cooperate with the Birth mother during a child’s visits or gain the cooperation of a Birth grandparent or relative to whom the child was attached. Even if the birth parent is not happy about a child’s permanency goal of adoption, there is likely to be one important person (a teacher, a former neighbor) who will be willing to work with foster/adoptive parents or the agency to make a child’s transition to adoption easier. Clarifying the permission message: It is important for children to hear and feel from people who are important to them that it is all right to love another family. The important person in a child’s life who is available to give the child that message should be sought out to do so. Communicating it to the child: Whether the “permission to love your family” comes in the form of a letter or phone call from grandma or from the birth parent during family visits, it is important that children hear from that person that it is not their fault they are in foster care and that it is all right to love another family. This “permission” will go a long way to helping a child relax and transfer his/her attachment to the new family. Ask: How can the licensing specialist and the team help foster parents help children adjust to losses? Pause and let participants respond. Participants should identify ways to manage a child’s emotions/behaviors that include, but are not limited to: Practice skills in engagement and active listening Make sure foster parents understand the importance of telling the truth. Help foster parents talk to the child, if necessary. Help them understand the importance of remaining on their platform during these difficult discussions. Provide emotional support. Licensure Display slide 3.4.81: Helping Foster Parents Through Loss (PG: 90)
cooperate with the Birth mother during a child’s visits or gain the cooperation of a Birth grandparent or relative to whom the child was attached. Even if the birth parent is not happy about a child’s permanency goal of adoption, there is likely to be one important person (a teacher, a former neighbor) who will be willing to work with foster/adoptive parents or the agency to make a child’s transition to adoption easier. Clarifying the permission message: It is important for children to hear and feel from people who are important to them that it is all right to love another family. The important person in a child’s life who is available to give the child that message should be sought out to do so. Communicating it to the child: Whether the “permission to love your family” comes in the form of a letter or phone call from grandma or from the birth parent during family visits, it is important that children hear from that person that it is not their fault they are in foster care and that it is all right to love another family. This “permission” will go a long way to helping a child relax and transfer his/her attachment to the new family. Ask: How can the licensing specialist and the team help foster parents help children adjust to losses? Pause and let participants respond. Participants should identify ways to manage a child’s emotions/behaviors that include, but are not limited to: Practice skills in engagement and active listening Make sure foster parents understand the importance of telling the truth. Help foster parents talk to the child, if necessary. Help them understand the importance of remaining on their platform during these difficult discussions. Provide emotional support. Licensure Display slide 3.4.81: Helping Foster Parents Through Loss (PG: 90)
FCL_Mod3-TG062714.docx