One of the most important and sometimes underappreciated challenges facing the child welfare system in the 21st century is addressing the unique needs of families formed through adoption or guardianship. Between 2000 and 2015 there has been an influx of children in adoptive homes.
The growth in adoptive and guardianship homes has led to a heightened awareness of the complex needs families can encounter at any point after permanence has been achieved. Many of the direct challenges stem from the maltreatment the children endured before being placed in their adoptive or guardianship homes. Children who have experienced trauma can demonstrate typical challenging child behaviors, but often at a frequency, intensity and duration that can stress families beyond their capacity to cope.
Such difficulties do not disappear spontaneously once an adoption or guardianship is finalized and new challenges can present over time. While some families travel a relatively smooth and uneventful path, for others, life post-permanence can be wrought with challenges that impact their functioning and overall well-being. The complex realities these families face call for innovative and practical solutions that have a proven track record of success. In an effort to meet these realities, the National Quality Improvement Center for Adoption and Guardianship Support and Preservation (QIC-AG) was created.
[For more on this story by April Dinwoodie, go to https://chronicleofsocialchang...on-and-support/32221]
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