HOPE National Resource Center Director, Bob Sege, went to Darwin Australia two weeks ago. Below is his firsthand experience and impression of how international foster care organizations are practicing the HOPE framework.
I recently gave a keynote address at the International Foster Care Organization’s annual meeting in Darwin Australia. This was their first in-person meeting since 2019.
About half of participants were foster parents, while the other half worked for foster care organizations. Many people were both raising children in foster care and working in foster care systems. In addition, there were many children in the foster care system present at the meeting, who were enjoying their time with family and friends at the beautiful Darwin harbor.
Yet, when you look at things through their eyes, children placed in out of home care have experienced adversity. Children’s journeys through foster care vary and may include additional disruptions. Foster care placements can vary from short emergencies or last many years. Some children experience multiple foster homes, some maintain contact with their families and communities of origin, while others cannot.
The HOPE (Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences) framework shifts the focus from adversity to strength and resilience. Those providing care for children in the foster care system can create opportunities or build on existing positive childhood experiences, adding an additional dimension to the usual focus on diagnosis and treatment of trauma-related needs. Children, even those with mental or physical ailments, benefit from positive experiences.
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If you are interested in a HOPE 101 Training and would like to learn more about Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences (HOPE), please contact Alyssa Burke at (530) 268-5879 or email her at hopewithalyssa@gmail.com.