Adoptive Family Wraparound

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Adoptive FamilyWraparound

• and
• The Adoptive Family Development Matrix

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Adoption Assistance Wraparound
Californias State Pilot
www.AfterAdoption.org
?2005, Kinship Center
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Adoptive Family Therapeutic Educational
Resources
What we thought was needed.
POST-ADOPTION SERVICES

• Information Referral
• Post-Adoption Library
• Individual Peer Support
• Family Group Support
• Adoptive Family Training Groups
• Social Work Assessment (situation review)
• Multi-Disciplinary Team Assessment
• Buddy System
• Childrens Support Group
• Case Management
• Education Advocacy
• Educational Evaluation
• Respite Provision
• In-Home Behavioral Counseling
• Brief Solution-Focused Therapy
• In-Home Intensive Family Therapy
• Individual Child Therapy
• Marital Therapy
• Psychological Evaluation

Lots of STUFF
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Instead - an Holistic Approach

• Adoption-competent
• Requires everyones participation
• Light at the Tunnels End
• Evaluated and Evolving (the Matrix)
• Time-Limited (6 18 months)
• The alternative to Residential Care

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Adoption Assistance Wraparound

• Is not
• New Money (s that would otherwise go to
  placement, often out of state)
• Just Respite
• Just Family Therapy
• A last-ditch Lifeline
• Case Management
• A means to Overturn the Adoption

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What is Wraparound?

• In a nutshell, the Wraparound Philosophy believes
  that rather than remove a child from the home and
  family, we should wrap individualized
  services/resources around the family in order to
  assist them to stay together.

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Adoption AssistanceWraparound Teams

• Process is Family driven and Family Owned
• Cross System Involvement
• Inclusion of Natural Helpers
• Identification of needs support/service
  solutions
• Individualized treatment/support plans
• Flexible location, timing and structure of
  meetings
• Intensiveness
• Skills, creativity willingness of participants
• Training in Wraparound Ideas
• Self-Evaluating

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Best Practice Targets for Adoption Assistance
Teams

• More informal supports on each team than system
  representatives
• The Family is in charge of the process
• Teams dedicated to maximizing Claiming Behavior
• Family can call team meetings independent of the
  Facilitator
• Each family has their own unique team
• Parent Partners are integral to all situations
• Matrix indicators drive Goal-setting.

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Necessary Strengthsthe characteristics of
successful adopters, as cited by adoptive parents
Hopefulness
Acceptance
Creativity
Flexibility
Openness
Patience
Humor
Commitment
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Frequent Needs of Adoptive Families
People to turn to just to talk
Professionals who get it
Validation and Empathy
Help with School Issues
Reduction of theISOLATION
Respite available
Any Positive Change
Any opportunity for rest
Express their worst fears
Help with guilt and regret
Permission to grieve
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The 18 Month Process

1. Community Development? Support Resources?
   School? Relatives Re-engaged? Respite
   Available

1. Identification Phase ? First
   Contact ? Eligibility ? First
   Matrix (referral)

1. Introduction Phase? First Conversation? First
   Hope? Agreement to commit? Community Team
   Approval

1. Planning and Doing ? Strengths, Needs, Goals
   ? Actions, Crises, Reports ? Grieving ?
   Evaluation (Quarterly Matrix)

1. Crisis Resolution Phase ? This is something
   different? Relief, and Rest? First Strength
   Inventory? Initial Safety Plan? Second Matrix

1. Community Transition ? Prepare for Next
   Stages ? Taking Responsibility ?
   Ensuring Financing ? Recommitment

1. Ceremony ? Telling the Tale ? Saying
   Goodbye ? Welcome the next Stage ?
   Follow-up Matrix

18 months
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In and Out of that Box.
.A Few Examples
Full-Time Driver
Wilderness Experience
In-Home Teacher
Weekend at the Hyatt
Grandma
Attachment Therapy
Online Support Group
Field Trips
Parent Groups
Co-parenting
Parent Education
Foster Respite
Weekend Camp
Pay Reluctant Professionals
Clinical Training
Conferences
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Adoption Wraparound

• Flexible and creative activities derived from a
  family-focused, strength-based, team-driven
  process.
• Primary goal is to prevent institutionalization
  of the adopted child.
• Process is limited to eighteen months.
• Attachment issues are central to achieving
  stability.
• Is not a cure-all! Some issues will remain and
  may be chronic.

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The Matrix and Goals

• Each Matrix Category is linked to one Domain
• Attachment
• Cultural
• Behavioral/Emotional
• Family
• Finances
• Health
• Legal
• Place to Live
• Relationships
• School/Work
• Social/Fun
• Spiritual

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If we always do what we always have
We will always get what we always did.
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Adoptive FamilyWraparound

• Thanks for Participating !