#relationships

Audio Version of the Training Manual for Case Workers

Posted on July 13, 2023September 12, 2023 by Florence

I am proud to announce the audio version of all 17 chapters of ‘Understanding the Trauma of Children from Institutions. A training manual for caseworkers’ are now all available to order for a small price at the web shop of this website. You can order the chapters individually, or all 17 together (in which case the price will be reduced to include taxes in the 1 euro fee per chapter and the Conclusion is added free of charge) HERE.

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Introductory Video of the Model of Understanding Trauma

Posted on April 7, 2023September 12, 2023 by Florence

In the books ‘Understanding the Trauma of Institutionalised Children. To support the child you adopt’ and ‘Understanding the Trauma of Children from Institutions. A training manual for case workers’ I have given a pretty detailed overview of what is problematic about children growing up in institutions and how well-supported families can help children from institutions overcome the challenges that have developed.

Model for Setting Up Alternative Care System: Preparing Children 2

Posted on June 15, 2020May 14, 2020 by Florence

Part 16 of the explanation with the ToC: Last Thursday the reasons for the need for preparation of children were explained, in this blog, some practical tips on how to help the child make a smooth transition.

Model for Setting Up Alternative Care System: Individual Assessment

Posted on May 28, 2020May 14, 2020 by Florence

Part 11 of the explanation with the ToC: No matter whether you are working on the national, district or grassroots level, individual assessments need to be done for every single child, to be able to determine what his or her situation is and what kind of placement is in his or her best interest.

Just Add Another One

Posted on January 20, 2020January 20, 2020 by Florence

At the IFCO seminar in London last month, Jackie Sanders, from the Fostering Network gave a presentation looking at how foster care had developed in the UK from the 1970s to now. The contrast was striking and the lessons learned are particularly important for people, like me, working on setting up foster care systems, helping them avoid the same pitfalls.

Involving Everyone

Posted on January 9, 2020January 4, 2020 by Florence

At the IFCO Seminar in London, last month, IFCO President Danielle Douglas held a talk about where she feels foster care and kinship care are heading, particularly in a global perspective. During this talk she brought up many important points such as the need for more data, the need to take include marginalised children in planning and building of services and the importance of deinstitutionalisation. However, for this blog, I want to lift out a particular topic that she raised, one that is ignored far too often: taking into account the rights and needs of ALL different actors in the fostering relationship.

Early Childhood Intervention

Posted on December 6, 2019December 6, 2019 by Florence

When listening to Professor Frank Oberklaid talking about the ‘brain architecture being built in an hierarchical ‘bottom up’ sequence’, at the DI conference in Sofia, last month, I was struck by the methaphor he used. I have been using phrases like ‘the foundation of the brain’ and ‘when you build on a foundation with holes in it, the building won’t stand’ to explain the effects of institutionalisation on children for years now, but I had never heard anyone else use ‘architectural terms.’