CK Post Adoption Services
CK Family Services understands the commitment to adopt a child from TDFPS comes with great rewards, and oftentimes great challenges. That is why we are available to support adoptive families every step of their journey. Through our post-adoption program, we offer guidance and support to families who have adopted children from Child Protective Services. Our mission is to assist adoptive families in adjusting to the new family dynamic, cope with the child’s history of abuse, neglect and trauma and assist with mental health issues the child may be experiencing.
Services
Therapeutic Camping
Assist in finding state licensed camps for children who may benefit from participation in camp activities that develop a child’s social skills, self-image or self-esteem.
Case Management
The trained Post Adoption Service Coordinators will meet with families face-to face (in-state families) to review the application and background information and obtain any additional information to assess the adopted child and family’s needs. This information will be used to develop the Service Plan with specific goals for the family. Service Coordinators will connect the family with appropriate community resources, provide consultation and personalized training, and offer guidance and attendance at school and community meetings as requested by family.
Counseling
Due to the emotional impact of a child’s history, as well as the adjustment to the overall adoption, oftentimes children and families benefit from therapeutic services through a qualified counselor. CK staff will assist families in identifying counselors in their area that are equipped to meet the therapeutic needs of the family. Post adoption funding may be used to contribute toward the costs associated with counseling services.
Respite Care
Intermittent Alternate Care (also referred to as respite care) is childcare provided for a brief period of specified time to families that have adopted children with special needs. Respite services may be used to help resolve a family crisis, or to maintain or improve the family’s healthy functioning. Through the post adoption program, parents will receive financial assistance to pay for respite care. Respite services may be provided out of the home, in the home or by a member related to the family. In the event respite care is not available or approved, below is a listing of local parent-night-out opportunities and low cost child care events.
Therapeutic Camping
Adopted children often benefit from participation in camp activities that focus on improving a child’s social skills, self-image, and self-esteem through a group-learning experience; or camps that develop a child’s skills in a specific activity (examples: athletics, music). The post adoption program is able to contribute toward an adopted child’s camp cost when the camp has current state agency license from DFPS or Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), or the appropriate licensing entity if the camp is located outside of Texas. Only adopted children are eligible for Therapeutic or Specialized Camp through the post adoption services program.
Day Treatment and Residential Care
Children experiencing severe emotional problems may qualify for partial day treatment programs or residential treatment outside the home. Such programs are only to be used in extreme crisis situations and when other methods of preserving the child’s placement in the home have been attempted. Once a family has been enrolled in post adoption services, agency staff are available to discuss this option with parents on a case by case basis.
Parent Training and Support
The post adoption program encourages adoptive families to regularly participate in support groups and parent training opportunities that are uniquely designed to increase the parents’ knowledge of child development; increase the parents’ knowledge of the effects and dynamics of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and neglect; inform parents of specialized methods of behavior management and discipline; and increase parents’ awareness of special issues related to adoption, including trauma informed care approaches.
How To Get Started
There are plenty of ways to engage with our Post Adoption program. Feel free to complete the inquiry application below.
You will be contacted by CK staff for further instructions regarding required documentation as well as the full application. Enrollment in the post adoption program does not require a fee for services. We can’t wait to work with you and your family!
CK Post Adoption partners with a wide variety of community resources to help support you in the post adoption journey. At CK, we know that adoptees and adoptive parents have shared the need to gather in a community to connect and share their unique experiences along the adoption journey. We partner with a variety of organizations in the community to ensure that you do not miss out on the opportunity to make these connections.
![Mom and her daughter wrapped in blanket](https://ckfamilyservices.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/mom_daughter.jpg)