Consider the Harris Children

1. Grandmother, Aunt, Foster parents, therapists, and the siblings

2. How important might they be to each other in the future?

3. Would placing together would mean that one child’s needs would not get met?

4. What might be the negative results of separation?

4.1. depression; anger issues;

4.2. The children may resent the separation, and its cutting a serious family connection. NO BUENO

4.3. Further trauma due to feelings of loss; depression, anger, frustration, guilt

4.4. feeling alone, anxiety and worry about siblings

4.5. defiant behaviors, depression, anger

4.6. negative behaviors

4.7. bad grades, fighting, depression, anger

4.8. Further trauma and loss

4.9. More loss and grief

4.10. another loss and some regression, may hasten resiliency

4.11. Feelings of guilt

5. What might be the positives of keeping together?

5.1. Keeping a family connection, support, and confidence

5.2. Ensuring that the child does not experience further loss

5.3. maintain sibling connection; build stronger relationships

5.4. Support from each other, family connections...

5.5. Maintaining birth family connections; better adjustment to placements

5.6. support for each other

5.7. keeps a connection

5.8. Have each other to share the good, bad, and ugly of life with

5.9. sadness

5.10. keeping the connections between the siblings

6. What additional information would you want to have before making a decision?

6.1. How the children feel

6.2. Pros/Cons discussion

6.3. Would the children want to be placed together of separate

6.4. Therapist recommendation, and the childs opinion

6.5. How each of the children feel about be being placed together.

6.6. Whether or not the children wish to be separated, how they interact with one another, whether or not they can both thrive in a home together.

6.7. I am curious what their level of interaction was before DFCS became involved

6.8. What supports may be available to assist me as the adopt. parent with the transition; I may need support:)

6.9. feelings and thoughts of the siblings

7. Who might you involve in helping to make the decision to separate?

7.1. grandmother

7.2. Your SSS, Director, and Therapist

7.3. therapist, parent, the siblings,

7.4. the whole mess of folks :)

7.5. Their grandmother and "aunt", their therapists

7.6. the children, Admin, sss

7.7. Supv; foster parent; therapist; child

7.8. children, therapist, case manager, supervisor, director

7.9. SSS, director, RAC, family, foster parents

8. A feeling of connectivity and a bond that cant be broken