There are several factors that may affect a foster or adopted child's grief. The length or depth of the grief may be contributed to by the following:
- Reason for move. Why was the child removed from the home or placed for adoption? Abuse? Neglect? Drug/Alcohol abuse?
Age. How old was the child at the time of the placement - not only chronologically but emotionally?
Timeline of move. Did the placement happen after many visits or suddenly? The trauma of moving into a foster home after being removed from his/her birth home by the police is going to have more of an affect on a child than the planned move from a foster home into an adoptive home.
Support. Level of support and understanding given to the child. An understanding foster/adoptive parent who is open to talking about the child's losses and listening to the child's feelings will help the overall grieving process.
By being aware of the above we can more fully understand the child's behavior and help care for his/her emotional well being.
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