Have you ever had a flat tire and discovered that you have the wrong size spare, no tire iron nor drinking water in your car, the temperature is 16 degrees and dropping, while Triple A is at least 2 hours away? Sometimes parenting children and youth who have experienced trauma, upheaval, and the loss of their birth family, whether at birth or after years in the child welfare system, can feel like this.
In this interactive day of training, we will focus on what foster, adoptive, and kinship parents can realistically expect, not only within the first few months after placement, but over the entire parenting journey. As children grow and develop, their difficult behaviors, stresses, and daily challenges will change, requiring an informed, adaptive, and flexible approach to parenting. Parents and caregivers need parenting and advocacy strategies to fill their tool kit for this journey of a lifetime.
This training is informed by the latest research and evidence-based practices related to the impact of trauma on developing children and adolescents; building, restoring, and sustaining healthy attachments; and the role of culture and history on development and resilience. Participants will learn how to better understand the challenges they face and will gain practical tools particularly in the areas of:
- Trauma-informed parenting across stages of development
- Self-care for the caregiver
- Advocacy across multiple systems
About the Trainer:
Sue Badeau is a nationally known speaker, writer, and consultant. She has worked for many years in child welfare, juvenile justice, children’s mental health, and education and serves on several national boards. Sue writes and speaks extensively on topics related permanency, trauma, children with special needs, and family engagement. Sue and her husband, Hector, are the lifetime parents of 22 children, two by birth and 20 adopted (three, with terminal illnesses, are now deceased). They have also served as foster parents for more than 50 children in three states.
They have authored a book about their family’s parenting journey, Are We There Yet: The Ultimate Road Trip Adopting and Raising 22 Kids.
$50/participant
$80/twosome
Registration Deadline: October 27th, 2015
A block of rooms has been reserved; please see more information on our registration page.
Register online or call 414-475-1246 for more information
Note: Due to the sensitive nature of the material being discussed, children (including babies) will not be admitted to the conference. Please arrange for childcare.
Questions? Contact info@coalitionforcyf.org or call414-475-1246