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Intercountry adoptive parent education

• Module 1 - Introduction
  • What is adoption?
  • Who is involved in the adoption process?
  • The adoption process
  • Adoption Services Queensland
  • Suggested reading
• Module 2 - The needs of overseas children requiring permanent adoptive placements in Queensland
  • Overseas country information
  • Are you suited to intercountry adoption?
  • Motivation to adopt
  • Issues and challenges faced by adoptive parents
  • Placement proposals
  • Building resilience with your adopted child
  • Suggested reading
• Module 3 - Child development
  • Understanding child development
  • Factors that impact on child development
  • A child's understanding of adoption
  • Suggested reading
• Module 4 - Attachment and bonding
  • Attachment theory
  • What is attachment and bonding?
  • Types of attachment
  • Attachment behaviour
  • Signs of healthy attachment and bonding
  • Attachment disorder
  • Impact of attachment on adoptive parenting
  • The arousal-relaxation cycle
  • Developing an attachment with your child
  • Suggested reading
• Module 5 - Separation, grief and loss
  • Definition of loss and grief
  • The impact of loss on adoptive parents
  • The impact of loss on adopted children
  • Effects and strategies for dealing with a child's loss
  • Understanding the impact of loss on an adopted child
  • The impact of loss on birth parents
  • The grief process
  • Suggested reading
• Module 6 - Identity and culture
  • Your feelings about ethnic background and culture
  • The impact of adoption on your family
  • Definition of ethnicity, culture and identity
  • Addressing cultural identity
  • The cultural heritage plan
  • Barriers to developing a child's cultural identity
  • A child's racial awareness
  • Stages of development of racial identity
  • Combating racism
  • Telling your child they are adopted
  • The adoptive family life cycle
  • Suggested reading
• Module 7 - Preparing for assessment
  • Departmental assessment considerations
  • Assessing a couple's suitability
  • Meeting the assessment criteria
  • The assessment process
  • Placement considerations
  • Assessors - their perspective
  • Establishing a family tree and Ecomap
  • Suggested reading
• Module 8 - Placement information
  • Medical assessment of children adopted from overseas
  • Lodging an application with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship
  • Migration Health Check
  • Naming your child
  • Travel arrangements
  • Arrival in Australia
  • Queensland Birth Certificate
  • Australian Citizenship
  • Adoptive parent support groups
  • Life Story Book
  • Suggested reading
• Module 9 - General reading
• Family profile
  • My family profile
• Printable version
• Contacts

Module 4 - Attachment and bonding

• Learning objectives
• Jennifer's story
• Structure

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Learning objectives

The learning objectives of Module 4 are:

• to provide an understanding of attachment and bonding issues
• to provide an understanding of the direct implications for adoptive parenting
• to provide parenting strategies that enhance attachment.

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Jennifer's story

Jennifer slumped onto the couch, exhausted. It was her husband's turn to walk the baby. Their new son, two-month-old Jonathon, had been in their home for only a week. Arriving from Honduras, he had not adjusted to any schedule. His days and nights were confused and all he would do was cry.

'I really don't think I am cut out to be a mother', Jennifer remarked to Jodie, another adoptive parent, who had stopped in for a visit. 'I feel so frustrated and angry with this child'.

Jodie got up, walked over to the couch and sat down next to Jennifer.

'I know it is difficult, I've been there', Jodie empathised. 'He is still a stranger who won't let you rest, isn't he? You haven't fallen in love with him yet'.

Jennifer looked at Jodie with an incredible sense of relief. Torn with guilt and drained by exhaustion, Jennifer felt anything but love for this child. Worst of all, she and her husband felt like complete failures. They didn't realise that a very important process was taking place, but it was only in its infancy.

That process was attachment - the deep sense of belonging to each other

Schooler 1993, p. 80

This module will briefly outline the fundamental concepts of attachment and attachment disorders, as well as provide an explanation of the implications of attachment for adoptive parenting, both on a short-term and long-term basis.

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Structure

This module is structured as a number of topics:

• Attachment theory
• What is attachment and bonding?
• Types of attachment
• Attachment behaviour
• Signs of healthy attachment and bonding
• Attachment disorder
• Impact of attachment on adoptive parenting
• The arousal-relaxation cycle
• Developing an attachment with your child
• Suggested reading

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Last updated

19 October 2007