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NACAC’s Executive Director Joe Kroll Transitions Leadership to Veteran Nonprofit Chief Carolina Bradpiece
fter more than three decades of children, youth, and families. leading and shaping NACAC Carolina and I will work closely Aas its executive director, Joe together in the next few months to Kroll is retiring. NACAC’s board con - ensure a smooth, successful transi - ducted a nationwide search and has tion. We are both deeply committed hired Carolina Bradpiece, a highly to NACAC and its community. I look regarded nonprofit professional in forward to seeing how Carolina will Minnesota and across the country. be able to grow the organization and Carolina Bradpiece She will begin serving as executive create new opportunities for serving director on April 1, 2015. children and families.” “This organization will thrive under Carolina’s leadership,” says Joe. “I A native of El Salvador, Carolina look forward to celebrating her many moved as a teenager to Minnesota, successes and the improved lives of where she graduated from Macalester College. Her first professional job was with the Minnesota State Adoption Unit, where she used her Contents Spanish-speaking skills to serve as a bridge between families, children, 3 Engaging Constituents in and staff working on international Advocacy adoptions. 5 Behavior and Sensory Processing: Carolina next moved to New York Two Sides of the Same Coin City, where she worked at McMahon Services for Children, a leading foster 8 Creating Permanency after a care and adoption agency where she Disrupted Placement provided strategic direction and full implementation of treatment family Joe Kroll 10 Join Us for the NACAC foster care programs, managed pro - Conference in Long Beach grams aimed at adolescents, coordi - Carolina has vast expertise in board nated programs for parents of chil - NACAC Board Updates Position and staff development, innovation, 11 dren in care, and directed both foster change management, fiscal manage - Statement on Incentive Program boarding home and group residential ment, long-range strategic planning, President Obama Proposes Child settings. “Through my work, I have legislative strategies, facility and pro - 12 developed a life-long commitment to gram development, and philan - Welfare Investments in 2016 the well-being of children and fami - thropy. As a fundraiser, she has sur - Budget lies,” says Carolina. “I am honored to passed the $275 million mark in continue the excellent work of Joe funds raised for mission-driven Take Care When Talking about 15 and the incredibly accomplished organizations. Carolina has an the Adoption Tax Credit staff.” …continued on page 2 NACAC’s Executive Director... and Increasing Adoptions Act, and Lealtad Service to Society Award , the continued from page 1 the recent Preventing Sex Trafficking highest award given to an alumnus for and Strengthening Families Act. his or her distinguished service to community. Carolina has served as a impeccable track record of sound Carolina is excited to continue the member of the board of directors for business judgment and a demon - organization’s mission and build on Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, strated ability to develop a culture of its past successes: “I am humbled to United Way Council of Agency efficiency, transparency, and follow in Joe’s footsteps, yet I know Executives, Families and Individuals accountability. there are still many opportunities Sharing Hope, Workforce Investment ahead of us to ensure that every child Board, the YMCA, Girl Scouts, and “Carolina brings to NACAC over 25 has a family for a lifetime and every Community Action Partnership. years of solid and highly successful family has the supports they need for Carolina has been a guest speaker for management of nonprofit organiza - success. NACAC’s accomplished staff the National CAP fundraising con - tions as well as a heart for children and I will form a team to focus on ference, Global University, and the and families,” says Sue Badeau, policy and program efforts needed End Poverty Minnesota Conference. NACAC’s board president. “We are throughout the U.S. and Canada.” very excited to welcome her to the Carolina lives in St. Paul, Minnesota team and support her vision as she Before joining NACAC, Carolina with her husband and two children. builds on Joe’s incredible legacy.” served as president and CEO of the Together, they go camping every year, Community Action Partnership (CAP) try to catch as many theater perform - Under Joe's leadership, NACAC has Agency of Scott, Carver, and Dakota ances as possible, love history and grown from a grassroots, all-volun - Counties, where she oversaw 24 pro - museums, and visit with family and teer organization to an internation - grams serving 55,000 individuals annu - friends as often as they can. ally known leader in the field of ally in three counties and managed a adoption. Over the years, NACAC budget of $17 million. Carolina’s other NACAC encourages adoptive, kin, has played a key role in promoting leadership roles include: director with and foster families, child welfare pro - the adoption of children and older Minnesota Philanthropy Partners and fessionals, policymakers, and other youth from foster care and in executive director positions with the interested participants to attend expanding support services for adop - YMCA of Greater Los Angeles, Big NACAC’s annual conference this tive families. Key legislative accom - Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los year, where they will enjoy the oppor - plishments for NACAC have Angeles, and the Girl Scouts. tunity to celebrate Joe’s legacy, while included helping to shape and pass also welcoming Carolina. The confer - the Adoption and Safe Families Act, In 2012, Macalester College be - ence will be from July 29th to August the Fostering Connections to Success stowed upon Carolina the Catharine 1st in Long Beach, California. Learn more about the conference on page 10 or at www.nacac.org. Zion B Zion, born in 2002, loves sports of all kinds, especially basketball, lacrosse, and football. He is very proud that he made the basketball team at his current school. Zion is incredibly Adoptalk artistic and likes to draw when he is not playing video games or watching Adoptalk is published quarterly. When TV. He loves to go out to eat, espe - reprinting an article, please attribute as : cially if it is for pizza, subs, or ice “From Adoptalk , pub lished by the cream. Zion is currently in the sev - North Ameri can Council on Adoptable Chil dren, St. Paul, Minnesota; 651- enth grade and says his favorite class 644-3036; www.nacac.org.” Copy- is gym. He can be shy when he meets righted items (© 2015) can only be someone new, but once his smile reprinted with the author’s permission. comes out, you know you’ve made a friend. Comments and contributions welcome! SUE BADEAU , President Zion wants to be adopted by a family who likes sports or who is willing to sup - Executive Director port him in his interest to play on school or community teams. He will need JOE KROLL , Adoptalk a strong male role model as he embarks on his teenage years. For more infor - MARY BOO , Editor mation, contact Danielle Brennan: [email protected] or 410- ISSN# 0273-6497 713-3947. B
2 • Winter 2015 Adoptalk North American Council on Adoptable Children ents, adoptive parents, kinship care - givers, or some combination. We typi - Engaging Constituents in cally find that having a mix of youth and parent advocates is most effective. Advocacy Each has a different side of the story to by Mary Boo, NACAC’s assistant director tell, and it’s often the combination that paints the most compelling picture. ACAC, like many organiza - how to support family-based place - tions, is committed to ensuring ments rather than congregate care. We When seeking individual advocates, we Nthat those affected by laws and brainstormed the types of children recommend you: rules have a voice in shaping those poli - and youth who are often placed in • Find people who are constituents of cies. Engaging youth and parents in group care, such as those who need the people you hope to influence. advocacy is both the right thing to do emergency care, teens, pregnant or First identify key policymakers to and an effective way to achieve your parenting youth, and children with target. Policymakers are elected to goals. NACAC has experienced success serious disabilities. Then we devel - represent constituents’ interests, so at state and federal levels when we’ve oped talking points to communicate: the best advocates are those that live partnered with youth and parent advo - in the specific district. cates who share their stories with poli - • Children who face a variety of chal - cymakers. We’ve found the most pow - lenges are being raised in families. • Ask for recommendations. We rely erful communications are those that • Families are the best place for all on our network of parent groups pair a constituent who tells a well-pre - children and youth. and agencies to make suggestions pared personal story with an advocate and introductions to individuals. If who can share data and extrapolate the • There’s a family for every child. you’re working on a local level, you story to hundreds or thousands of chil - • Families need training and support may ask for ideas from your staff or dren and families affected by a policy. to help ensure they can meet the volunteers or other local agencies. Last October, we brought 11 foster and needs of children and youth. • Ensure diversity in your partici - adoptive parents from around the U.S. pants. It’s ideal to look for all sorts to meet with congressional staff. Our Identify Youth and Parent of diversity, including race/ethnic goal was to emphasize that children and Participants background, gender, age, and expe - youth—even those with challenges— Once your goals are in place, it’s time to rience, especially if advocates will be can be cared for in families as long as find individuals who can communicate presenting together. By highlighting families are prepared and have support. your talking points. First, you’ll want to varied stories, you help ensure that As many as 55,000 children and youth consider whether the message should policymakers see the issue as a are in group foster care, and we want be communicated by youth who’ve global one, affecting many people. policymakers to know that family care been in care, adopted youth, foster par - …continued on page 4 is preferable and possible. In one meeting with key staff members Madisen from the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means orn October 2002, Madisen is a funny, helpful girl who has Subcommittee on Human Resources, blossomed this past year. She four parents talked with love and com - B enjoys animals, coloring, singing, and passion about the challenges their chil - board games (especially Uno and dren face and how having a family has memory games). She’s in fifth grade made a huge difference for their chil - where she’s really enjoying reading dren. Committee staffers immediately this year. Madisen also loves anything began to talk about how the govern - on the computer and is fascinated by ment might be able to help ensure that cell phones. She has great fun fixing other children have the same opportu - her hair or having others do so. nity to be cared for in families. Madisen likes experiencing new Below we outline a process we’ve found things (such as the camp she went to effective in advocacy efforts like these. this summer), and looks forward to outdoor adventures with her future family, especially visiting parks, drawing Establish Your Goals with sidewalk chalk, and traveling down water slides! Most importantly, Madisen hopes for a family who thinks she is a special person, loves her, and will First, you need to determine your goals be her support system forever. Will you be Madisen’s forever family? For more and how a personal story might relate. information, contact Gina Touney, Iowa Department of Human Services: In October, our objective was to [email protected] or 712-255-2913, x2092. B encourage policymakers to think about
North American Council on Adoptable Children Winter 2015 Adoptalk • 3 ically ask youth not to disclose ily photos. Pictures can help make Engaging Constituents... specifics of abuse. We ask parents the case that children in care are just continued from page 3 not to share intimate details of their like any other children. Showing a children’s lives unless there is a spe - youth surrounded by siblings and • Prepare for tough choices. Some - cific link to an advocacy message. family reminds policymakers what times we have more possible speak - we’re all trying to accomplish. ers than we need. To narrow the • Offer specific tips related to the goals. At our October meeting, we field, we talk to each person about Meet with Policymakers her story. Then we look at which offered a mix of general and topic- stories mesh well and best fit our specific advice for parents: Whether at an individual meeting with talking points. We try to be clear o Talk about your children as indi - a policymaker and staff or a briefing in from the beginning that we will not viduals — Use their names or front of many leaders, we’ve found sev - be able to work with everyone. We nicknames and talk about things eral things contribute to success: tell those we talk to how much we they like to do. Talk about joys as • Prepare written materials. Verbal value what they do and emphasize well as challenges. communication is important, but it’s that our choices are often based on o Use child-first language — When also good to leave information very specific needs and how various you talk about disabilities, put the behind. We prepare a packet with stories fit together. child first (say “my daughter was written stories ( see very brief sample diagnosed with ADHD” rather below; names have been changed ), a Prepare the Advocates than “my ADHD daughter”). We begin by reminding the advocates o Emphasize things you do as a fam - …continued on page 14 that they are the experts. Policymakers ily that might not happen in group need their input. We also let the advo - care — Talk about family dinners Barb and Dwight Brown became cates know that meeting with a policy - or events, sibling relationships, foster parents in 1982. Over time, maker’s staff is just as beneficial as and how you help your children they began to specialize in children meeting with the policymaker. with school or other challenges. with serious medical needs. They have adopted eight children from o Speak about the challenges you face Next, our staff work with advocates to care—Johnny, Maria, Cassidy, Lexie, but emphasize that meeting chal - ensure they are well prepared. During Christopher, James, Derek, and lenges is what parents do — phone calls and in-person trainings, we: Hannah. The children have serious Remind policymakers that you needs; most are on ventilators and • Explain the advocate’s role. We let are like other parents committed have ongoing medical issues. Many each person know who he’ll meet to meeting their children’s needs. waited in the hospital for a year or with, how long he’ll have to talk Let them know you just need more before they found a family. As (usually five minutes or so), and support to help your child thrive. how the meeting is structured. If Barb explains, though, being in a there will be other meeting partici - o Be respectful of your child’s birth family is really different: “In our fam - pants to handle questions or make a family members and social workers. ily, the child is a person first and the policy ask, we make that clear. o If your children have been in group medical part of their lives is in the • Help advocates think about things care, talk about challenges they had background. That isn’t usually the they should and should not say. We or how they do better in a family. case in a hospital.” work carefully with each advocate to Point out various ways a family can support a youth after age 18. The family receives adoption assis - help identify the parts of her story tance and Medicaid, which enables that will have the most impact. o If you were foster parent to a youth them to have private duty nurses who Typically, we start with a phone call who aged out, talk about how the can help out. The Browns also pay where we explain our goals and key youth is still part of your family. for special assistants who can come points we’d like to make. Then the Speak about special occasions along when they go to the movies or advocates share their relevant foster such as holidays or a wedding or have family outings. care and adoption experiences. Our challenging times where you have staff note the points of the story we still been there for the youth. As Barb notes, she’s seen firsthand think fit best with the advocacy • Ask advocates to make notes and how moving a child from a hospital goal, while checking to make sure practice. Experience has shown us setting to a family makes a huge dif - we have the story right. We ask the that advocates do best when they’ve ference: “They get great care in the advocate to emphasize these key gotten comfortable telling their hospital, but they make huge strides points when telling the story. story to others. Before any of our once they come to the family. Many A second piece of this work involves meetings, we work with advocates of the children had attachment trou - making sure advocates share only by phone and at an in-person train - ble or a flat affect. Once they are in a what they are comfortable with. In ing where they practice in groups. home, you see their shell fade away and their personalities emerge.” written pieces, for example, we typ - • Encourage advocates to bring fam - B
4 • Winter 2015 Adoptalk North American Council on Adoptable Children that goal forefront in our minds, the process to achieving a better tomorrow Behavior and Sensory Processing: is smoother.
Two Sides of the Same Coin Reframing Stress by Amy Vaughan In stressful situations, you may need to Amy Vaughan, OTR/L, BCP, is a licensed, board-certified, pediatric occupational help your child reframe the stress he is therapist in Missouri. She is also a writer, speaker, and clinician. For more informa - feeling. People’s perception of the stress tion on this subject, look for Amy’s book, Positively Sensory: A Guide to Help Your they are experiencing is key to how Child Cope with Sensory Processing Difficulty and Learn with Full Potential , their body responds. For example, when published in fall 2014 and available at amazon.com and other booksellers. Learn something is threatening you and you more at positivelysensory.com. are not in control, your body prepares to fight or escape so you survive the situa - y children are my greatest wounds are significant and deep. Even tion. Your muscles tense, your blood treasure on earth. They are a child adopted or fostered from birth pressure rises, your breathing Mworth more to me than all my can be recovering from the effects of the increases—the feeling can be very possessions combined. Most of you feel stress chemicals, such as adrenalin and intense. You shift into reactionary the same way about your children— cortisol, that pass from the mother to responses instead of thoughtful whether they were born to you or baby in the womb. Most would agree a responses, and the survival portion of placed into your family to blossom. Our birth mother who places her baby for your brain dictates to your rational self. children are what matter, and there is adoption (voluntarily or involuntarily) However, when you perceive the stress no close second. That is why it is so experiences a greater amount of stress as positive, such as when you’re about to extremely painful when one of our chil - during pregnancy than is typical. conquer an exciting challenge, your dren hits a wall in development, bumps Therefore, all children in foster care and body prepares you by releasing chemi - up against something bigger than his adoption have been fighting a stress cals associated with courage responses. skill set, and gets stuck. reaction before we met them. Your body activates the higher-think - I believe there are ways to help children ing centers for problem solving—the Regardless of its source, a stress reaction get unstuck by focusing on the cause brain’s prefrontal cortex. You still feel a affects the limbic system and challenges and outcome of the behavior and con - racing heart, a release of adrenalin, and emotional regulation skills. It also sidering the effect of sensory process - increased breathing, but your fight or directly affects the amygdala—the part ing. Many children in foster care and flight response is not triggered and your of the brain that, during a crisis, sends a adoption struggle with sensory process - interpretation of these body feelings is signal to the body to prepare for fright, ing, and being thoughtful about how positive rather than negative. You feel fight, or flight reactions. Over-active this affects their behavior can help par - more in control of yourself and the sit - startle reflexes, over-sensitivity to situa - ents create opportunities for success. uation, and you prepare to make a plan tions that most other people handle to succeed. well, and running or fighting behaviors The Impact of Stress can all be linked back, in part, to the Encouraging a child to recognize what Stress happens in all children’s lives. body’s inability to handle stress effec - he is feeling and provide a positive Some stress is relatively mild and rou - tively and efficiently. framework for how his body is working tine such as when children learn a new to help him respond can be a game skill or take a math or spelling test. But When stress happens, whether it is due changer in difficult situations. When stress can also be more intense and to adjustment, trauma triggers, devel - you find your child becoming control - chronic for children who are experienc - opmental delay, or behavior, one of the ling and beginning to dictate instead of ing disrupted home life, frequent best things a parent can do is take a step cooperating, his behavior is asking for moves, exposure to adult arguments, back and make a plan to create a win- you to help him reframe whatever stress exposure to violence, excessive screen win situation. A win-win happens he is feeling. If you can help him time, unrealistic demands and perform - when parents create a strategy tailored reframe, he feels more in control of ance pressure, and especially neglect to their child and family so that every - himself and does not have such a high and abuse. one succeeds. need to control everyone and every - thing else around him in an effort to Many adults underestimate the amount As a pediatric occupational therapist, I feel more confident and secure. of stress in children’s lives. In foster care often meet families when they have and adoption, it is important to recog - bumped up against a barrier, and the Some children are fighting a battle nize the impact that previous life cir - child and family have gotten stuck. In much bigger than stress reactions. cumstances have had on a child. We these situations, the first thing I remind Some children have been exposed to must realize that the journey to healing them is: “Your goal is not to just get the drugs, alcohol, or extensive trauma or and mental health takes time, some - problem behavior to go away. Your goal neglect. This not only increases the times a long time, because those is to teach a better way.” When we keep …continued on page 6
North American Council on Adoptable Children Winter 2015 Adoptalk • 5 Behavior... As the parent, you hold the most power behavior happens. Write down how continued from page 5 to influence your child and shape his you or others respond to the behav - behavior. No person has greater poten - ior. What is the result of the child’s tial for positive impact in a child’s life behavior? stress they are under, but actually alters than a parent or caregiver. No therapist the way their brains process and can replace you. No doctor has medi - Once you’ve written everything respond to information. It affects a cine more powerful than you. No one down, think about it. Is there a pat - child’s ability to learn new information, can pay you what your influence in your tern that you find is contributing to use what she has been taught, and gen - child’s life is worth. Whether you are the perfect storm for your child? Is eralize skills throughout development. addressing problem behavior, working it fatigue? Time of day? Hunger? Regardless of a child’s stress factors, rate to increase your child’s attention skills, Anxiety about an upcoming chal - of learning, and past situation, there is or shaping a child’s motivation to lenge? Is your concern centered great hope when parents are able to engage in learning or relationships, the around one specific type of situa - meet a child where she is and teach the support you provide is a huge key to tion and a problem behavior that is tools to move forward. your child’s success. tied to that situation or are you dealing with a set of problem Behavior: The First Side of the It isn’t easy for parents, particularly behaviors that can occur across Coin those raising children who have serious many settings and situations? trauma backgrounds, to help their chil - 2. Look for the function of the behav - Kids are really smart, regardless of IQ. dren find new tools and make changes. ior. What is the core reason the They are going to use the best tool in But it’s definitely worth the effort. To behavior is occurring? Does your their behavior backpack at any time to begin making a plan to shape behavior: handle the situation they are in and to child want attention? To get some - either make it better or make it feel bet - 1. Track the ABCs of the behavior. thing tangible? To avoid or escape a ter. If I encounter a child melting down The antecedent sets up the situation. situation that is too challenging or in the store, screaming, “I want it!” and It is what comes before the behav - uncomfortable? Or is it a sensory wailing and kicking his feet, I remind ior. Write down what has happened issue? Does it feel good and thus is myself, “That’s the best tool he has leading up to the problem behavior. internally reinforcing for the child? right now to ask for what he wants!” The behavior is what the child actu - Now look at the information you ally does. Write down specifically gathered in the ABCs of behavior The way a child responds represents his what the child is doing that is a and match it up with what you “go-to” skills for responding to that sit - problem (write exact words and believe to be the function of the uation. If we want a child to respond in actions—“acting out” or “sassing” or behavior. You may find that you see a better way, we have to give him a bet - “talking back” don’t count). The a pattern emerging that gives you ter tool. It’s as simple as that. The tool consequence determines whether that clues as to why that behavior is a we teach him has to work better than behavior is likely to occur again or current tool in your child’s behavior the tool he’s using. not. It is what comes next after the backpack. For example, a child who resorts to screaming in class before math each day may be sent to the KiraLee principal’s office consistently at that aking center stage with a micro - time. Though it is not pleasant for phone in hand is sweet, loving him or his teacher (or even thought TKiraLee! An aspiring singer who out on his part), it accomplishes the will wow you with her talent, KiraLee bigger goal of escaping the math has big dreams of one day becoming a that is too challenging or causes performer. When she isn't on stage, she him anxiety. In that situation, get - is an active participant in the U.S. Army ting in trouble is productive for him Junior ROTC program. She also has a even though it is not pleasant. love of agriculture and is a member of Therefore, it continues as his best the 4-H Club. In her spare time, she plan to cope with a hard situation. enjoys reading and coloring. In her ninth grade classes, KiraLee is a very moti - 3. Change the set up. Once you’ve fig - vated student. Her favorite class is com - ured out some patterns of behavior munication arts. and what the behavior is accom - plishing, you can look at the set up This teen, born in March 1999, is ready more carefully. Is there something to move into a loving home and find her forever family. Missouri families are you can change to prepare your encouraged to inquire whether or not they have a homestudy. Only homestudied child or set her up for more behav - families from other states should inquire. For more information, contact Chelsea ioral success? Taylor, The Adoption Exchange: [email protected] or 800-451-5246. B
6 • Winter 2015 Adoptalk North American Council on Adoptable Children Sensory: The Flip Side of the achieve this goal by building life flash cards, and other games to Coin lessons with your child while you reinforce the concepts she has are doing things that are interesting already learned. We learn through our senses. The brain and fun for her. works with information that the senses 5. Recognize the sensory barriers that bring in to make connections to the 2. Identify the gift your child has to your child has and respect them. world and to other people. Whether give to your family and the commu - Just as you would not enjoy snack - you are learning to make a friend, nity. What are your child’s ing on tin foil, your child will not respond when spoken to, or dress your - strengths? How can you support enjoy being forced to push through self, or are gaining knowledge in a class - your child in giving the gifts he has very painful experiences. If your room, your brain synthesizes pieces of to give? If your child is a natural child has a significant sensory bar - information brought in through differ - encourager, she might draw energy rier, seek professional help. Connect ent sensory systems, processes that by sending positive notes to teach - with someone who has expertise in information, and responds. ers, friends, and family members. If that area so that healing, retraining, your child is naturally creative, and restoration can occur. painting with him will result in a Our responses are shaped by our expe - 6. Make play important. Every child fun family memory. For a child who riences. For many children in foster care needs at least 60 minutes a day of is naturally good at organizing, a and adoption, early experiences have movement and more than 60 min - great option might be for her to trained their nervous systems to utes of daily play. Make movement help arrange cans in a community respond in atypical ways or have and play a priority, and schedule food pantry. For children who like stunted their growth in ways that result them. Take a family walk. Go to the to dig and plant, you might put in a in immature responses. Thoughtful, park. Active movement is good for vegetable garden and share the har - purposeful sensory opportunities can be both of you, and it can be a fantas - vest with neighbors. Or you can a powerful key in healing for children as tic tool to help build your relation - grow flowers to share and brighten well as a tool that sets up positive ship. “Doing” creates memories. growth and learning for a child. someone’s day. Sensory processing is the brain’s work Think through your child’s charac - Building on Success ter strengths—does she have zest in organizing and processing input After caregivers have provided enough from the senses in order to use that for life, good judgment and intu - ition, creativity, gratitude, spiritual - teaching and support to achieve a win- information to respond appropriately to win situation, it is time to begin teach - a given situation. In my observations, ity, curiosity, kindness, honesty, love of learning, leadership, bravery, or ing the child to help address his own the interplay between our nervous sys - needs. Once he has had success in nav - tem and our sensory processing abilities humor? Once you know her strengths, you can support her in igating stressful situations, support him determines our learning style and our in identifying what worked for him. rate of learning and influences our embracing them. You can support her in learning the best about who Then, when the stressful situation developing cognitive and behavioral comes along again, ask, “What do you abilities. Children can only behave she is and help her further enhance that strength. need to do to help yourself?” If he is based on the quality of their intake of prone to freezing and forgetting what information. Imagine a computer. If 3. Begin to identify how your child he knows in hard situations, I recom - you put faulty (or incomplete) informa - learns best. Is he a movement mend putting a cue card in his pocket tion into a computer, you will not get an learner? An auditory or musical or backpack to help him remember accurate answer. You will get a partial learner? A visual learner? A hands- what he knows. The goal is for your (or faulty) answer. By learning more on learner? Pay attention to when child to become self-sufficient and about how to present information in a he achieves success and you may independent as he navigates the world. way that matches how your child can learn which of these strategies is There will be challenges, but if he rec - successfully take it in, you can positively most effective. Teach new informa - ognizes his body’s response as helping influence how your child learns. tion in a way that is completely tai - set him up for success and believes that lored to his learning style. (More To begin making a plan to support he has the tools to successfully navigate about learning styles will soon be strong sensory processing: the situation, the battle is nearly won. posted at positivelysensory.com.) Developing a strong sensory processing 1. Make a list of your child’s favorite 4. Help your child develop learning things and then work to expand it. and behavior framework can help par - flexibility. Review old information ents problem solve even the toughest of We attend to things that are inter - in a variety of ways to help your esting to us. One of your key goals situations. Engaging in positive, devel - child really take in the information. opmentally stimulating, and purposeful is to find a way to make developing For example, if your child is a a relationship with you and listen - activities can be a game changer in a hands-on learner, you would use child’s life and can help her blossom ing to what you have to say very math manipulatives to teach a con - into her full potential. B motivating to your child. You can cept and then employ worksheets,
North American Council on Adoptable Children Winter 2015 Adoptalk • 7 stand and manage the feelings that emerge. Structure keeps us safe Creating Permanency after a because there are fewer surprises. Disrupted Placement 2. Assume your child is doing the best he can based on his experience. by Janice Goldwater, LCSW-C, and Elyana Goldwater When you see negative behavior, Janice Goldwater is the founder and executive director of Adoptions Together, a look behind it—think about how Maryland, D.C., and Virginia-based agency that uses a family success model of serv - this behavior may have helped him ice. Founded 25 years ago, Adoptions Together has created permanency for and enriched survive in another setting. Respond the lives of more than 4,000 children. With a child- and family-centered approach, the with empathy and curiosity—even agency provides a holistic base of attachment-focused, trauma-informed support and when behavior makes no sense. education to families and the professionals who serve them. Janice and her husband, 3. Be aware of eye contact, voice tone, Harry, adopted their youngest daughter Elyana in 2002 when she was 10. You can touch, and movement to ensure reach Janice and Elyana at [email protected]. you are communicating safety and acceptance. Children who have Janice intentional commitment to love and been hurt will be extremely sensi - care for them. They may have been told tive to the environment and may xpecting a child who has lived that these new parents would be there become agitated or uncomfortable through a disrupted adoption to for them, accepting them despite their with loud voices, fast movements, Ebelieve in the permanency of a difficult beginnings. These children are and dramatic communications. If new parental commitment is a very tall extremely vulnerable and often develop your child has trouble with eye order. Think about it: How many adults a tough, self-protecting exterior. contact, don't force it. Parents have get hurt in a relationship and then walk to modify their communication confidently into the next one with an Disruption reinforces the negative rela - styles to build a safe relationship open heart and mind? Each time we are tionship map formed during the child’s foundation. hurt, we develop strategies to protect early years, and in fact may deepen the ourselves so it does not happen again. wound. Remember, the brain’s job is to 4. Make time to play and enjoy one The same thing happens to children. keep us alive and take each experience another. Find something you have and use it to survive. Children who in common and both enjoy (art, Human beings are biologically wired have experienced a disrupted adoption sports, pets, food, music, games, for survival, born with a brain that will will be even more skeptical about the etc.) and spend a few minutes at adapt to the external environment to possibility of a loving, forever family these activities each day. (You can keep us alive. Attachment theory and less able to trust. It makes sense build duration over time.) Feeling teaches us about how early relationships that a child may be terrified of closeness happy in the context of relationship are crucial in setting the blueprint of and be unable to believe she will ever be is very therapeutic for the parts of how we relate to others. Children wanted. Disruption breeds disruption. the brain that need strengthening. whose needs are consistently met learn the world is a safe place and their needs When parents are caring for a child 5. Focus on the process of what is matter. They learn about healthy reci - who has experienced a disrupted adop - going on rather than making procity in relationships and, if they have tion, they must first understand how assumptions based on beliefs of the capacity, cause-and-effect thinking difficult it will be for the child to estab - right and wrong. For example, a and emotion regulation. lish a healthy relationship. The parents child might take food and hide it, have to be particularly intentional about then lie about what he’s done. So what happens when a child’s needs how they care for the child, giving her When asked if he took the food, he are not met? When there is no reliable time to heal and learn to trust. Below has a tantrum. It would be easy to adult to respond to cries for hunger, are some specific strategies to help: be angry because he “stole” the food touch, and comfort? Experiencing then “lied” about it and then abuse or neglect in the early chapters of 1. Create a consistent and predictable deflected the blame by having a life changes brain development. environment. This means having a tantrum. This scenario is fairly typ - Negative interactions with adults predictable schedule and letting the ical and well-trained parents learn become the map by which the child child know what to anticipate each to stay calm, not react to the con - functions. Children learn that their day. The more concrete a parent tent, and focus on calming the needs don’t matter, adults are not safe, can be, the better. Children who emotions. and they are not worthy of care. have had unstable beginnings have had many painful surprises so their 6. Don’t take the child’s words per - sonally. Hurt children terrified of Given this foundation, imagine what bodies are extremely sensitive to closeness may use nasty, hurtful happens when children experience a change. A child can be physiologi - language to push you away and disrupted adoption. These children are cally triggered by small changes, protect themselves. Some may use rejected by the caretakers who made an but parents can help them under -
8 • Winter 2015 Adoptalk North American Council on Adoptable Children language as a weapon to try and of the former family and let her own historical issues, and learn new make you feel as bad about yourself know however she feels is okay. A ways of responding and managing their as they do about themselves. parent may have ambivalent feel - own emotions and ideas about parent - ings about the former family, but it ing. It is incumbent upon the profes - 7. Be aware that your child may reject is important to give the child the sional community to ensure that par - you before you can reject her. space to have her own feelings. ents have the tools and support to Remember, she has learned that succeed. No one can do this alone! adults are not reliable and they hurt As professionals placing children who children. The parents’ job is to rec - have experienced an adoption disrup - ognize this protective behavior for tion, our challenge is to ensure that par - Elyana what it is and not fall prey to the ents have the tools and support to man - Learning to trust was, and still is, one of negative cycle. age this difficult journey. We are asking the hardest things I have had to do in 8. Make life as simple as possible. parents to be strong enough to manage my 23 years. When I was five, I was Limit the number of transitions, immense day-to-day challenges that taken from my first family and placed in activities, and people the child must often force them to confront the most a children’s home. Life there was really negotiate relationships with on a vulnerable parts of themselves. hard. Just before my ninth birthday, I daily basis. Parenting a child who has learned to was adopted by a family in New York. survive in adverse conditions is hard Ten months later I was shocked to hear 9. Celebrate small successes and and takes tremendous commitment, that they were thinking about getting apologize when you make mis - focus, and effort. divorced and wanted to find me a new takes. Learning to apologize with family. I did not know that could even ease will help you feel more com - Professionals need to make sure that happen. It did. fortable being self-reflective and the family has the preparation and sup - observing what you are doing. port needed to be successful. Pre-adop - Being a child who was never safe was Developing a relationship with a tion training should provide a thor - really hard. Because I never knew what hurt child is very difficult and you ough understanding of attachment, to expect as a child, I lost the ability to will make mistakes. Learning to trauma, the brain, fetal alcohol spec - tell safe from terrifying. My stomach forgive yourself when you make a trum disorder, grief and loss, identity, would experience a nauseating flip with mistake is critical to committing and the corresponding parenting just a simple change in my routine or for the long run. Make sure you strategies. Learn ing how overall devel - environment. To me, it felt as if a life or take time to acknowledge small opment (cognitive, psychological, and death choice was approaching. My successes. They matter! neurological) is affected is also impor - body could not tell the difference tant. Parents must be open to doing between being told to wait a minute for 10. Use language to describe emo - their own therapeutic work because something and truly being threatened if tional states and model how to their vulnerabilities will be exposed I did not get something at that very repair when things don’t go well. during this type of parenting. moment. When a child grows up with For example, you might say, the confusion of what is safe and what “Mommy was tired today and Peer support from other adoptive fami - is dangerous—who is safe and who when the plate broke I had a big lies can help parents normalize what would hurt them—it really changes angry feeling and yelled awfully they and their children are experiencing how the entire world looks. loud. I am sorry if I scared you. and give hope for the future. There is Next time when I am tired and nothing like another parent who under - As a young child, I was hurt by a raised start to feel angry, I will try to use stands. Professional guidance can help hand. As I got a older, one of the hard - my breath to calm myself down so parents understand the reasons children est lessons I learned was that people— I don’t yell. I think I am going to may struggle and learn the best tech - people who gave me their word that I start practicing keeping myself niques for building trust. Together this would have safety and a permanent, calm with breathing. I am going to support can enable parents to stay in a loving environment—could hurt me practice breathing in, holding my positive relationship with the child. 10 times worse with their words and breath and counting to four, and actions. then blowing it out like a bubble Unless we’re all careful, disruption can while counting to four again. That breed disruption. Children who have Growing up, the words love and trust really helps me stay calm.” been displaced one or more times were only air-filled words. Adults say - become expert at survival. But they are ing anything about love or trust or 11. Expect the child to be develop - rarely experts at living happily and suc - anything remotely along those lines mentally younger than his age . cessfully in a healthy family. To heal, meant nothing to me. I had no idea Create an appropriate environment these children must be placed with what they meant. It was just the same for the child’s developmental age well-prepared, well-supported adults story I’d already heard from a different rather than chronological age. who can stay committed even on the person. 12. Provide an opportunity for your darkest days. The new parents must be child to express grief about the loss self-reflective, open to exploring their …continued on page 14
North American Council on Adoptable Children Winter 2015 Adoptalk • 9 Cancel, Daryle Conquering Bear, and Julia Charles—three young adults Join Us for the NACAC Conference who grew up in foster care. They will share their personal experiences, in Long Beach, California expertise, and contributions and ideas for bettering the child welfare system. Changing the Picture for Foster Care and Adoption Joe Kroll, who is retiring as NACAC’s executive director, will give the closing July 30–August 1, 2015 • Pre-Conference Session: July 29 session at Saturday’s luncheon. His talk will be followed by the awards f you have been touched by adop - tionships with oneself and others. ceremony, which honors the contribu - tion or foster care, you will benefit tions of those making a difference in Ifrom attending this conference! An award-winning educator, Dr. adoption. The sessions inspire, inform, and Siegel has a unique ability to make encourage all members of the adop - complicated scientific concepts excit - Location and Accommodations tion and foster care community, ing. He is a clinical professor of psy - including adoptive, foster, or kinship chiatry at the UCLA School of The conference will be held at the parents; professionals seeking families Medicine and the author of many Hyatt Regency Long Beach Hotel for children; mental health or other articles, chapters, and books on inter - (200 South Pine Avenue). The Hyatt professionals supporting adoptive, personal neurobiology, brain develop - is located on the edge of Rainbow foster, and kinship families; parents ment, parenting, relationships, and Harbor marina—close to the considering adoption; adopted per - well-being—including New York Aquarium, the beach, and within sons and youth who have been in care; Times bestsellers The Whole-Brain walking distance of dining, shopping, and others with personal or profes - Child (2011) and No-Drama and entertainment. sional connections to adoption. (2014) with Tina Payne Discipline Discounted guest rooms are available Bryson, PhD; and (2013). The conference offers 90+ sessions in Brainstorm from July 27 to August 2, at $159 per Find more information about Dr. topic-specific tracks, including core night plus 15 percent tax. issues in adoption; issues in adoption Siegel at www.drdansiegel.com. therapy; kinship care and birth family To reserve a hotel room, visit https:// connections; parenting children with The pre-conference registration fee is resweb.passkey.com/go/nacacconf or special needs; older children and $100 U.S./$115 Cdn. call 888-591-1234. The availability of youth; race, culture, and diversity; the rate extends until all rooms fill or recruitment and pre-adoption services. Keynote Speakers until July 7, whichever is first, so In the Thursday general session, please make reservations early. Pre-Conference Session “Families, Children, and Therapy from On July 29, Dan Siegel, MD, of the the Inside Out,” Dr. Dan Siegel will Workshop Sessions introduce interpersonal neurobiology as Mindsight Institute will present an Each year, we add new and exciting an interdisciplinary approach used to all-day session— “Mindsight and sessions to the NACAC conference explain the importance of close rela - Healing Trauma.” Dr. Siegel will line-up. Many sessions are advanced, tionships on the devel - introduce mindsight, so even experienced parents and pro - opment and function of which focuses on the fessionals will benefit. Scheduled a child’s growing brain. integration of aspects workshops include: in the mind, body, and When adults see the relationships not previ - internal world of them - • Hurt Kids, Healing Parents ously integrated in selves and the children • Talking to Kids about Tough Stuff they care for—when order to repair impair - • Connections, Culture, Continuity, ments to one’s brain they use mindsight— children thrive. Care - and Compromise: Bringing Your caused by trauma. He Child Home will demonstrate how givers and parents will using mindsight to gain a practical under - • Adoptee Voices Matter: What Our shift from a state of standing of how mind, Experiences Have Taught Us dysfunction (freeing Dr. Dan Siegel brain, and relationships interact to shape how • Parenting the Sexually Reactive the mind from rigidity Child or Youth and chaos) to a regulated and harmo - we become who we are nious state leads to a change in per - throughout a lifetime. • Funding Youth Permanency ception and response and can help Services Friday’s keynote session, “From heal the effects of traumatic experi - Struggle to Success,” features Sixto • 30 Days to Family™: Placing ences on the mind and body and rela - Children with Kin
10 • Winter 2015 Adoptalk North American Council on Adoptable Children • Ripped from the Headlines: Getting Real about Race in Transracial Families NACAC Board Updates Position The conference features acclaimed Statement on Incentive Program speakers including Sue Badeau, Maris Blechner, Barry Chaffkin, Allison t its February 2015 meeting, the length of time states have to spend Davis Maxon, April Dinwoodie, the NACAC board of directors the funds, implement larger incentives Denise Goodman, Darla Henry, Ken Aupdated the organization’s for older children and youth, and tran - Huey, Joyce Maguire Pavao, Eileen position statement related to the U.S. sition to an incentive based on the rate Mayers Pasztor, Ruth McRoy, Pat federal adoption/guardianship incen - of adoption, rather than a baseline O’Brien, and Maria Quintanilla. tive program. number. Philosophy Policy Recommendations Registration and Fees NACAC supports the current U.S. NACAC supports ongoing reautho - Full registration fees include work - Adoption/Guardianship Incentive Pay - rization of the U.S. federal Adoption/ shops, general sessions, Saturday’s ments program, through which states Guardianship Incentive Payments luncheon, and membership for non- are rewarded for increasing the adop - program with the following changes: members. Parent couples can register tions of children and youth from foster together at a discounted rate. One-day care. NACAC supports all forms of • Tribes should be directly eligible for fees will be offered. The pre-confer - permanency, including reunification, the adoption/guardianship (includ - ence session has a separate fee. placement with relatives, adoption, and ing customary adoption) incentive guardianship, and believe national gov - program. Full conference registration is dis - ernments should structure child welfare counted as follows until June 26: financing programs to encourage the • Customary adoptions under tribal • NACAC members: $280 U.S./ best outcomes for children, youth, and law should be eligible for inclusion $330 Cdn. families. in each jurisdiction’s adoption/ guardianship incentive statistics. • Non-members: $340 U.S./ We believe the adoption and guardian - $400 Cdn. ship incentive program does encourage • All Adoption/Guardianship Incen - permanency, although we also support tive Payments should be spent on Other Conference Details other incentives for different types of post-adoption and post-guardian - Tabletop exhibits will be available permanency. We have been pleased ship services. These funds should near the general sessions, workshops, with recent enhancements to the pro - not, however, be any states’ or tribes’ and refreshment breaks. Advertising gram to make the incentive program sole source of funding for these sup - in conference publications is also more inclusive of guardianship, expand portive services. B available. Space is limited. Please download an application packet at www.nacac.org or email conference@ nacac.org. Rayann talkative and friendly teen Due to space limitations we will not (born April 1997), Rayann is a host a children’s program this year. Ajoy to be around! Very sweet and nurturing, she is great with young Additional Information kids and loves animals. Rayann espe - cially likes anything to do with horses. In April, NACAC will publish a Horseback riding is listed among booklet with workshop descriptions, some of her absolute favorite hobbies, registration details, and other infor - and she also likes music, the outdoors, mation. To request a copy, send your and rodeos. A well-rounded girl, name and address to [email protected]. Rayann is also learning to play the Registration information will also be guitar and is interested in photogra - posted on www.nacac.org. To receive phy. She’s working hard in her 11th regular email updates from NACAC, grade classes this year. sign up for News from NACAC at Rayann dreams of having a family of www.nacac.org/signupform.html. her own. If your family is interested in this fun and lively girl, we urge you to If you have questions, call us at 651- inquire. Homestudied families from all states are encouraged to inquire. For 644-3036. B more information, contact Chelsea Taylor, The Adoption Exchange: 800-451- 5246 or [email protected]. B
North American Council on Adoptable Children Winter 2015 Adoptalk • 11 infrastructure and capacity building to enhance the use of evidence-based President Obama Proposes Child treatments and provide incentives to Welfare Investments in 2016 states that improve care in this area. Family Preservation and Post- Budget Permanency Support We are grateful to the National Foster Care Coalition and First Focus for their analy - The President’s budget also includes a sis of the President’s proposed budget, which helped inform this article. We adapted the new initiative, with proposed spending chart on the next page from a more detailed chart prepared by the National Foster Care of $58 million per year, to help prevent Coalition. placement of children and youth in fos - ter care and increase supportive services n February, President Obama their families. Child welfare legislation for children who leave foster care to released his proposed budget for has historically been strongly biparti - permanency. Under the program, states Ifederal fiscal year (FY) 2016. The san, so we hope for similar cooperation would be able to claim federal reim - budget would eliminate the cuts imple - to pass these proposals. bursement for evidence-based and evi - mented as a result of sequestration and dence-informed services that have been would increase overall discretionary Psychotropic Medication shown to reduce foster care entry and government spending by about $74 bil - increase post-placement stability. lion. The budget includes more than The proposal includes a repeat of an Covered services would include those $688 million in new funds for foster initiative included in the President’s FY for children who are placed with rela - care and permanency programs. See the 2015 budget—a demonstration project tives to prevent foster care entry. chart on page 13 for some of the more designed to increase access to health significant proposed changes. care for children in foster care, par - ticlarly evidence-based interventions, Family-Based Care The budget proposal includes a few and to thus reduce the use of psy - We at NACAC were delighted to see special child welfare initiatives, which chotropic medication. that the budget proposal includes an we describe briefly later in this article. initiative to ensure that children and We encourage lawmakers on both sides The five-year initiative, a collaboration youth with behavioral and mental of the political aisle to look at how of the Administration on Children and health needs can be placed in families these proposals can improve outcomes Fam ilies and the Centers on Medicare rather than in group care. The program for vulnerable children and youth and and Medicaid Services, would fund is designed to help support these fam - ily-based placements and create over - sight for congregate placements when Ethan they are necessary. The proposal includes enhanced training and mainte -
e his active, adventurous s nance payments for foster parents who a guy has a golden heart! h provide a therapeutic foster home, sup - C
Born in September r
e T port for lower caseloads to improve case 1997, Ethan is imaginative, h
p management services for these children
o fun, and compassionate. He is t s
i all about being outside, riding and families, and six-month court r
h his bike, playing Airsoft, and reviews for all children and youth C
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o his foster brothers. This history t o buff is in the ninth grade and Although it is proposed to cost $78 h p thinks about becoming a million in FY 2016, over 10 years this Marine one day. His current proposal would save $69 million in fed - passion is mechanics, and he enjoys tinkering on his own and with his foster sib - eral funds because the additional lings. His goal is to learn how to repair bikes and cars and might like to pursue expenditures on family-based care mechanics professionally someday. would be offset by decreased spending on more costly group care. Ethan has a tender heart and a sincere desire to help others who are in need. He is interested in learning about volunteer and fundraising opportunities so he can get involved in doing some good. Ethan needs a caring home with a family who Other Child Welfare Related will help him stay in touch with his sister and previous foster parents. Colorado Proposals families are encouraged to inquire whether or not they have a homestudy. Only The budget also includes the following homestudied families from other states should inquire. For more information, elements: contact Chelsea Taylor, The Adoption Exchange: 800-451-5246 or • It would maintain the current fund - [email protected]. B ing level of $38 million for the
12 • Winter 2015 Adoptalk North American Council on Adoptable Children Adoption/Guar dianship Incentive education initiative. The proposal funding for an Upward Mobility Program and add an additional $3 would expand pre-kindergarten Project. The project would enable up million to the Adoption Oppor - education, Early Head Start, and to 10 communities to invest in eco - tunities program budget. Head Start, and would expand the nomic development to help families Child Care and Development Block become more self-sufficient and • Both the Title IV-E foster care and Grant. improve children’s outcomes. adoption assistance programs include modest increases. Since • The President is also proposing a • Increased funding of $20 million for these are entitlement programs, major expansion of funding for the Child Abuse Prevention and actual funding will depend on case - child care—from $2.917 billion to Treatment Act (CAPTA) discre - loads and state expenditures in these $6.582 billion. The goal of the pro - tionary grant program would be tar - areas. gram is to cover child care for more geted to identify best practices in than 1.1 million infants and tod - child protection investigations ($5 • The budget includes an increase in dlers by the end of 10 years. million) and to help states prevent IV-E funding for guardianship child traffickers from successfully tar - assistance, reflecting the fact that 32 • The President’s budget would main - geting children and youth in the child states now have such programs and tain the Social Services Block Grant welfare system for criminal and sexual additional children may leave care to (which some in Congress have pro - activity ($15 million). B guardianship with federal support. posed eliminating) and would add • The budget proposes allowing states to serve youth up to age The President’s Proposed FY 2016 Budget: 23 through the Chafee inde - Significant Child Welfare Changes from FY 2015 pendence program if the state has opted to extend foster care Final FY 2015 President’s to age 21. Federal Budget FY 2016 Request
• The proposal includes $114 Title IV-E million in Title IV-E funding over 10 years to help tribes Foster Care $4.581 billion $4.772 billion create their own child welfare programs. Preservation/Post-Permanence 0 $58 million
• The proposed budget includes Family-Based Care 0 $78 million additional funding of $30 mil - lion in the Promoting Safe and Project on Psychotropic Medication 0 $50 million Stable Families program to help tribes develop family sup - Adoption Assistance $2.510 billion $2.563 billion port and preservation services ($20 million); expand support Adoption/Guardianship Incentives $38 million $38 million services in rural areas ($7 mil - lion); and enhance research, Kinship/Guardianship Assistance $109 million $123 million evaluation, and technical assis - tance ($3 million). Title IV-B
• The President proposes to Family Connections Grants authorization expired $15 million reauthorize and fund the Family Connections Grant Tribal and Rural Assistance 0 $30 million program at $15 million, which is where it was funded through Other Areas FY 2014. The program ex - pired in FY 2015. This pro - Child Care and Development Fund $2.917 billion $6.582 billion gram has funded kinship navi - gator, family-finding, and Home Visitation $400 million $500 million other programs for children in care or at risk of entering care. Social Services Block Grant $1.577 billion $1.7 billion CAPTA Discretionary Grants $29 million $49 million • As he did last year, the Pres - ident has included funding for Adoption Opportunities $39 million $42 million an expanded early childhood
North American Council on Adoptable Children Winter 2015 Adoptalk • 13 Engaging Constituents... ing gratitude for recent legislative or Creating Permanency... continued from page 4 administrative accomplishments in continued from page 9 child welfare. The constituents can talk about their home community brief fact sheet highlighting key and look for common ground or When my now-permanent, loving fam - messages, and data points that help mutual acquaintances. ily first came to adopt me, nothing had make the case. The packet lets the changed. I was still scared of the words person you meet with easily share • Leave time for discussion. Make love and trust. I was prepared to push your points with others. sure you leave time for people to ask before being pushed. It didn’t matter if questions. This gives you an oppor - they did things very differently from • Make sure the meeting is carefully tunity to figure out what their prior - planned. Identify who is doing the two families and other adults who ities are, which can guide future had cared for me. I just knew they had introductions, what order people are advocacy efforts. If you don’t know speaking in, and who will facilitate no idea what I had been through, and an answer to a question, just say so. they never really would. questions. In case those you meet This can provide you with an excel - with don’t have questions, think lent opportunity to follow up and It took consistency from them to about how you can get conversation build on your connection. change things. I needed them to show going. Prepare questions you may Always be sure to ask if the staff or me over and over and over again that ask the policymaker or staff about they love me, that they care for me, and child welfare. policymaker has any personal con - nection to the issue you’re discussing. that they aren’t going anywhere. I • Make links from stories to policy needed them to be patient with me. It goals. Identify someone who will After the meeting, have the con - took almost 10 years for me to lose all highlight how the stories relate to stituents and any others in the meeting trust with grownups, and it wasn’t going your policy goals. At our congres - send a follow-up email. You can offer to to take a couple of weeks or months for sional meetings in October, after a answer questions, arrange future meet - me to turn that around. parent spoke about his family’s ings, or otherwise help ensure they can I can only imagine how hard it must needs, an advocate talked about the meet their child welfare goals. number of children in out-of-home have been for my parents and family. care and how many youth were in Parents and youth make excellent part - They were taught that in a relation - group care. He then talked about ners for child welfare advocacy. We ship you give and take. For me, all I the role the federal government believe building a strong cadre of advo - could do is receive, push away, and not might have in creating incentives for cates with compelling stories will help give back. In the beginning, every - well-supported family placements. you make the case for increased atten - thing was one-sided. They gave and gave, and I didn’t give in return. I • Make connections with the people tion to and investment in permanency for children and youth and support for know they had to put in more effort you’re meeting with. It’s great to be than they had ever imagined. able to start the meeting by express - families. B It helped me when my parents put their frustration, sadness, and their motiva - Tristan tion to help us get through this into oot toot! Engineer Tristan is therapy. It also helped when they put in coming into the station! a lot of time to research how to better Tristan, born December understand this thing we were going
a T through. That’s all anyone can do—try i 2004, is a sweet, loving, and affec - r a
l tionate child who delights in playing to get information and support, and try e
d with cars and trains. Thomas the to work on what they’ve kept inside and n a Tank Engine is a favorite toy. Tristan never worked through. C
o loves to line up toys and carry them c i Your child doesn’t want to see you as a
n around. This active little boy has o energy to spare for jumping and “perfect parent” every moment, a M grownup who only has the power to set y running, and especially enjoys tram - b consequences and the power to say no. o polines. Listening to music and t
o For your children to better relate with
h watching TV also make him happy. p In third grade, Tristan likes to learn you, let them see you feel the emotions and responds well to structure. Tristan uses some American Sign Language. of sad, goofy, upset, and ecstatic and try to show them a different way, a health - Tristan needs a loving, patient family who will help him reach his full potential ier way of expressing themselves. Be and keep him connected with grandparents and siblings. Colorado families are there on the good days and on the hard encouraged to inquire whether or not they have a homestudy. Only homestudied ones. It’s worth it! I promise. B families from other states should inquire. For more information, contact Chelsea Taylor, The Adoption Exchange: 800-451-5246 or [email protected]. B
14 • Winter 2015 Adoptalk North American Council on Adoptable Children Note Families who adopted in 2011 and haven’t ! Take Care When Talking about claimed the adoption tax credit yet must file for the credit by April 15, 2015. The credit was the Adoption Tax Credit refundable in 2011 so families with low and moderate incomes can benefit fully. by Mary Boo, NACAC’s assistant director n recent years, NACAC has han - bility. (The credit was refundable only that claiming the credit is very different dled thousands of inquiries about in 2010 and 2011.) The credit can be from being able to use the credit, and the adoption tax credit. We’ve used in the year it is first claimed and many people will not benefit at all. I Because parents often know of others learned that prospective adopters are then can be carried forward for up to often confused about the credit. Some five more years to offset any of those who were able to receive the full benefit have received inaccurate information years’ tax liability. Whether an adoption in the past, it also can help to tell them from their agencies, adoption profes - is considered special needs does not that everything was different when the sionals, and other parents, or online. affect how much someone will receive. credit was refundable in 2010 and 2011. Below we outline areas about which It only enables them to claim expenses there is often confusion. We encourage even if they did not have any. Claiming Non-Final Adoptions you to think about how you can care - Another problem relates to adoptions fully frame information you share with Here’s how we explain it to families: that have not been completed. For U.S. prospective adopters. If you receive adoption assistance or adoptions with ex penses, people can claim the credit before an adoption Understanding Special Needs adoption subsidy benefits for your child, you can claim the full credit ($13,190 finalizes—and even if it never finalizes. For purposes of the adoption credit, per child for adoptions finalized in For non-finalized adoptions, taxpayers “special needs” means that a state has 2014) as your expenses, even if you had must wait to file for the credit for one determined a child will be difficult to little or no expenses. But how much you year after expenses are paid. (For inter - place without assistance. To be consid - will receive depends on your income and national adoptions, taxpayers cannot ered special needs, a child must be from personal tax situation. The amount of claim any credit until finalization.) the U.S. and must receive adoption credit you can use is based on your federal assistance or adoption subsidy benefits. What does this mean? Someone adopt - income tax liability. Families with All children who receive such benefits ing from the U.S. who has expenses in adjusted gross incomes of less than are considered special needs, even if 2013, 2014, and 2015 for an adoption $30,000 are likely to not benefit at all. they have no disability. And children finalized in 2015 claims 2013 expenses Those making $30,000 to $50,000 will with disabilities who do not receive with their 2014 taxes and 2014 and probably be able to use only a portion of these benefits are not considered spe - 2015 expenses with their 2015 taxes. the credit (maybe a few thousand), with cial needs for purposes of the credit. They are limited to the 2015 maximum the benefit spread out over six years. The of $13,400 per child. Let’s say the per - credit also starts to phase out for families son had $5,000 in expenses each year Claiming vs. Using the Credit making more than about $200,000. The most fundamental confusion about and enough tax liability to use the full the adoption credit relates to how much Federal tax liability is the amount you amount. They would claim and receive a family will actually benefit. Many par - are responsible for in federal income $5,000 with their 2014 taxes. With ents call us because they did their taxes taxes. If you have ever done your taxes their 2015 taxes, they would list the and were shocked to learn they’re not manually, it’s roughly the amount you $10,000 in expenses for 2014 and 2015 going to receive $13,000. Many receive would look up in the tax tables in the and would receive $8,400—the nothing at all. There’s an important dis - back of the instructions. If you want to $13,400 maximum less the $5,000 they tinction between being able to claim the see what your tax liability was in 2013, received in 2014. Of course, if the par - credit and being able to use the credit. you can look at line 46 of Form 1040 (or ents don’t have sufficient tax liability, line 28 of Form 1040A). If the line is they may never use the full benefit. When a family adopts a child deter - blank or zero, you had no federal income mined to have special needs, they can tax liability. People with no tax liability Claiming for Failed Adoptions claim the maximum credit as their will not benefit from the adoption credit We also hear quite a bit of misinforma - qualified adoption expenses, even if this year. You can still file for the credit so tion from families who have experi - they had few or no expenses. For spe - you can carry it forward to future years if enced a failed adoption followed by cial needs adoptions finalized in 2014, your tax situation changes. successful adoption. In cases such as families claim $13,190 per child as their these, it’s important to tell people that expenses. But that does not mean they Please note that the amount on line 46 they are able to claim it only as one will receive any or all of that money. is not exactly what someone would adoption, not two. For example, if a receive because there are some credits couple had $12,000 in qualified adop - The adoption credit is currently a non- that come before the adoption credit. tion expenses in attempt to adopt one refundable credit, which means it only child from the U.S. in 2012, they can offsets a person’s federal income tax lia - We highly recommend making it clear …continued on page 16 North American Council on Adoptable Children Winter 2015 Adoptalk • 15 970 Raymond Avenue, Suite 106 NONPROFIT ORG St. Paul, MN 55114-1149 US POSTAGE 651-644-3036 • fax: 651-644-9848 PAID [email protected] • www.nacac.org TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 4246
Tax Credit... continued from page 15 NACAC neeNds mAemCbeAr suCpp oMrt toe womrk efbfecetivrelsy ohn biep half of children claim those expenses with their 2013 taxes. If who wait. All members get Adoptalk , as well as discounted conference, they went on to adopt in 2015, the IRS con - webinar, and advertising rates. Enhanced parent group, organizational, siders it part of the same effort to adopt one and national members also get discounts for multiple members or child, and they are limited to the 2015 maxi - employees, as well as NACAC publication discounts. Join today! mum of $13,400. That means they can benefit only up to $1,400 for their expenses incurred MEMBERSHIP TYPE (check one) ONE -Y EAR THREE -Y EAR in the second attempt. Individual/family m $45 US/$50 Cdn m $115 US/$130 Cdn The Form 8839 instructions are clear: Parent group m $45 US /$50 Cdn m $115 US/$130 Cdn Enhanced parent group * $200 US/$220 Cdn $515 US/$570 Cdn In general, the dollar limitation requires you to m m combine the qualified adoption expenses you Organizational * m $200 US/$220 Cdn m $515 US/$570 Cdn paid if you made more than one attempt to adopt National/corporate * m $1,000 US/$1,100 Cdn m $2,600 US/$2,850 Cdn one eligible U.S. child. When you combine the amounts you spent, complete only the “Child 1” line…. Complete the “Child 2” or “Child 3” lines Name only if you adopted or tried to adopt two or three eligible children. Organization
Example 1. You planned to adopt one U.S. child. Address (check one) m Home m Work You paid $10,000 of qualified adoption expenses in an unsuccessful attempt to adopt a child. You City State/Province Zip/Postal Code later paid $8,000 of additional qualified adop - tion expenses in a successful adoption of a differ - Daytime Phone (check one) m Home m Work E-mail Address ent child. Complete only the “Child 1” line because you made more than one attempt to Enclose a check payable to NACAC for the fee indicated above. adopt one eligible child. Contri bu tions above the membership fee are tax deductible for U.S. donors.
We encourage everyone to raise awareness * Enhanced parent group and organizational members receive 5 copies of Adoptalk ; national/ about the adoption tax credit. It’s an important corporate members can request up to 25 copies. Extra subscriptions are $20 US/$25 Cdn. benefit to promote adoption. But we want to ensure parents know the credit’s limits, partic - o Check here to receive Adoptalk by e-mail. Fed. ID #: 51-0188951 ularly if they have low or moderate income. Winter 2015 Adoptalk And, of course, NACAC continues to lobby NACAC • 970 Raymond Ave., Suite 106 • St. Paul, MN 55114 for a refundable adoption credit so that more 651-644-3036 • [email protected] • www.nacac.org families will benefit and be able to adopt. B