Training Emergent Practitioners to Work with Adopted Children and Families through a Trauma-Sensitive Paradigm

Abstract

The foundational principles of school psychology training are designed to equip emerging professionals to collaborate with children and families from diverse backgrounds. Given the evolving landscape of family dynamics within society, it is imperative that school psychology training paradigms have adapted accordingly. However, a notable gap existed in specific data regarding how training programs prepared practitioners to work with adoptive families and children who had experienced trauma prior to or through adoption. This article discusses the essential need for trainers to possess a comprehensive understanding of the unique needs and trauma associated with adoption, enabling them to instruct future professionals in providing support for adoptive families through a trauma-sensitive lens. Furthermore, trainers must be cognizant of potential triggers related to trauma within the training curriculum, particularly for graduate students who have been adopted themselves. This review examined the critical components involved with adoption-related trauma that trainers need to integrate across the core areas of assessment, intervention, counseling, and consultation. Additionally, this article incorporates insights from the personal experiences of an adoptive mother who serves as a school psychology trainer and a graduate student who was adopted, thereby enriching the discussion with valuable perspectives alongside relevant practice and training implications.