Experiences of individuals involved in the complexities of adoption and permanency process in preventing adoption disruptions

Abstract

Dr. Antoinette Oberg stated, "You are always already in your inquiry." Through my research and experience, there seem to be a few common areas of concern in the process of ensuring permanency for children and youth in foster or government care that contribute to adoption disruptions/breakdowns regardless of whether it is reunification to the birth parent(s), grandparents, relatives, or through adoption. A common theme that has been reported by those involved in an adoption disruption or breakdown is the lack of supports available for adoptive parents; once the adoption has been finalized, the adoptive parent(s) is not fully prepared and or does not fully understanding the complex needs of the child(ren) they are adopting. The adoptive families are therefore not building a healthy attachment with their adoptive child(ren) due to the focus being on managing the child(ren)'s needs and behaviours rather than on the child(ren). This applied project focuses on the development of connections between multiple facets of the child's world. I have created four educational workshops intended to support the child's care team (adoptive parent(s), bio-family, Social Workers, community supports, teachers, the educational system helps, etc.) and adoptive parents in understanding childhood and in-utero trauma, attachment, claiming the child as their own as if the child was born to them, openness, and building boundaries with biological families to build the new norm of the newly formed nuclear family.