UB RESEARCH PROJECT FOR CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
CDHS, College Relations Group (BuffaloState College Research Foundation) and StateUniversity of New York at Buffalo, Counseling, Educational and School Psychology
Work Plan Partnership Agreement August 25, 2004 – June 30, 2005
Meg Brin, Child Welfare Administrative Director
CC02 Child Welfare / Child Protection Services Common Core Training for Caseworkers
Tom Needell, Child Welfare Trainer
Mary Jane Irwin, Child Welfare Trainer
Deborah Gerrity, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, State University of New York at Buffalo, Counseling, School and Educational Psychology
Kathleen I. Woodside, B.S., Ph.D. student, State University of New York at Buffalo, Counseling, School and Educational Psychology
Separation Trauma in Children in Foster Care
Project Overview
Separation from their family and placement in different foster care living arrangements can be traumatic for children and trigger abandonment issues. Foster children may incur separation trauma in several situations, including moving from their natural home to a foster home, moving from one foster home to another foster home, moving from foster home to natural home, leaving a foster home for adoption, or moving from foster home to independent living.
A number of factors impact the experience of separation trauma that a foster child feels. These include the child's temperament, the child's developmental status, the strength of previous attachments, the child's past experiences with separation, and his or her preparation for and perceptions of the move. Child welfare staff members need to have the ability to assess a child for possible separation trauma. However, they have limited time due to demanding caseloads and are therefore in need of guidance in curriculum development in this area.
Information is needed to address the various factors impacting separation trauma and the ways in which the impact of trauma can be minimized. Additionally, there is a need for concrete suggestions that can be implemented by agency and local district caseworkers, foster parents, and biological parents to minimize the negative impact of separation for the child in foster care. Issues to be addressed include what the key issues are for children experiencing
separation trauma, what information child welfare workers need in order to understand and appropriately deal with separation trauma, and what practical suggestions trainers can make to assist workers in dealing with actual removals of children.
Purpose:
This partnership is important for several reasons. First, it adds to the literature on separation trauma for children. Second, it provides CDHS trainers, and CPS agencies, with new and useful information to utilize in their trainings. Finally, this partnership will provide a Ph.D. psychology student valuable opportunities to learn the research process, including literature review and outlining services to enhance programming.
Application: : CC02 Child Welfare / Child Protection Services Common Core Training for Caseworkers
CDHS Trainers
CPS Workers
Core curriculum training enhancement
Objectives:
1)Provide trainers with the most up to date literature regarding separation trauma
2)Assist in outlining suggestions and program implementations in order to ameliorate the effects of separation trauma
3)Add separation trauma literature to new judicial programming through CDHS
4) Core curriculum training enhancement
Rationale:
The research will compile current information regarding the effects of separation trauma experienced by children being removed from their parents and entering foster care in addition to the effects of multiple foster care placements on children. It would benefit agencies and their staff to have evidence-based information in order to implement support services for these children and minimize moves that may cause separation trauma. This could increase family court and cps workers knowledge that can contribute improved quality of service, as well as improved quality of life for children in the child welfare system.