It’s interesting that several of the listserves I’m on right now are discussing how to “get the word out” or how hard it is to make others understand the plight of traumatized children and their families. Although the discussions have taken decidedly different turns on each list, there are several common pitfalls that keep the rest of the world from understanding what these children and families need.

Pitfall # 1: People Just Don’t Know What Trauma Can Do

I’ve said before that if I had a nickel for every time someone... more

As several on this blog site are talking about adoption reform, several moms in my world of parenting special needs adopted children, especially those parenting traumatized children are talking about what needs to change in that arena.

In my mind these two purposes -- adoption reform and advocating for traumatized children – are inescapably linked. The vast majority of children in adoptive or foster families have experienced some kind of trauma in their lives. It continues to amaze me that what started out as two topics on adoptionblogs.com... more

Margaret Mikol is a mom after my own heart. Even though we’ve never met, I feel like I know a great deal about her. Margaret is the mom of a special needs child. In 1978, her daughter, Julia, was born with a severe combined immunodeficiency, a condition that required a completely sterile environment. Like the “boy in the bubble”, Julia lived at the hospital (and so did Margaret) for years. Like the parents of Katie Beckett, the Mikols quickly exceeded their insurance coverage and had to rely on Medicaid to cover the $350,000 annual price tag. Like Katie Beckett,... more

Those advocating for special education students in Georgia got a shot in the arm last night…SB10 passed! It is now on its way to the Governor, where it is expected that he will sign it. This means that starting the 2007-2008 school year, any child currently enrolled in public school in Georgia with a special education eligibility will be able to receive a voucher that can be used at private schools or public schools of their choice.... more

One of the most difficult, yet needed, things for special needs children is effective advocacy. During the special education training I received recently, a speaker pointed out that people with disabilities is the largest and fastest-growing minority in the United States. This information itself points out the need for effective advocacy. How many of you realized people with disabilities was the largest minority? How often do you hear about the rights of disabled people being violated? Chances are unless you yourself are disabled or an immediate relative of a disabled person, you rarely think about it when the term “discrimination” is used – thinking much more about race, gender and sexual... more

Finally, here are my thoughts based on the policy perspective report issued by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute and The Center for Adoption Support and Education: "Adoption in the Schools: A Lot to Learn, Promoting Equality and Fairness for all Children and Their Families."

It was obvious to me from this report that... more

Here are some ideas for action from the policy perspective report issued by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute and The Center for Adoption Support and Education: "Adoption in the Schools: A Lot to Learn, Promoting Equality and Fairness for all Children and Their Families."

The report laid it out pretty clearly – that... more

Part 1 Part 2

I’m continuing to digest the information in the policy perspective report issued by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute and The Center for Adoption Support and Education: "Adoption... more

Part 1

I’m continuing to digest the information in the policy perspective report issued by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute and The Center for Adoption Support and Education: "Adoption in the Schools: A Lot to Learn, Promoting... more

So, it’s official. Schools have a lot to learn about adopted kids. And thankfully, the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, in conjunction with The Center for Adoption Support and Education, has compiled research that shows just that in a recent policy perspective entitled "Adoption in the Schools: A Lot to Learn, Promoting Equality and Fairness... more