News Article

Shame is one of the 7 core issues of adoption. As I mentioned, I keep seeing all the ways that shame shows up in the adopted children I support. Shame is a complex issue that is quite nuanced and can hide in many forms. For the adopted child who comes from hard places, their shame can be toxic. This basically implies that the way they see themselves is twinned with shame.  Let’s spend some time examining how shame shows up. Because if you don’t know what’s truly behind undesirable behaviors, you can easily misunderstand the way that shame keeps rearing it’s ugly head.

Dear Director,
We just had our adoption day for our 2 children, siblings, aged 6 and 9. We are so delighted and have no real concerns. Our Resource Family Coordinator suggested that we sign up for Post Perm services now that the adoptions are finalized. But we are tired of people in our home, juggling our calendars to find time for the prep worker of the CYS worker, etc. On the other hand, we want to offer our kids the best life moving forward. Is it Ok to wait for problems to arise before we seek out these Post Perm services?
Signed, New Adoptive Parents

Respite funds are available to adoptive families to help strengthen your family. This can mean spending some time away from your children and refilling your emotional tank. It can look like you attending parenting trainings so you can improve those skills. Sometimes families use this funding to help their child build self-regulation skills through certain activities. The bottom line is that as adoptive parents, you are entitled to respite funding to keep your family close and connected.

You may be surprised to learn that there is a formal system designed to support you after you adopt your child, are a formal kinship placement, or become a child’s permanent legal custodian. This system is called Post Permanency services: Post Perm for short. The goal is to strengthen and stand by all of you on your family’s journey. One of the best things about Post Perm services is that it is individualized for your unique family. Tailored to you! And even better, Post Perm services are FREE, funded by the Office of Children, Youth, and Families.

Dear Director, We adopted our now 9-year-old daughter when she was 5-years-old. She came to us from a neglectful home with 2 parents who unfortunately were addicted to drugs. We have such compassion for her biological parents and a true understanding of the trauma she endured. That being said, her behavior with food is confusing