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School Supports and Resources for Adoptees

Whether you are an adoption professional, educator, or parent, be encouraged!

Access services and resources to support children in school settings.

Key Trainings & Articles
Tips & Resources for Adoptive Parents and Professionals
Common School-Related Challenges

Common School-Related Challenges

Tips and Resources for Parents

Educators and Other Professionals

We can help.

For adoptees, school can come with its own set of unique challenges and opportunities. Whether you are a parent, educator, or another caring professional we’re here to help you create a positive and inclusive school experience for adopted youth.

Facts & Statistics

35-50%

of students in foster care are receiving or in need of special education services.

2x More Likely

for adopted children and those in kinship care to receive special education service.

2x More Likely

for adopted children to receive special needs referrals.

Meese (1999); Van IJzendoorn, Juffer, & Poelhuis (2006); Ringeisen, Casanueva, Cross, & Urato (2009)

“Children heal from trauma through multiple small healthy interactions each day, which means that teachers and parents need to be attuned and ready to meet the needs of traumatized children whenever the opportunity arises.”

- A. Lewis

Tips and Resources

For Adoptive Parents, Educators and Other Professionals

%
%
%

of teachers reported receiving professional training about adoption

of teachers reported feeling "very prepared" by their training to work with adopted students and families

of teachers wanted to know more about a child's adoptive status/history but were unsure of how/who to ask

IEP and 504 Plan Basics

Assessment and Intervention

Assessments provide a comprehensive baseline of the child’s current strengths and challenges and are critical for establishing effective interventions.

Interventions such as language and speech support, social-emotional adaptations, and provision of trauma competency training for professionals assist children and their families. Common services include speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy and transportation services.

Key educational interventions include:

  • IEPs or 504 plans
  • Parent-teacher partnerships
  • Necessary out-of-school services (i.e., mental health counseling)
  • Teacher interventions
    • Trainings
    • Classroom adjustments sensitive to adoption and trauma
  • Parental interventions
    • Parental responsiveness, sensitivity and support
    • Attachment
elementary school aged children running up steps that lead into their school
teacher calling on a student who has their hand raised in class

Important Educational Laws

Rehabilitation Act of 1973

  • Part of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Establishes 504 Plans
  • Mandates that all public schools must provide children with disabilities with accommodations and supports that will help them fully participate in education and all school-related activities

 

Individuals with Disabilities and Education Act (IDEA)

  • Establishes Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)
  • Provides that all children are guaranteed a free, appropriate, public education in the least restrictive environment

“Ending the summer and beginning a new school year is a source of both excitement and anxiety for most children. But amidst the thrill of choosing special school supplies, finding a distinctive backpack, and shopping for new clothes are anxiety-inducing questions such as: Will I like my new teacher? Will I be in the same class as my friends? While for most children this transition to a new teacher and a new class may present a mild challenge, for children with histories of trauma or harm, entering school may reactivate previous uncertainties, losses, fears, and terrors.”

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