Helping Children Cope with Trauma

All children can experience trauma. What is the difference between those kids who survive (and maybe even thrive) and those who fall apart? How is this relevant to adoptive parents? Host Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national infertility & adoption education and support nonprofit, interviews Sue Badeau, a nationally known speaker, writer and consultant. She and her husband, Hector, are lifetime parents of twenty-two children (20 adopted) and foster parents to more than 50 children. They are authors of the book Are We There Yet: The Ultimate Road Trip Adopting and Raising 22 Kids. Sue has worked in the field of child welfare for over 30 years and has developed curriculum and training for adoption social workers and parents.

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Hit the Highlights

Sue Badeau’s story of how she became a mother to 22 kids.
What factors are important at determining how kids respond to trauma? Which kids seem to be able to go on with life without carrying the huge burden of the trauma, while some never reach their potential because of the abuse.
How important is the type of abuse in determining how kids respond?
How important is the age and developmental stage of the child in how they respond to trauma?
How is parenting a child who has experienced trauma different than parenting a child that has not?
How can parents help a child that has experienced abuse or neglect attach?
What should parents who are exploring adopting older kids consider to help them decide if they are the right family to adopt that child?
Tips for parents to help their children cope with trauma.