Adoption / Foster Care Issues

Children and adolescents in foster/adoptive homes experience significant early life stress and trauma. The majority of these children experience serious abuse and neglect from their primary caregivers and have resulting:

Attachment Issues and Adoption
Psychological Issues Associated with Adoption
Neglected Child in Foster Care System - Case Example

Attachment Issues and Adoption

Due to the high number of placements and transitions a typical child may experience prior to finding a long-term home, attachment problems and related issues are prevalent. In addition, serious behavior problems can also be secondary consequences to the early trauma and lack of structure/consistency that these children endure. These behavior problems can impact the entire family system and can also result in increased placement disruption in the foster/adoptive homes.

International adoptions pose their own set of unique challenges and difficulties for children to overcome. Often, foreign orphanages do not provide the care, attention and supervision necessary to support healthy attachments in the child’s early developmental stages. Early attachment issues can develop during this time that have long lasting impacts on the child’s ability to form positive relationships with their family and primary caregivers.

These issues can be helped and/or resolved with intensive attachment-specific therapy, in addition to child and family trauma work. Often, it requires skilled and loving caregivers that are able to self-regulate and provide the children with what they need developmentally. There are many success stories of children and families that have overcome serious early childhood challenges to become thriving and healthy adults. ~ Overview provided by Carmen Sample, sampletherapy.com

Psychological Issues Associated with Adoption

Typical diagnoses associated with foster care and adoption children can include:

• Reactive Attachment Disorder
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• Conduct Disorder
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Neglected Child in Foster Care System - Case Example

Richard was born premature due to his mother’s chronic drug and alcohol use. As Richard grew up, he was significantly neglected by his primary caregivers and often left alone for long periods of time. Due to the lack of structure and poor boundaries within the household, Richard was often subjected to abuse from his peers, siblings and neighbors. Richard’s teacher noticed his dirty clothes and bruises and contacted social services. At age 6, Richard went into the foster care system. He exhibited extensive challenging behaviors, such as hitting himself and others, banging his head when he was upset and destroying property within the household. Due to his behaviors, Richard was moved from foster homes to residential settings, and by the time he was 12 years old he had over 20 placements within the system. Richard had a difficult time connecting with others and was diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder. After significant testing, it is also believed that Richard has Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and some learning delays. A trained fost-adopt family stepped forward with an interest to provide a safe home to Richard. With the help of attachment therapy and trauma treatment, Richard is able to accept love and compassion from his providers. Richard is able to work toward stable relationships and a sense of security in the world. Richard’s behaviors gradually decrease as his sense of safety and security within his family increases. Richard may need long term services to assist with his cognitive integration and developmental disabilities, though the learning delays have significantly improved with intensive school supports and a well prepared IEP (Individualized Education Plan). With the support of trained parents and the coordination of mental health providers, school personnel, and social services, Richard is able to make progress toward building a framework for a life of fulfillment. ~ Case example provided by Carmen Sample, sampletherapy.com

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Last updated: 12-20-2011