The relational push and pull for children in congregate care can be especially stressful and confusing. Youth are given the message to cooperate with the program, open-up and trust the staff, get better, then they have to say goodbye.
This presentation will include the results of Samuelson’s research project looking at the impact of ambiguous loss through the interviews of 29 youth placed in foster care, group homes and residential programs. Samuelson concludes that youth often consider the loss of their family long before children services steps and, perhaps even more compelling, youth have their own idea of “permanence” regardless of the “official” permanency plan.
Presenters:
David Paxton, MA, LISW-S, Executive Vice-President of Learning, The NCTC@ The Village Network and
Emily Sutton, LISW-S, Director of Out-of-Home Care, The NCTC@ The Village Network
