School Issues for Adopted Children
Schools can unintentionally be a minefield for adopted children and their parents. Issues related to school that adoptive families face can include:
- The language used to talk about adoption and birth families
- What, who, and when to talk with school personnel about your child’s history
- Traditional assignments such as family tree and baby picture
- Learning issues cause by early deprivation or prenatal exposure
- Ethnicity and racial issues
Creating a Family has many resources to help you handle these sticky issues. A few we think you will find particularly helpful are:
- Easing the Transition to a New School Year for Adopted, Foster, & Kinship Kids (article)
- Help! My Child Hates School! (article)
- What Do You Share At School About Your Child’s Story? (article)
- Advocating for Your Foster or Kinship Child at School (article)
- A Letter to My Adopted Child’s Teacher (article)
- When the School System Feels Like the Bully (article)
- How Do Teachers Understand Adoption (and What Parents Can Do About It) (1 hr. podcast w/ experts)
- Back to School with Foster & Adopted Kids (1 hr. podcast w/ expert)
- School Issues for Kids Who Struggle (1 hr. podcast w/ experts)
- Suggested Books on ADD and Learning Differences for Adoptive Parents
*While many of the school issues encountered by foster & kinship families are quite similar to those that adoptive families face, there are some unique differences. You can find resources for School Issues for Foster & Kinship Kids at this link.
Many more Creating a Family interviews with experts, blogs, and fact sheets on school issues can be found at the icons below.
Image credit: Kate Ter Haar
Additional Resources
Creating a Family Radio Shows on School Issues
Creating a Family Blogs on School Issues
Creating a Family Factsheets, Tips on School Issues