Impact of Separation on Children and Youth

Credit hours:

2.00

Course Summary

The removal of children and youth from their caregiver(s) to whom they are attached can have both positive and negative aspects. From a child protection perspective, separation can have benefits, the most obvious being immediate safety. Separating a parent and child can also have profoundly negative effects. Even when it is necessary, research indicates that removing children and youth from their homes interferes with their development. The more traumatic the separation, the more likely there will be significant negative developmental consequences. It is imperative that foster parents and other child welfare stakeholders be informed about how separation and loss impacts the children and youth they care for and how to help minimize the impact.

In this course, you can expect to learn:

What separation and loss may look like for a child or youth when losing their caregiver, siblings or other close relatives
Challenges children and youth may face when suffering from a traumatic separation, both generally and developmentally
How an adult supporter may be able to help a child or youth experiencing separation and loss
Strategies and tools available to assist and help children and youth develop coping skills

Step 1

Review the following article, "Children with Traumatic Separation: Information for Professionals," an issue developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, which provides information and guidance to young people who experience traumatic separation from a caregiver, siblings or other close relatives.

Step 2

Review the following article, "Effects of Separation and Loss on Children's Development," by Susan Hois, to gain insight on the psychological impact of losing parents due to divorce, incarceration, death and/or removal to foster care at various stages of development.

Step 3

Review the excerpt "My Stuff" on page 7 of FosterClub's Quick Start Guide, for teens entering foster care. Often, what is unknown is the scariest part of foster care. Providing young people with a method of control helps eliminate unknown factors and make them feel more comfortable in their current situation.

Step 4

Review the information provided in "Keeping Connected to Siblings," excerpted from FosterClub's Quick Start Guide, which outlines important things for a young person to consider when thinking about bio-family connections. Relationships with family can be tough for any teen, but when foster care is involved, things can get even more complicated. Helping a young person understand the details and their rights concerning visits or connections to loved ones may help ease the fear and anxiety that separation often creates.

Step 5

Review the following worksheet developed by FosterClub to help children gain a better understanding of what separation from their family members looks like and ideas about how to keep in touch with important people, excerpted from FosterClub's Foster Cub Coloring Book. Having a conversation with the younger youth in your care may prove to be a little more complicated than a conversation with a teen.

Step 6

Review the following worksheet, "What will we do on a visit?" An excerpt from FosterClub's Foster Cub Coloring Book. Easing the uncertainty for children in your care when it comes to visits with biological family is important. Beyond initial greetings, family visits can become awkward for the child and visitor alike. Plan ahead with the child about things they can do at their visit, and help pack a bag with items that promote interactivity and connection.

Step 7

Review the worksheet below, "What will my family be doing in foster care?" Often the anxiety that evolves from separation is the lack of knowledge regarding what the rest of the young person's family will be doing in foster care. Help begin a conversation about what family members may be up to during the young person's absence from the home. This could also be used during visitation with family members. Excerpted from FosterClub's Foster Cub Coloring Book.

Step 8

Join the discussion in the comments below to answer the following question:

How can you help minimize the impact of separation on a child or youth in your home when visits and/or communications with their birth family is not an option?

Step 9

Finished the module? If you are logged in as a subscribed user, take the quiz to earn your Continuing Education Credit hours and certificate!

Course Discussion

2 years 5 months ago

Mdigennaro said:

Listen to the child's concern and offer honest answers to their questions as well as correct any misinformation or confusion.

Joe Nichols said:

Letting the children know that you are available to talk about their family anytime and look at pictures.

tiamnichols said:

Looking at photos and talking about their bio family whenever the foster youth wants.

myrandacairns said:

If they are allowed to communicate then you could encourage phone calls or letters. If not, printing out pictures and creating a scrapbook about their life and family can help alleviate separation

DanielaPizarro said:

I think some ways of minimizing the impact of separation is to definitely having conversations about family members that are no longer there so they at least know of them, have pictures around the house, and write letters.

swashington12 said:

I FOUND WRITING LETTERS, TAKING PICTURES AND SENDING THEM TO FAMILY, FACE TIME ON THE PHONE WHEN PERMITTED, WHEN I HAD CHILD THAT WAS NOT PERMITTED, THEY HAD THEIR OWN PICTURES AND SOMETIMES THEY WOULD CRY AND TALK ABOUT HOW THEY MISSED THERE MOM, I WOULD COMFORT BY SITTING WITH THEM AND LET THEM TALK AS LONG AS THEY WANTED TOO, TO FEEL BETTER, ITS HEART BREAKING BUT YOU COMFORT IN ANY WAY YOU CAN.

mcmerolla said:

Having conversations about the family members they are missing, as well as encouraging them to write letters to their loved ones could help them deal with their grief and loneliness.

[email protected] said:

I think that having photos of the family around for the child to see that even though they are not able to be there now does not mean that they are not still a part of their family. We could also write letters, continue to participate in family traditions they feel are important, and reach out to other friends or family members that are both safe to reach out to, but make them feel like they are still in contact and a part of their family.

2 years 6 months ago

Steph_Anne (not verified) said:

I think allowing the child to express their feeling in a safe way and also validating them is important

2 years 7 months ago

csnewsom2020 said:

Writing letter even if not delivered can help, keeping a journal of actives that you and them can write in to express felling's.

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