A Child's Journey Through Placement by Vera I Fahlberg

Author:Vera I Fahlberg
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Published: 2019-10-03T00:00:00+00:00

Jennifer

Jennifer joined her foster family as a battered child when she was seventeen months old. Although her physical wounds healed rapidly, psychological scarring was deep. She had little sense of self. During tantrums she would hold her breath until she passed out. She was very frightened of men, strange people, and any change in routine. With some professional help and a lot of patience, gradually Jennifer came to love and trust her foster family. In spite of continuing to be very fearful of change, she became a basically happy toddler.

By the time she was twenty-seven months old, Jennifer was legally free for adoption. The caseworker and foster parents had concerns that she might, following a move, regress to her earlier fears and problems. They decided on a plan of gradual transfer of the attachment and behavioral gains from foster to adoptive family.

The caseworker and foster mother met alone with the adoptive parents. Pictures of Jennifer as she had looked early in her placement and as she looked now were shared. The problems she had early in her placement and how she had been helped through them were discussed. Her daily schedule, her eating, sleeping, and play habits were outlined in detail.

Jennifer’s first visit with the adoptive parents was in the foster home. Since Jennifer was still wary of strangers, the adoptive parents needed to gain her trust before making any advances toward her. Foster and adoptive parents visited together while Jennifer played. For the next week the adoptive parents made daily visits to the foster home. At first Jennifer would allow them to play with her but nothing else. She still looked to her foster mom to wipe her nose. wash her face, take her to the potty, and give her an occasional hug. As the week progressed, she gradually started orienting toward the adoptive parents. Sue Ellen and Jack. the foster parents, started calling her adoptive parents her “new mommy” and “new daddy” and talked of when she would go to live with them.

The second week the visits moved to the adopters’ home. Sue Ellen and Jack took her there and stayed with her for her first visit in her new home. One day her new parents took her for an all day visit and brought her back. Foster parents took her for an overnight visit and adopters returned her the next morning. Toward the end of the second week Jennifer was happier to go with the adoptive parents than she was to return to the foster home. When the adoptive parents were present, Jennifer looked more to them for her care than she did to Sue Ellen, who was emotionally pulling back from her. She was transferring the love and trust she had in the foster parents to her new parents. She was ready to make the move.

When moving day came, both families and Jennifer helped in the packing. This was done in an exaggerated manner so she would know for certain that this was final. Jennifer left with a smile and a wave.

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