Foster and adoptive parents are often excited about the placement of a new child, but many are not given the tools needed to prepare the children already in the home. When waiting children are not prepared for the challenges that can occur when bringing in a new sibling they can be left feeling confused, fearful, and angry, causing the placement to be at risk. The newly placed child, too can find themselves experiencing similar emotions as they try to fit into a previous family structure.
In this webinar, parents and professionals will explore how to help parents prepare to wait for newly placed children to take on their new family journey. We will focus on topics that include, the impact of a child’s trauma on the entire family, how to help children understand terms like visitation, reunification and permanency, developing open communication, and safety planning. In addition, we will discuss the specific needs of both waiting children and newly placed children and how they are the same and also very different.