Post adoption resources and services, Page 2

Seminars and conferences

There are seminars and conferences that can help you with virtually every challenge in parenting that you can encounter. If you must hold a foster parent license, you will need continuing education hours to maintain your license. Some agencies offer them for free as an incentive to keep foster parents.

Where can you find seminars if your agency does not offer them?

National Foster Parent Association - They have an annual conference for foster parent education. http://www.nfpainc.org/

Their website also contains information on some state sponsored conferences as well. http://www.nfpainc.org/training/stateConf.cfm?page=4

North American Council on Adoptable Children - Annual conference for all adoptive parents, pre or post adoption. http://www.nacac.org/about.html The conference is in a different location each year, and is usually held the last week in July.

Attachment Disorder Network - Annual conference with workshops geared toward parents. The conference is held in a different location each year. www.radzebra.org

ATTACh- Annual conference for parents and clinicians - The conference is held in a different location each year. www.attach.org

Nancy Thomas - Nancy does not have a regular schedule and sometimes speaks at the other conferences listed above. You can find her schedule at http://www.attachment.org/Seminars.htmIf you are unable to attend one of Nancy’s seminars, you may download her handouts at the link listed above.

Respite Care

The often talked about, but hard to find service.

Some parents are able to use a “regular” babysitter with their children, but most parents need a qualified respite provider if they need time away.

These kids have already been through some kind of trauma that leads to their removal from their birth family. Having someone care for them, who is not experienced in the special needs of the kids, can make your life harder. You need a care provider than can help your child feel safe. If your child does not feel safe, or is able to manipulate the care provider, you could bear the brunt of their anger.
What should you know when seeking respite care services in your community?
Ask yourself the following questions. The information will be helpful to you when contacting agencies in your local community about respite care. You can ask your local social service agency, or adoption worker for the names of any respite providers that they are aware of.
If they do not have resources, you can try http://www.archrespite.org/

What kind of services do I need? (Long-term, short-term, or both? Why?)
Do I prefer services in my home, or in an outside setting?
How many children with special needs has the provider cared for?
What types of special needs?
Does the provider have the ability to handle any special diet or medical needs my child has?
Will I be able to have a prior meeting or phone conversation with the care provider?
Will I have an opportunity to provide written care instructions to the provider?
Will I have an opportunity to assist in training the provider with reference to my son's/daughter's needs?
What is the policy that covers emergency situations?
Can I request a specific care provider and have the same person with my child each time?
Will the respite care provider care for my other children too?
Does this agency provide the types of service I need?
Is there a cost for the service?
If I can't afford the service, are there funds available to assist me?
How are respite providers selected?
How are the providers trained?
How many hours of training have they had?

The one thing to remember about respite is not to over use it. Dr. Gregory Keck wrote an article on respite, and his opening paragraph says this:

“Girdles, Laxatives, and Respite. You're probably wondering just what these three things have in common and even more likely, you are questioning what they have to do with attachment! EXCESSIVE use of any of them may lead to further reliance upon them; in fact, on-going use may increase the need for them.”

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Credits: Kelly L. Killian