Module One: Principles of Permanency - NRCPFCnrcpfc.org/ifcpc/module_1/Module1_FCPU.pdf · The concept of permanency is based on certain values, including the primacy of family, significance

Module One: Principles of Permanency

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Section Name

Estimated Time

Key Concepts Resources Used

Welcome and Introductions

30 minutes

Method of Presentation: Lecture and Group Discussion Introduction:

Welcome students and provide relevant information about yourself to the group. In order to find out more about the students ask them to answer the following questions; What brought you to this class? Have you ever worked directly with families? If yes, what is your greatest strength in working with families? What is your greatest challenge? If you have not worked with families, what strength do you bring to this work, and what do you think will be your greatest challenge? Ask for volunteers to share this information with the class.

Additional Optional Opening Activities:

Have each member of the class introduce themselves giving the history of their name.

Students can introduce themselves giving their name, and their ―best thing‖ from the last 24 hours and why it was best. Ask students to think back over the last 24 hours and list their ―three best things‖. These might be things that happened to them, things they witnessed, a really good meal or indeed anything from the last day. Now ask them to select from their list and ask for a volunteer to start the introductions. Example: My name is Joan. I am a social worker at _____. My ‗best thing‘ in the last 24 hours was having dinner with an old friend and sharing stories about friends and family.

Pre Reading: Historical Evolution of Child Welfare Services by Brenda McGowan in Gerald P. Mallon, Peg McCartt Hess (Eds.), Child Welfare for the 21st Century, A Handbook of Practices Policies, and Programs (2005) Flip chart and Markers

World Café

100 minutes with a 10

World Café: This information was taken from The World Café website:

Flip chart paper Markers for each small group


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minute break

www.theworldcafe.com and The World Café: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter, co-authored by Juanita Brown, David Isaacs, and the World Café Community, and published by Berrett-Koehler in 2005. State that since our earliest ancestors gathered in circles around the warmth of a fire, conversation has been a core process for discovering what we care about (Brown, 2002). The World Café is a way for us to create a collaborative conversation around youth development principles and practices. The World Café was born in 1995 during a two-day dialogue amongst a global, interdisciplinary group known as the Intellectual Capital Pioneers. Imagine meeting three or four people at a Café for a cup of coffee or tea. Think about and share how different those conversations are as opposed to sitting with ten or fifteen people. Explain that the World Café creates a café type atmosphere as a conversational process. We will use the World Café to explore questions pertaining to youth development principles and practices. The class will work in small groups exploring the same question, writing or drawing insights and perspectives using the markers and flip chart paper. They will then move to another group, or Café table, visit with new people, and cross-pollinate ideas and insights while recording them. As conversations connect, new ideas and insights are shared. Collective knowledge and group wisdom emerges for all to experience (Brown, 2002). We will use the universal world café etiquette to guide the conversations which is as follows:

Focus on what matters. Contribute your thinking. Speak your mind and heart. Listen to understand.

Optional: chimes

http://www.theworldcafe.com/

http://www.theworldcafe.com/book.htm




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Link and connect ideas. Listen together for insights and deeper questions. Play, Doodle, Draw – writing on the flip chart paper is

encouraged!

Depending on the class use on of the following questions and post it on the flip chart:

What assumptions do we need to test or challenge in thinking about working with children, youth and families involved in the child welfare system?

What do you think would make the most difference for

children, youth and families in involved in the child welfare system?


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The World Café process sets up two progressive rounds of conversation of approximately 10 – 15 minutes each. Divide the large group into small groups of five participants each. As the facilitator, you will monitor the time for each round. It is important for you to move among the tables and listen to the conversations. Try to encourage everyone to participate and remind them to note key ideas, doodle and draw. You can use chimes to signal the end of a round as a gentle way to let the group know that it is time to move and begin a new round of conversation. At each table ask someone to volunteer to be the table host. State that the role of the table host is to remind participants to jot down key connections, ideas, discoveries, and deeper questions as they emerge. Upon completing the initial round of conversation, ask one person to remain at the table to serve as the host for the next conversation. All other participants leave the table and travel to another table carrying with them key ideas and themes into their new conversations. They should do not travel as a group but split up and meet new participants. Ask the table host to welcome the new participants and briefly share the main ideas, themes and questions of the initial conversation. Encourage participants to link and connect ideas coming from their previous table conversations – listening carefully and building on each other‘s contributions. The leader/host monitors the time. By providing opportunities for people to move in these two rounds, ideas, questions, and themes begin to link and connect. At the end of the second round, all tables or conversation clusters in the room will be cross-pollinated with insights from prior conversations. Once the rounds are over it is critical to the café process to make sure key insights are recorded and posted around the training room. This part of the World Café process is to ―harvest‖ the group learnings and


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make the knowledge visible. Once all the themes are recorded ask the group:

What did you notice during the conversations?

What gave sense and meaning to you?

Did you notice any patterns emerging during the conversations?

How did culture play into your conversations?

Were there any stories shared that had meaning for you? At the end of the World Café collect and post the group‘s doodles and drawings around the room to remind the group of their discussions. Advise the group we will now examine the state of child welfare in the United States.

Current State of Child Welfare

40 minutes Ask the group for their reactions to the pre-reading assignment: Historical Evolution of Child Welfare Services by Brenda G. McGowan. Based on the reading, explore child welfare from the historical perspective and leading into today. Use these issues/questions to frame the conversation:

What kinds of thoughts did the pre-reading assignment raise about the history and the current state of child welfare?

Discuss some of the tensions complicating child welfare work, both in the past and currently.

Discuss the shift from child-centered to family-centered approach in child welfare.

What are your ideas of the concept of permanency? How would you apply them in practice with children and families?

Discuss the society‘s involvement in child welfare, e.g. through federal legislations over the past decades, as well as Child and

Handout 1: Pre-reading assignment


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Family Services Reviews (CFSR). What lessons can child welfare workers learn from the history of

child welfare in the U.S.? Tell the group that this is a course on the family-centered approach to working with children and families, which has been the focus of the federal legislation and practice initiatives for the past few decades. In the first module we are going to discuss and explore the concept of permanency and permanency planning as a framework to guide practice. Handout the family-centered practice bibliography to further introduce them to this framework.

Handout 2: Family-Centered Practice Bibliography

Lunch 60 minutes Lunch

What is Permanency Planning?

30 minutes Paired Activity and Discussion: Ask the group what the word family means to them (taking into account cultural diversity in the United States). Divide students into pairs and ask who they call family. Encourage people to share. Use the following points as a guide to promote discussion:

Range of family possibilities; Family connections; Who provides most of the care? Who is responsible for you, for your well being, your legal identity

and status, your connections in the future? Functions and roles of family different in different regions of the

country. Ask the group when they hear the word, permanency, what comes to mind. Record their answers on the flip chart. Have the group come up


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with their definition of permanency. In the discussion focus on physical, emotional and financial issues. Lecture: Use any of the following information to set a context for this discussion. Background on the concept of permanency: The concept of permanency is based on certain values, including the primacy of family, significance of biological families, and the importance of parent-child attachment. Research has shown us that children grow up best in nurturing, stable families. These families:

Offer commitment and continuity—they survive life's challenges intact.

Have legal status—parents have the legal right and responsibility to protect their children's interests and welfare.

Have members that share a common future—their fates are intertwined.

However, permanency is not guaranteed—in biological families or otherwise. Permanency conveys an intent, and families that express their intent to remain together, legally and in other ways, are crucial to children's well-being and their ability to grow up healthy and happy. In the United States, legislation over the past few decades has focused on ensuring that children grow up in permanent homes, preferably with their own families. The goal of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-351) was to ―connect and support relative caregivers, improve outcomes for children in foster care, provide for tribal foster care and adoption access, and improve incentives for adoption‖ (Children‘s Bureau, 2008).


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Prior to Fostering Connections legislation, the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) of 1997 made family-centered practice a focus for child welfare systems reform and gave states specific requirements for both safety and family-centered practice in child welfare:

―Child and family services must be designed to ensure the safety and protection of children as well as the preservation and support of families… When safety can be ensured, strengthening and preserving families is seen as the best way to promote healthy development of children. Services focus on families as a whole…family strengths are identified, enhanced, respected, and mobilized to help families solve problems… Most child and family services are community-based; involve community organizations, parents, and residents in their design and delivery; and are accountable to community and client needs (45 CFR 1357).‖

Other federal laws that refocused the scope of child welfare programs to include family-centered services include: Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 (PL 96-272), Family Preservation and Support Act of 1993 (PL 103-66), Safe and Stable Family Program of 1997 (funded through ASFA), Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) that was reauthorized as part of Keeping Children and Families Safe Act in 2003, as well as Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments (PSSF) of 2001. Family-centered practice, as one of the four child welfare practice principles in the United States, is promoted and monitored through the Children and Family Services Reviews (CFSR) that the Children‘s Bureau administers (ACF/DHHS, 2007). It is designed to:

o Strengthen, enable, and empower families to protect and nurture their children;

o Safely preserve family relationships and connections when


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appropriate; o Recognize the strong influence that social systems have on

individual behavior; o Enhance family autonomy; o Respect the rights, values, and cultures of families; and o Focus on an entire family rather than select individuals

within a family. For the Children’s Bureau Child and Family Service Reviews Practice Principles (2007), visit: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/tools_guide/hand-2.htm Permanency planning is the philosophy that every child has the right to a permanent and stable home, preferably with his or her own birth family. The aim is to either assist the child or young person to return home, or if this is not appropriate, to consider adoption, legal guardianship or another planned permanency arrangement. Professional caregivers and practitioners in the child welfare system have acknowledged how critical the need for continuity with the primary attachment figures is in the lives of children and young people.

Permanency planning recognizes that children and young people need a sense of identity and belonging, stability, continuity of relationships and emotional attachment for the development of positive self-esteem and well-being. Allowing children the opportunity to form healthy attachments helps fulfill their need to be attached to someone, who considers them to be special and has a commitment to provide for their ongoing safety, health and well-being. While there is no single universally accepted definition of permanency


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planning, the literature identifies some common parameters. Pike (1997) defines permanency planning as:

‘clarifying the intent of the placement and during temporary care, keeping alive a plan for permanency. When a temporary placement is prolonged, foster care may have the appearance of permanency, but it lacks the element of intent that is critical to permanency’.

Maluccio (1984) expands on the quality of permanence by exploring Emlen‘s (1977) definition of permanency planning:

‘(1) intent – the home is intended to last indefinitely, although it is not guaranteed to last forever; (2) commitment and continuity – the family is committed to the child, makes assumption of a common future, and provides continuity in the child’s relationships with caretakers and other family members; (3) legal status – the family offers the child definitive legal status protecting his or her rights and interests and promoting a sense of belonging; and (4) social status - the family provides the child with a respected social status, in contrast to the second-class status typical of prolonged foster care.’

Maluccio (1984) believes that these two definitions emphasize that permanence implies intent and provides the following integrative definition:

‘Permanency planning is the systematic process of carrying out, within a brief time-limited period, a set of goal-directed activities designed to help children live in families that offer continuity of relationships with nurturing parents or care givers and the opportunity to establish lifetime relationships.’

The ideology of permanency planning is that the family, not an system


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provide the care, has the intention to provide the child or young person with a permanent home where the family is committed to them. It is influenced by theories of child development, bonding and attachment. Allowing children and youth the opportunity to form healthy attachments helps fulfill their need to be attached to someone who considers them to be special and has a commitment to provide for their ongoing safety and well-being. Children who do not form an attachment to a parental figure can develop a limited and fragmented autonomy and are likely to experience deep shame, intense rage, pervasive anxiety and extreme isolation and despair. Permanence should be achieved through a continuum of methods or programs from family preservation, i.e. working with families to keep them together and avoid residential placement; relative/kinship care, i.e. identifying extended family to care for children; planned foster care, i.e. short term placement away from their parents; reunification, i.e. work with family to return child home; guardianship, i.e. caretakers can assume legal guardianship of a child in out-of-home care without termination of a child's parents' rights, as is required for an adoption (legal guardianship is more durable than a simpler transfer of custody to caretakers); to adoption, i.e. the legal transfer of parental rights from one parent to another. The continuum of methods can provide children with love, nurturance, and stability and promotes their well-being and their opportunity to become healthy, productive adults.

Permanency planning came into prominence in the 1970‘s after influential research studies in the United States and the United Kingdom focusing specifically for children in need of alternative care or what is known as foster care placement. These studies drew attention to the plight of children in alternative care who drift from one placement to another without anyone taking purposeful action to help them achieve


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stability in their lives.

Alternative care means 24 hours a day care for children placed away from their parents or guardians and for whom the State agency has placement and care responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, placements in foster family homes, foster homes of relatives, group homes, emergency shelters, residential facilities, child care institutions, and pre adoptive homes. Researchers have indicated that some children in alternative care find it difficult to establish an identity or a sense of belonging and often have difficulties in forming and maintaining relationships. Therefore it is important to understand the importance of attachment, separation and loss that is inherent in the foster care experience. Cross-cultural studies of fostering add to the consideration of the ideology of permanency planning in the provision of out-of-home care. Kilbride (1994) looks at fostering (or as it is sometimes called ‗fosterage‘) as a widespread practice found in various forms, often informal, in many communities. For example, fostering in some communities is an established practice observed to be confined to the process of rearing with little change in the identity of the child and the formal legal status of the parents. Often this rearing is carried out by extended family or kin who have the resources and obligation to help parents in hard times or, in some cases, to strengthen family ties or meet the needs of childless couples. These observed practices are made possible by the existence of an ideology that views the child or young person in the context of their identity in and connection to the wider family and their valued place in their community. These views facilitate and operationalize permanency planning within these communities (Permanency Planning Issues Paper, NSW Office of the Children‘s Guardian 2004).


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In the US, legislation sets forth three major themes that have driven child welfare services in the 21st century;

Safety means that: Children are, first and foremost, protected from abuse and

neglect. Children are safely maintained in their own homes whenever

possible and appropriate. Permanency means that: Children have permanency and stability in their living

arrangements. The continuity of family relationships and connections is

preserved for children. Well-Being means that: Families have enhanced capacity to provide for their children‘s

needs. Children receive appropriate services to meet their educational

needs. Children receive adequate services to meet their physical and

mental health needs. Children, youth and families are empowered as agents of

change in their lives and in their community. A growing body of research on child abuse and resilience has also demonstrated that children‘s and families participation and empowerment as social agents is also a key to their well-being. The importance of supporting resilience factors in children and families by encouraging and supporting them to develop problem solving skills, get involved in decision making, learn to take progressive control over their lives and to act as reasonable and active social agents has increasingly been demonstrated as an essential part of their protection (Cyrulnik, B.


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2002). ―Although many factors can be associated with resilience, there appear to be three fundamental building blocks that underpin them (Gillian 1997):

1. A secure base, whereby the child feels a sense of belonging and security.

2. Good self esteem, that is, an internal sense of worth and competence.

3. A sense of self-efficacy, that is, a ―sense of mastery and control, along with an accurate understanding of personal strengths and limitations.‖ (Daniel, B. and Wassell, S. 2002)

This information leads into a discussion on healthy development. Ask, what do children need for their healthy development? Lead a discussion on both physiological and psychological areas for development. Use the following information on Maslow‘s Hierarchy of Needs as needed in your discussion. Psychologist Abraham Maslow first introduced his concept of a hierarchy of needs in his 1943. This hierarchy suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other needs. Maslow‘s hierarchy of needs is most often displayed as a pyramid. The lowest levels of the pyramid are made up of the most basic needs, while the more complex needs are located at the top of the pyramid. Needs at the bottom of the pyramid are basic physical requirements including the need for food, water, sleep and warmth. Once these lower-level needs


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have been met, people can move on to the next level of needs, which are for safety and security. As people progress up the pyramid, needs become increasingly psychological and social. Soon, the need for love, friendship and intimacy become important. Further up the pyramid, the need for personal esteem and feelings of accomplishment take priority. Maslow emphasized the importance of self-actualization, which is a process of growing and developing as a person to achieve individual potential. Types of Needs Maslow believed that these needs are similar to instincts and play a major role in motivating behavior. Physiological, security, social, and esteem needs are deficiency needs (also known as D-needs), meaning that these needs arise due to deprivation. Satisfying these lower-level needs is important in order to avoid unpleasant feelings or consequences. Maslow termed the highest-level of the pyramid as growth need (also known as being needs or B-needs). Growth needs do not stem from a lack of something, but rather from a desire to grow as a person. Five Levels of the Hierarchy of Needs There are five different levels in Maslow‘s hierarchy of needs: 1. Physiological Needs

Physiological needs include the most basic needs that are vital to survival, such as the need for water, air, food and sleep. Maslow believed that these needs are the most basic and instinctive needs in the hierarchy because all needs become secondary until these physiological needs are met.


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2. Security Needs Security needs include needs for safety and security. Security needs are important for survival, but they are not as demanding as the physiological needs. Examples of security needs include a desire for steady employment, education, safe neighborhoods and shelter from the environment.

3. Social Needs Social needs include needs for belonging, love and affection. Maslow considered these needs to be less basic than physiological and security needs. Relationships such as friendships, romantic attachments and families help fulfill the need for companionship and acceptance; as does involvement in social, community or religious groups.

4. Esteem Needs After the first three needs have been satisfied, esteem needs becomes increasingly important. These include the need for things that reflect on self-esteem, personal worth, social recognition and accomplishment.

5. Self-actualizing Needs Self-actualization is the highest level of Maslow‘s hierarchy of needs. Self-actualizing people are self-aware, concerned with personal growth, less concerned with the opinions of others and interested fulfilling their potential.

http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/tp/self-actualized-characteristic.htm


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Now we are going to focus on attachment theory.

Importance of Attachment

60 minutes Pairs Activity and Lecture on Attachment Theory: Divide students into pairs and have them ―think back‖ to their own experiences with attachment. Use the following information on attachment theory that focuses specifically on what happens when children do not experience safety, permanency and well-being. One of our greatest concerns for children is that they develop strong

Handout: Jennifer‘s Needs Worksheet


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and healthy attachments. Attachment is the most fundamental developmental task that provides the foundation for basic growth and development. The child who is not kept safe, is abused or neglected, and experiences separations and losses will find it difficult to trust and develop positive relationships. Attachment is an emotional bond to another person. Psychologist John Bowlby was the first attachment theorist, describing attachment as a "lasting psychological connectedness between human beings" (Bowlby, 1969, p. 194). Bowlby believed that the earliest bonds formed by children with their caregivers have a tremendous impact that continues throughout life. According to Bowlby, attachment also serves to keep the infant close to the mother, thus improving the child's chances of survival. The central theme of attachment theory is that mothers who are available and responsive to their infant's needs establish a sense of security. The infant knows that the caregiver is dependable, which creates a secure base for the child to then explore the world. (http://psychology.about.com/od/loveandattraction/a/attachment01.htm retrieved 9/22/09) Ask, what do children and youth need to promote positive attachment? State that we are going to review how attachment develops. Ask, what do children need in order for attachment to develop? Ensure that the following is covered:

Attachment develops when the child’s needs are met. This starts at birth when the child experiences hunger and is then fed. The

http://psychology.about.com/od/loveandattraction/a/attachment01.htm


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meeting of needs over time provides consistency and predictability, and leads to trust.

Explain that the arousal-relaxation cycle, developed by Vera Fahlberg, is a useful model that helps us to understand attachment. Draw the cycle on a flip chart.

Explain that one of our biggest concerns is to help ensure that the child‘s needs are met so that attachment develops. The arousal-relaxation cycle is initiated by the child‘s needs and completed by the parent or caregiver. Equally important in the development of attachment is the extent to which the birth parent or caregiver initiate interactions with the child.

2. Child expresses discomfort – state of high arousal (baby cries)

3. Parent comforts child – satisfaction of need (parent or significant caregiver feeds baby)

4. Child feels comfortable – relaxation of tension (baby relaxes)

1. Child feels discomfort – physical or psychological need (e.g. hunger)


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Secure attachment is characterized by a need to maintain closeness and contact, a readiness to explore the environment, distress upon inexplicable separation, pleasure upon reunion, and grief at loss (Ainsworth 1989). Secure attachment leads to:

High self esteem; A personal sense of security; The capacity to trust others; and The development of positive behaviors.

In her 1982 article on parent-child attachment, published in the journal Social Casework, Peg Hess states that three conditions must be present for optimal parent-child attachment to occur: continuity, stability, and mutuality. Continuity involves the caregiver‘s constancy and repetition of the parent-child interactions. Stability requires a safe environment where the parent and child can engage in the bonding process. Mutuality refers to the interactions between the parent and child that reinforce their importance to each other. One of our biggest concerns is to help ensure that the child needs are met so that attachment develops. Strengthening the child‘s ability to form healthy attachments is a goal that we can consider for each and every child in care. This does not mean that all children have attachment disorders or even problems. But we know that the circumstances that bring a child into alternative care—trauma, abuse, neglect—make it more difficult for that child to form healthy attachments. The nature of placement, with its‘ inherent separation and loss, makes the task even more challenging. And finally, the child


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welfare system itself—often unable to assure stability or timely permanence—may increase the risk of children developing attachment problems. Thus all children in care are at risk in the area of attachment. Our assessment and intervention with children in care must always consider how to strengthen attachment. Attachment plays a vital role in completing the ongoing tasks of child development. The tasks of development can be categorized into physical, emotional/social, and intellectual/cognitive. Studies of infants raised in institutional settings suggest that neither behavior alone is sufficient for secure attachment. For example, one study found that institutionalized infants failed to form strong attachments to caregivers who readily met their physical needs but did not engage them is social interaction. Conversely, social interactions alone are not enough: infants often form social attachments to brothers, sisters, fathers, and grandparents who engage them in pleasurable social activity. Yet, when they are hungry, tired, or distressed they cannot be comforted by anyone other than the caregiver who has historically recognized and responded to their signals of physical and emotional need (Brown, 2009; Caye et al, 1996). Small Group Activity – Case Study Note the importance of understanding the child‘s needs—especially what needs may be unique to a child involved in the child welfare system. It is important that we work to understand the comprehensive needs of children and youth. Children and young people involved in the child welfare system may have needs that are not necessarily like those of other children in their age group.


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Let‘s listen to the voice of a young person who tells us about her experiences. Divide students into small groups and have them read Jennifer‘s story. In small groups have them think about all that they know about attachment and its impact on Jennifer‘s development. Discuss what Jennifer needed to build stronger and better attachments. Case Study: Jennifer My name is Jennifer. I am sixteen years old. I went into foster care when I was a baby and then went back home when I was 5. In second grade my mom sent me to live with my grandmother. My grandmother died the next year and I went back to my mom. At age 9 I returned to foster care. I lived with two families and then an adoptive family. But the adoptive family decided they didn’t want me. I lived with several families after that. They put me in a group home six months ago. I’m getting out of here – and can you believe this: they’re looking for another family for me!?! I’m thinking it might have made more sense if somebody had done more when I was a little kid. I don’t know when I realized that I was different from other kids. It feels like something I always knew. Like I was born with it. That there was something bad about me. I don’t hate my parents but I don’t think they should have been parents. One of my foster moms told me I was a drug baby. This may be true. I know they put me in foster care because no one was taking care of me and I wasn’t growing. I can’t remember a lot. But I felt an emptiness or a hurt for many years. I couldn’t be filled up. I needed my mom. I needed for the confusion to end. I needed to feel like someone cared about me. When I was little and would see my mom I didn’t know what to do. I don’t remember a lot about my foster parents. All of that is sort of a blur. What did I need? I needed for the hurt deep inside of me to go away. That’s all I could think about.


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Refer participants to the Jennifer’s Needs Worksheet (Handout 3) and conduct an activity:

Divide participants into pairs or groups. Ask them to take each of the identified statements in the left

column and discuss what they think the statement indicates about what Jennifer may have needed as a child in order to develop stronger and better attachments. During the discussion about the case study highlight family connection.

Explain that they need to move quickly as they only have 10 minutes. Let the groups know when two minutes remain.

Process the activity by having the different groups report their responses.

Ask participants how Jennifer described what she needed as a child. Jennifer did not state ―My needs were not consistently met over time‖, nor did she state ―I needed consistency and predictability.‖ However, in her own words she does describe these needs. How does Jennifer remember and describe her needs? Ensure that the following is covered: Jennifer states that she needed her mom, that she wasn‘t being taken care of, and that she felt a great emptiness. She also stated that she needed for the confusion to end. Summarize the discussion: Indeed, a teen is not going to discuss their experiences like a textbook case. We have to listen closely for the clues to begin to understand what the child experienced. Jennifer actually has a very good memory and provides us with many clues about her attachment history. Let‘s


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look at some of her statements and what they may help us to understand about Jennifer. Now we are going to discuss separation and loss.

Understanding Separation

60 minutes

Guided Group Exercise and Discussion: Ask the group to get comfortable in their chair and read the following guided imaginary exercise to them:

Breathe in slow and deep, and breathe out slow and deep saying the word ‘relax‘ to yourself. Take a few more deep breaths and let yourself relax. Imagine yourself comfortably living with your grandmother. She has looked after you since the death of your parents. It is a beautiful day and you are really happy. She has been talking about how she is not feeling that well. You are not sure what is going on but feel a little anxious. You just celebrated your 12th birthday. One day your grandmother had to be taken to the hospital. She could no longer take care of you. You were told by her and a social worker that you would be moving to a foster home to live with another family. Then you are taken to meet your new foster family. You are very sad and crying. You wish you could stay with your grandmother in the hospital but the hospital won’t allow that. You hug your grandmother. At your new foster home you meet your new foster parents and three other children. They are all younger than you. You are taken

Flip chart and markers


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to your room which you share with another boy. Your new foster mother shows you to your bed. There you sit with many different feelings. Open your eyes.

Ask the group to think about all things that they are feeling right now.

Help the group to identity the specific feelings associated with this guided imagery. Some common feelings expressed might be: Sadness Terror Despair Helplessness Loneliness Hopelessness Emptiness Depression Anger Rejection Humiliation Abandoned Worthlessness Unimportant Fear Mad Summarize the discussion by pointing out that we have all experienced separations, and that they have the potential to be very painful even if we initially seem positive. Ask the group to identify key factors which can contribute to the degree of trauma associated with a separation. Cover the following information:

The Degree of Significance of the Person Lost Whether the separation is permanent or temporary Who is thought to be the cause of the separation? – If we

perceive ourselves to be the cause of a separation, either through negligence, an act of commission or inadequacy, normal feelings of loss are complicated by feelings of guilt and self-


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blame. This creates additional emotional distress, and the separation is potentially more traumatic.

The availability of other meaningful attachment to provide support. – Support from other meaningful relationships helps one cope during the period of grieving and prevents a feeling of total desolation and emptiness. The absence of strong supports may create significant additional emotional distress and loneliness.

Sometimes separation is caused by unplanned disasters, like Hurricane Katrina, which cause separation and trauma to families and communities in Louisiana and Mississippi.

The concepts listed above are important in understanding the potentially traumatic effects of forced separation of a child from his/her parents.

Concepts of Separation

30 minutes

Lecture: Separation has both positive and negative aspects. From a child protection perspective, separation can have several benefits, the most obvious being the immediate safety of the child in cases where a child is a victim of violence or neglect. Through this separation, limits can be established for parental behavior, and the child may get the message that society will protect him/her, even if the parent will not. Separation also temporarily frees parents from the burden of child-rearing, allowing them to focus on making the changes necessary for the child to return home. Ask the group to identify some of the long term effects of placement on children and youth? Separating a parent and child can also have profoundly negative effects. Even when it is necessary, research indicates that removing children from their homes interferes with their development. The more traumatic the separation, the more likely there will be significant


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negative developmental consequences. Repeated separations interfere with the development of healthy attachments and a child‘s ability and willingness to enter into intimate relationships in the future. Children who have suffered traumatic separations from their parents may also display low self-esteem, a general distrust of others, mood disorders (including depression and anxiety), socio-moral immaturity, and inadequate social skills. Regressive behavior, such as bedwetting, is a common response to separation. Cognitive and language delays are also highly correlated with early traumatic separation. Ask the group, what are some ways that we can help children deal with separation? Use the following to promote discussion:

Help the child or young person acknowledge the pain and allow for the grieving process.

Encourage the child or young person to express their feelings without condemning the parents.

As a worker tell the truth to the child or young person about the reasons for the separation in a developmentally appropriate manner.

Encourage the child or young person to ask questions. Spend time with the child or young person in order to develop a

relationship. Any child who has experienced separation feels rejection and guilt. This can interfere with their sense of trust in others.

Share information with the child about their past. Understand your own feelings. As we just discussed we have all

experienced the feelings that come with separation. It is important to deal with your own feelings as not to jeopardize your


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relationship with the child or young person.

Afternoon Break

15 minutes Afternoon break

Effects of Separation on Development

45 minutes

Prepare six flip chart pages. Each page should be labeled with one of the following seven age groups: Infants (birth – 18 months), Toddlers: (18-36 months), Pre-School: (3-6 years old), School-Age Children (7- 9 years old), Early Adolescence (10 – 12 years old), and Middle Adolescence (13 – 17 years old). Distribute and review the handout: Developmental Milestones. Review with the group that the age of the child and their unique conditions and characteristics will determine how to use the developmental information. Since every child develops at a different rate, chronological age alone is not the only determinant of a child‘s developmental level. As a result, it is important to remember that other factors also need to be considered in determining a child‘s developmental level, such as: prior exposure to trauma, poor attachment history or family separation, the nature and duration of the abuse or neglect that led to their placement in foster care, socio-economic status, cultural issues, learning disabilities and emotional disturbances (Massengale, 2001). Divide students into small groups and assign each group an age range. Distribute flip chart paper, markers and have them use the appropriate Developmental Milestone. Ask each group to take twenty minutes to review their developmental milestone and on the flip chart list the possible developmentally appropriate responses to separation. When the groups have completed their task, reconvene the large group. Ask on student from each group to present their developmentally appropriate responses to separation. The entire group should be involved in offering additions or corrections.

Handout 4: Developmental Milestones Flip chart paper and markers Handout 5: The Effects of Children‘s Developmental Level on Their Experience During Separation and Placement.


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At the completion of the exercise, distribute the handout: The Effects of Children’s Developmental Level on Their Experience During Separation and Placement.

Reactions to Loss: The Grieving Process

30 minutes Lecture: (Adapted from CORE 104: Separation and Placement in Child Protective Services – A Training Curriculum. Published revision by The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program, December 1999, written by Judith S. Rycus, Ronald Hughes, and Norma Ginther, Institute for Human Services, Columbus, Ohio.) Tell the group that we have discussed attachment and separation. Separation from people to whom we are closely attached is always experienced with a loss. If the loss is great enough, the person will experience a crisis. The loss of one‘s parents or significant caregiver is generally the most significant loss a child can experience. Children who have lost their parents almost always experience a crisis. Emotional responses to crisis and loss are predictable. Clinicians have identified a series of stages that are commonly associated with loss. They are referred to as the grief or mourning process. While the stages people experience may be predictable, the behavioral responses of individuals within each stage may be markedly different. They are different in children of varying ages. Let‘s think back to Jennifer‘s story: what do you think were some of the stages she went through as part of her grieving process? Ask the group what were some of the behaviors and feelings she talked about. Review with the group the five stages of the grieving process:

Handout 6: Children‘s Reaction to Loss: Common Behavior Patterns of the Grieving Process


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Shock/Denial Anger Bargaining Depression Resolution

Use the information in the handout: Children’s Reaction to Loss: Common Behavior Patterns of the Grieving Process to guide your discussion.

Review 15 minutes Thank the group for all their hard work. State that it is important to think about how these concepts can be integrated into their practice with children, youth and families. Distribute the Action Plan and have each student fill it out and share with the group.

Action Plan

REFERENCES Barber, J.G. & Gilbertson, R. (2001). The State of the art. The Australian Centre for Community Services Research (ACCSR), Flinders University. Belinksky, J. & Cassidy, J. (1994). ‗Attachment: Theory and evidence’, Development through life: A handbook for clinicians. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford. British Columbia Foster Care Education Program. (n.d.). Caring for children: Attachment, separation, and loss. Retrieved on September 22, 2009, from http://www.interiorcommunityservices.bc.ca/FosterCare/thompsonshuswap/Modules/S1-7a%20Loss.pdf Brown, K. (2009). The risk of harm to young children in institutional care. Better Care Network and Save the Children UK.

http://www.interiorcommunityservices.bc.ca/FosterCare/thompsonshuswap/Modules/S1-7a%20Loss.pdf

http://www.interiorcommunityservices.bc.ca/FosterCare/thompsonshuswap/Modules/S1-7a%20Loss.pdf


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Cashmore, J. & Paxman, M. (1996). Longitudinal study of wards leaving care. Report of Research Commissioned by the NSW Department of Community Services, Social Policy Research Centre and University of NSW. Caye, J., McMahon, J., Norris, T., & Rahija, L. (1996). Effects of separation and loss on attachment. Chapel Hill: School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. NSW Department of Community Services. (2000). Children and young persons (care and protection) amendment (permanency planning) bill 2000: Issues paper. NC Division of Social Services & Family and Children‘s Resource Program. (1997). Separation and attachment. In Children’s Services practice Notes for North Carolina’s Child Welfare Workers, 2(4). Retrieved on September 22, 2009, from http://www.practicenotes.org/vol2_no4/cspnv2_4.pdf Cole M, Cole S & Lightfoot. (2005). The development of children, 5th ed., Worth Pub. Rycus, J.S., Hughes, R., & Ginther, N. (1999). CORE 104 separation and placement in child protective services: A training curriculum. The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program and Institute for Human Services, Columbus, Ohio. Curtis, P.A., Dale, G. Jr. & Kendall, J.C. (1999). The foster care crisis: Translating research into policy and practice. University of Nebraska Press. Cyrulnik, B. (2005). The whispering of ghosts: Trauma and resilience.

http://www.practicenotes.org/vol2_no4/cspnv2_4.pdf


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Other Press LLC. Cyrulnik, B. (2009). Resilience. Penguin Books. Daniel, B. & Wassell, S. (2002). Assessing and promoting resilience in vulnerable children. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Fahlberg, V., Jewett, C. with contributions by Buress, C. & Lope, C. in Morton, Thomas, ed. Adoption of children with special needs. Athens, GA: Office of Continuing Education, University of Georgia (developed under contract with the U.S. Children‘s Bureau) 1982, pp. 9-11. Hess, P. (1982). Parent-child attachment concept: Crucial for permanency planning. In Social Casework, 63(1), 46-57. Hughes, D.A. (1997), Facilitating development attachment - The road to emotional recovery and behavioral change in foster and adopted children. Polity Press. Kilbride, J.E. & Kilbride, P.L. (c1994). ‗To have and to share – Culturally constituted fostering in familial settings.‘ When there’s no place like home: options for children living apart from their natural families. Ed Jan Blacher, Baltimore: P.H. Brookes Pub. Co. Maluccio, A. N. (1984). Permanency planning a redefinition. In Australian Child & Family Welfare Journal, 9(2). Maluccio, A.N., Felin, J., Hamilton, J., Klier, J. & Ward, D. (1984). Beyond permanency planning. In Australian Child & Family Welfare Journal, 9(3). Massengale, J. (2001). Child development: A primer for child abuse professionals. In National Center for the Prosecution of Child Abuse:


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Update Newsletter, 14(5), 1-4 [online]. Retrieved on May 21, 2010, from: http://www.ndaa-apri.org/publications/newsletters/update_volume_14_number_5_2001.html

McGowan, B. (2005). Historical Evolution of Child Welfare Services. In G. Mallon & P. Hess (Eds.) Child welfare for the twenty-first century: A handbook of practices, policies and programs, p. 10-48. New York: Columbia University Press. McHugh, M. (2003). A Further perspective on kinship care: Indigenous foster care. In Developing Practice: the Child, Youth and Family Work Journal, Vol. 8, Summer. Monck, E., Reynolds, J. & Wigfall, V. (2003). The role of concurrent planning, making permanent placements for young children. British Association for Adoption & Fostering, Russell Press, Nottingham. National Resource Centre for Permanency and Family Connections – www.nrcpfc.org. Pelton, H. (1991). Beyond permanency planning: Restructuring the public child welfare system. In National Association of Social Workers Journal, 36(4) Sargent, S. (2003). Adoption and looked after children: A comparison of legal initiatives in the UK and the USA. In Adoption & Fostering, 27(2). Tregeagle, S. (2003). Establishing permanency for children: The issues of contact between children in permanent foster care and their families. In Developing Practice The Youth And Family Work Journal, ACWA, Autumn, No 6.

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Triseliotis, J. (2002). Long Term Foster Care or Adoption? The Evidence Examined. In Child & Family Social Work, No. 7. Van Wagner,K. (n.d.). Hierarchy of needs: The five levels of Maslow‘s hierarchy of needs. Retrieved on November 2, 2009, from: http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/hierarchyneeds.htm Vorria, P., Rutter, M., Pickles, A., Wolkind, S. & Hobsbaum, A. (1998a). A comparative study of Greek children in long-term residential group care and in two-parent families: Social, emotional and behavioural differences. In Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Vol 39. Vorria, P., Rutter, M., Pickles, A., Wolkind, S. & Hobsbaum, A. (1998b). A comparative study of Greek children in long-term residential group care and in two-parent families: Possible mediating mechanisms. In Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Vol. 39.

http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/hierarchyneeds.htm

http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/hierarchyneeds.htm

Documents

Module One: Principles of Permanency - NRCPFCnrcpfc.org/ifcpc/module_1/Module1_FCPU.pdf · The concept of permanency is based on certain values, including the primacy of family, significance