,	TXDid	You	Know…?LOVE	is	extremely	Scary!- AnniOverrepresented	in	substitute	care,	yet	underrepresented	in	adoption,	older	youth	need	love,	too!	Tweens’	and	teens’	needs	for	extra	support	in	the	preadoptive transition	process	may	not	be	as	apparent	as	younger	children’s.	However,	experts	dedicated	to	permanency	for	older	youth	believe	greater	youth	voice	and	coordinated	support	for	preadoptive matches	during	the	visiting	period	are	crucial	for	success.Issue:Just	at	the	age	they	are	most	likely	to	reject	primary	caregivers,	youth	(12+	in	MA)	are	rightfully	required	to	consent	to	formal	adoption.	CWIG	cites	a	25%	preadoptive disruption	rate	for	12-17	yo youth	in	state	care.	Anecdotally,	perhaps	twice	as	many	matches	‘fizzle’	before	move-in!	We	know	‘aging	out’	is	a	predictor	for	homelessness,	early	pregnancy,	under-education,	incarceration,	and	a	host	of	health	issues.	Much	has	been	written	on	how	to	seek	permanency	for	older	youth,	and	on	the	importance	of	post-placement	services	to	support	families	in	adjustment.	However,	the	delicate	period	of	meeting	and	getting	to	know	a	new	family	is	less	examined,	and	offers	opportunities	for	gain.Goal:ID	and	disseminate	best	practices	for	supporting	tweens	and	teens	in	preadoptive transitionMethod:Review	existing	materials	and	conduct	phone	interviews	with	experienced	practitioner/advocates,	to	gather	useful	links,	innovative	ideas,	and	direct	testimony	on	why	and	how	to	steward	preadoptive matches	with	tweens	and	teens.	Present	excellence	in	practice	and	resources	of	immediate	usefulness	in	a	simple	format	accessible	to	busy	workers,	caregivers,	and	others	who	care	about	and	work	with	youth.	Two	valuable	classics	stood	out:	“Breaking	Barriers	to	Teen	Adoption”	video	(Youtube)	by	You	Gotta Believe,	NY	“Finding	a	Fit	to	Last	a	Lifetime”	by	AdoptUsKidsBoth	contain	timeless	suggestions	in	a	range	of	voices	and	perspectives,	and	informed	a	preference	for	direct	quotes	in	our	project’s	handout.	Outcome:A	handout of	collective	wisdom	from	those	in	the	field!	“Old	Enough	to	Have	a	Say,	Scared	Enough	to	Say	No”Including:	The	“Letter	for	When	I	Freak	Out”!!!						Teen	Safety	Plan!!!&Links	to	Free	Resources!andReprints of	the	AdoptUsKids classic:“Finding	a	Fit	to	Last	a	Lifetime”Featuring:The	“Predictions	Letter”	to	Parents! (p.	59)Contributors & Acknowledgements:Interviewed	sources,	in	order	of	appearance	in	handout:	Paul	Snellgrove,	Asst.	Dir/Parent	Trainer,	You	Gotta Believe	(permanency	for	tweens	&	teens),	NYAnni Keane,	Director	of	the	‘Nobody	Ages	Out’	Youth	Movement,	You	Gotta Believe,	NYMichelle	Chalmers,	MSW,	Co-Founder	&	Director,	Ampersand	Families	(permanency	for	older	youth	&	siblings),	MN;2017	‘Breaking	Barriers	in	Adoption’	award	recipient	from	Voice	for	Adoption,	Wash,	DCLauren	Frey,	MSW,	LICSW, Director	of	Permanency	Practice	Leadership,	Plummer	Youth	Promise,	MABarry	Chaffkin,	LCSW,	CEO	&	Co-Founder	of	Fostering	Change	for	Children,	NYAllison	Maxon,	LMFT,	Trainer/Consultant,	CA; Co-author	&	master	trainer: Pathways	to	Permanence	2:	Parenting	the	Child	of	Loss	and	Trauma;	2017	“Angel	in	Adoption”	award	recipient	from	the	Congressional	Coalition	on	Adoption	Institute,	Wash,	DCBIG	thanks	to	Josh	Kroll	(NACAC),	the	Tenley	E.	Albright	Foundation,	Josie	Francois	HMS	‘21,	and	all	who	challenged	and	encouraged!	‘Faces	of	Fear’	models:	Victoria	Nasanga,	MS-HS,	2015	FosterClub All-Star	&	Jennifer	Perez,	MD,	Boston	Combined	Residency	Program	in	Pediatrics,	BMC/BCHSupporting	tweens	&	teens	through	preadoptive transitionRhys	Gardiner,	Anni Keane,	Lauren	Frey,	Victoria	Nasanga,	Jennifer	Perez,	Ruth	McRoy PhDOld	Enough	to	Have	a	Say,	Scared	Enough	to	Say	No!They don’t want to lose who they are!!-from a Youth, matched at 15

A Translational Social Work Approach to Help Teens Tolerate Preadoptive Transition

https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1264&amp;context=rudd_conf

A Translational Social Work Approach to Help Teens Tolerate Preadoptive Transition

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