SPAULDING FOR CHILDREN RECEIVES A 5-YEAR 9 MILLION GRANT From The Administration for Children & Families
Detroit, Michigan, January 10, 2018– Spaulding for Children, in partnership with the Child Trauma Academy, The Center for Adoption Support and Education; the North American Council on Adoptable Children; National Council for Adoption and University of Washington will develop a state-of-the-art national training program that prepares and provides on-going development for foster and adoptive parents so that they have the skills and tools needed to effectively parent children who have been exposed to trauma. In collaboration with the partner agencies, Spaulding, will develop and infuse the curriculum in 6-8 pilot sites and then assist states, counties, tribes and territories across the nation to implement the training program.
This innovative training program will use technology to promote interactional learning and assess mastery of competencies, provide on-going training which parents can easily access through an app or web based platform to continue their skill building, and allow flexibility so that participants can guide their own learning.
“There are almost 430,000 children in foster care nationwide – most of these children have endured traumatic experiences of abuse and neglect. Traumatic experiences have negative impact on children’s normal development and foster and/or adoptive families play a vital role in the healing of these children. They need families that are equipped to respond to their complex needs and help them overcome their history of abuse and neglect.” – Cristina Peixoto, President/CEO, Spaulding for Children
The development of a comprehensive training program that not only prepares families to foster and/or adopt children who have experienced trauma but also provides on-going opportunities for families to enhance their skills is critical in preparing families to care for children who have been removed from their parent’s homes.
“Through effective training, foster and adoptive parents can be empowered and better serve children who have experienced abuse, neglect and/or trauma. To care for our children of today, foster and adopt parents need to learn of the children’s hardships. We can’t help them through their journey if we don’t understand their problems. Pre-service training helps me every day, without this service I may not have been able to be successfully see 6 young men complete high school.” – Elaine Taylor, Foster/Adopt Parent, Spaulding for Children
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If you would like more information about this grant, please contact Cristina Peixoto at 248-443-0306 or cpeixoto@spaulding.org.
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