Caring for Kids Experiencing Loss

Kids in the foster care system have experienced trauma through abuse or neglect. Grief and loss will forever be part of their story, as well. At PCHAS, we believe they are subjects all families thinking about foster care or adoption must consider.  

The risk of loss for families is clear, and it’s the reason many people give for not wanting to foster. It makes sense. The goal is reunification, so the foster parents will experience grief if things go well. Yet, they'll likely also experience immense joy as they help restore a family.  

Families hoping to adopt may not be eager to accept several placements before adopting, and they may want to avoid the potential grief. But every route to adoption includes loss.  

Children in foster care only become available for adoption after experiencing abuse or neglect and spending at least 12-18 months in foster care. Their birth parents received a plan but did not satisfy the court's expectations for reunification. And no relatives or families friends were available or deemed an appropriate option. There is enormous loss, pain and disappointment entangled in the foster care experience, especially when the outcome is the termination of parental rights. 

Families who welcome kids through matched adoption don't have to worry about kids leaving, but the kids who join their family bring a history of significant loss that will affect the entire family.  

Whether families foster first or begin at adoptive placement, they'll love and care for kids experiencing loss. To succeed in building attachment, adoptive families must honor children's history, join them in their pain and grieve their losses. PCHAS will be by their side with training, support and resources, like Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI ®), a trauma-informed, attachment-rich model that helps parents lead children toward healing.  

Are you willing to join a child’s story and walk with them on their journey of healing? We want to connect! Call 281-324-0544, email fosteradopt@pchas.org or Join An Online Info Session to learn more.