Description
Core Concepts
This 8-session psycho-educational curriculum is based upon core concepts in adoption preparation and trauma resolution.
Developmental Focus
The Children’s Version was created for ages 5-12, and the Teens’ Version for adolescents, ages 13-18. Material can be drawn from either one or both curricula to meet developmental needs.
Easy Directions
Easy, step-by-step directions explain how to work with small groups of children and teens, using multisensory activities, simple crafts, flexible content, and Life Book pages (called My Story for teens). All materials are low-cost and readily available.
Peer support in groups is invaluable for validating and normalizing members’ feelings and experiences. If groups are not feasible, content from all of the sessions can be used with individual children or teens.
8 Sessions
In 8 group sessions (1.5 hours each) children and teens learn to:
- identify and express their feelings
- understand all children’s needs for safety and nurturing
- recognize their own experiences of abuse and neglect
- begin to grieve their losses
- integrate and sequence their personal life histories
- identify their own coping skills, strengths, and resources
- address issues of love and divided loyalties
- develop a more positive attitude towards adoption
2 Day Training
The first day covers core issues of best practices in adoption preparation and working with traumatized children. The presentation highlights key elements and materials in each of the 8 carefully sequenced 90-minute sessions of the Children’s Adoption Preparation Program (CAPP).
The second day covers key elements, materials, and activities in the 8 sessions of the Teens’ Adoption Preparation Program (TAPP). Training also includes discussion about the logistics of setting up groups, selecting a site, gathering materials, and communicating with caregivers and referral sources.
Trainees acquire hands-on experience with multisensory activities, simple crafts, role plays, visual aids, life book and memory pages, relaxation exercises, and techniques for leading group discussions and activities.
They receive access to a digital manual with step-by-step instructions and scripts for each session, life book and memory pages, supplementary worksheets, visual aids, sample administrative forms, pre- and post-evaluation tools, and an original puppet video about abuse, neglect, and coping skills.