CASE:eNewsletter

E-Newsletter - June 2010

Message from the Chief Executive Officer

Tools and Strategies for Promoting Success at School

Special Offer to Celebrate Back to School

15th Annual Kids’ Adoption Network Conference

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

I hope you are enjoying the last days of summer, enjoying some relaxation with your families and friends. I am actually writing this letter from Australia! Over a year ago, we were invited by Families from China and the Australian adoption community to present our widely acclaimed W.I.S.E.Up! program "down under." For three weeks, Madeleine Krebs, C.A.S.E clinical coordinator, Sean Delehant, Adoption Therapist and I traveled throughout Australia teaching W.I.S.E. Up! to over three hundred children and their parents, as well as adoption professionals. As I reflect upon the training, I am struck by the universality of the experience of adoption. The Australian adoptive parents were curious as to whether what they were experiencing was the same as American adoptive parents. They embraced the W.I.S.E.Up! program, acutely aware of the need for such a tool in Australia. Like your children, their children receive the same challenging and intrusive questions surrounding their adoption story, racial background and birth family history: “Why is your skin dark and your mum’s white? Why were you adopted? Where is your real mom?” As the parents learned W.I.S.E. Up!, they were full of questions: How do we best educate others about adoption? When should we talk with our children about adoption? At what age should we share difficult information? Will adolescence be harder because of adoption? How can we help our children’s teachers better understand our children’s needs? Like all adoptive parents, these Australian parents want so badly to try to pave a smooth path for their children to travel as they grow to be young men and women. As we think about summer coming to a close, we begin to gear up for home and work projects we may have put on hold, get ready for children to return to school, and for some, prepare for our child’s exciting transition to college. It is usually at this time of year that we begin to hear from parents with concerns similar to the ones shared by the Australian parents. In response, we are pleased to continue to offer a variety of educational forums through our workshops, webinars, and publications. And as always, C.A.S.E.’s adoption competent mental health services are available to address your concerns. Whatever your need, we look forward to seeing you soon!

TOOLS AND STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING SUCCESS AT SCHOOL
by Lisa Dominguez, LCSW-C

Susan, a concerned adoptive mother, came in for a consultation about her eight year old adopted son, John. John had been her foster child since he was four years old, adopted at age 6. At the end of second grade, John's teacher indicated on his report card that in the last months of school, he seemed "distracted" and had "difficulty completing his school work." He was talking to the other children instead of working. A few times, he had not turned in his homework on time. Susan stated that she wanted to be proactive and start the new school year by addressing the previous teacher's concerns with his new teacher. But then again, Susan wasn't certain that she shouldn't take a "wait and see" approach. After all, John had had a good summer and promised to do better. She also shared that she had never told the school about John's history or adoption and worried that such information would negatively bias the teacher toward John. As we begin another school year, it is important to think about the unique challenges that children who are adopted or living in foster care face in the classroom on a day to day basis. At C.A.S.E. we hear many parents talk about the struggles they often encounter in helping their children’s teachers and school administrators become more attuned to the issues that affect adopted children and children living in foster care. They are often unsure as to how to approach these issues in the school environment and are not prepared for how to address the academic/behavioral struggles their children may be encountering in school.

Parents often wonder, “How much information is important for the school to have about their child’s family history? Who should have this information? Teachers? Counselors? Administration? How will having this information affect how my child is treated at school? With whom will this information be shared?” Many parents are concerned about their children being labeled or singled out in some way, and they often worry that school staff will not take their concerns seriously.

In my school-based work, I often hear how the kids themselves struggle with these and other issues as well. They talk about feeling different because they don’t live with their birth families. They say they are often distracted in class because they are thinking about a visit they had with birth family over the past weekend, or they are thinking about birth family they have never met. The students with whom I work complain about teachers and other adults just “not getting” the emotional baggage they often walk in the door with each day. This is especially difficult because they are also struggling themselves to understand some of the very real learning challenges they face and how these challenges impact their ability to be successful in the classroom.

Parents, teachers, and students often do not understand how a child’s early beginnings can impact school performance. Research has shown that adopted children are overrepresented in groups of students with learning disabilities, neurological impairments, perceptual impairments and emotional disturbances (Meese, R.L., 1999). At C.A.S.E. we also see many children who are struggling with deficits in executive functioning, language based learning disabilities, and symptoms related to AD/HD. These challenges can be the result of early trauma and deprivation, poor pre-natal care or institutionalized care as an infant as well as genetic predispositions. Given all of these challenges and potential obstacles, it is no wonder that school concerns are one of the most common reasons clients seek services from C.A.S.E.

As parents, what can you do to better understand the unique learning challenges your child may face, and how best can you advocate for your child at school? First of all, learn all you can about both the unique emotional and academic struggles your child is facing. Network with other parents who have children who are adopted or in foster care and ask them to share what has and hasn’t worked in navigating the often complicated partnership between home and school. If you don’t know any other families in your community, reach out to local and national organizations that help to support adoptive and foster families. Secondly, learn what services are offered by your local school system. Educate yourself about Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and find out if there are school based services, such as speech or occupational therapy that may help to support your child in the classroom.

In addition to educating yourself and others about some of the unique learning challenges foster and adopted children face, enlist support! It is so important to realize that you don’t have to try and navigate this alone. Adoption competent therapists and other mental health professionals can be essential in helping you as parents understand your child’s unique challenges. They can also help your child learn tools and strategies for navigating the classroom more successfully, and can be a support in getting the school based services needed to help ensure your child’s success. Finally, talk to your children. Let them know that is okay to ask for and accept help. Normalize their struggles by letting them know that many other children who are adopted or in foster care are dealing with similar issues. Empower them to help you to advocate for what they need to be successful in school!

To learn more about ways to work collaboratively with your child’s school, register for our upcoming Webinar, “Tools and Strategies for Promoting School Success”, September 23, 2010 at 9 p.m. E.S.T. To register, go to www.adoptionsupport.org or call 301.476.8525.

SPECIAL OFFER TO CELEBRATE BACK TO SCHOOL

Research has shown that children's long-term self-concept as an adoptee is strongly influenced by feedback received in the school environment. Although adoption is very common, it is often spoken about or referred to in outdated ways with inappropriate language. S.A.F.E. at Schoolsm will help you to open communication about adoptive families or adoption itself in ways that educate and normalize this way of building families.

In the month of September, if you purchase a S.A.F.E. at School manual, you will receive two Fact Sheets of your choice FREE! Just use code #Safe_Facts

15th ANNUAL KID'S ADOPTION NETWORK CONFERENCE

LAND DOWN UNDER: Trek to Success
Saturday, November 20, 2010
9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Celebrate National Adoption Month with other adoptive families at our 15th Annual K.A.N. Conference at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Self-esteem and confidence are what most parents strive to inspire in their children. To ensure that adoptive families remain strong, much research has been focused on how to understand and promote positive "adoption adjustment" for children and teens by normalizing the adoption experience. This year's theme will explore the tools that children need to master the common challenges they face. Children will use the theme of a trek within Australia, the "Land Down Under", to discover through art and games how they can be a self-agent of positive change. C.A.S.E. is thrilled to present Rhythmic Connections, an innovative, interactive and inspiring musical performance. Adopted children, teens and their parents are welcome to participate in this all-day event.

**ALL PARENTS - INCLUDING PROSPECTIVE PARENTS AND PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN ARE NOT ATTENDING THE K.A.N. CONFERENCE ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND.

This event is generously funded in part by the Dave Thomas Foundation. Look for registration materials end of September!