The PresentationThe presentation comes at two important times for two very important reasons. Initially, you will have a meeting with the child's Case Worker and Resource Family Team Worker who will "present" information about the child to you and then ask you to think on whether or not the child will be a good fit for your family. This is called the "presentation." Some agencies will tape record the presentation so you can refer back to it if you need to. Some of the information you will get during the presentation may include:1. Important information about the case and, generally, how the birth parents are doing with their treatment plans. 2. Major known incidents in the child's life that could affect his/her normal growth or behavior. 3. Where the child is developmentally, including any therapies the child is currently receiving. 4. Information about possible kinship placements and where the agency is in the process of reviewing them. 5. Information known about the child's health history. This presentation is as detailed as it can be, though they are often very early in the child's placement into foster care. It's important to understand that not all information about the child's past is known at this time. Remember, the birth parents are fighting to keep their child so they most likely are not going to reveal significant trauma they know the child has been through for fear of being labeled negligent parents. In one of my child's cases, the sexual trauma was not evident until about 4 months after he had moved into my house. Therapists often say that a child tends to not reveal his/her traumatic past until they have begun to feel safe in their lives. As a child settles in to a safe placement, the details of their trauma will slowly be revealed (and it will be surprising, shocking, and often sickening). It's important to remember that I am writing from my own experience, having adopted 3 children at 3, 9 and 13, in that order. It's also important to know that a couple friends of mine adopted a little girl who moved in to their home directly from the hospital at 12 days old. Their daughter is doing beautifully and does not suffer from any trauma.
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