Extensive research highlights the importance of birth family connection for children and youth in care, as long as that contact does not present risk. Key Assets Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada) provides care for more than 100 children and youth in rural and urban communities, both on the island portion of the province and in remote northern areas.
Children and youth come into care because of parental limitations or lifestyle choices which have led to neglect, abuse, exposure to unsafe situations or abandonment. Children and youth rarely come into care because they are not loved by their families and rarely do children and youth want to terminate all contact with birth families. Carers come into foster care because of a deep concern for children and youth and a wish to make life better for them. Birth families often resent others who are caring for their children and it is often difficult for carers to move beyond their reactions to the trauma the child in their care has experienced to develop a relationship with the birth family. Key Assetts Newfoundland and Labrador recognises the importance of bridging that gap between systems and strives to draw the birth family into the parenting team whenever this is in the child's best interest.
Key Assets Newfoundland and Labrador offers a Birth Parents Program and a Carers' Group. In this workshop participants will be introduced to a selection of activities developed and offered for these groups as well as evaluations of the activities by group members.Targeted psychoeducational activities aimed at increasing understanding, promoting self-evaluation, and building empathy have helped bridge the gap between these two systems, both deeply invested in the child's journey. Participants will experience an activity and leave with handout activities that can be used in home agencies.
