Information Packets produced by ORPARC

Achieving Long Term Success in Adoption
This compilation of articles reprinted here by permission from a variety of periodicals provides a broad look at techniques and family characteristics that have been associated with long term success in the raising of adopted children. It provides guidelines to consider when difficulties arise.

Adopted Youth Support Group
This manual contains eleven pages of step-by-step directions based on activities that were carried out in a support group that met in 2001. In addition, it contains selected activity sheets from a NACAC manual entitled "Family Preservation: The Second Time Around," which were used by the adopted children and the facilitators in the 2001 support group.

Attachment
This packet contains sections entitled, Attachment Theory Overview; Attachment in Adoption; Diagnoses, Dual Diagnoses, Mis-diagnoses; Treatment and Treatment Controversies; and Parenting to Promote Attachment. It also includes short, reprinted articles by Vera Fahlberg, Vick Pike, and Susan Suter, and notes on lectures by Gregory Keck and Dave Ziegler.

ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
This packet contains articles reprinted with permission from CHADD, Oregon Advocacy Center and other as well as a list of guidelines compiled and synthesized by ORPARC staff from a number of sources. Among the articles are such titles as "The Disorder Named AD/HD"; "Parenting a Child with AD/HD"; "AD/HD and Co-Existing Disorders"; "Medication Management of Children and Adults with AD/HD"; "Educational Rights for Children with AD/HD"; "Tips when Talking with Teachers"; etc.

AD-HD in Adulthood and College
This packet contains articles reprinted with permission from the CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) website. Included are such titles as "Time Management," "Managing Medication for Adults …," "Managing Money," "Succeeding in the Workplace," "Succeeding in College," "Social Skills in Adults …," “Women and AD/HD,” etc.

The Child Who Has Been Sexually Abused
Part One, "What Is Sexual Abuse And How Does It Affect Children?" defines sexual abuse, gives anecdotal examples, lists symptoms, and outlines effects on children in different age groups. Part Two, "Parenting The Child Who Has Been Sexually Abused," defines three roles for adoptive and foster parents with concrete steps parents can take to fulfill those roles. It provides hypothetical "case studies" and asks thought-provoking questions related to those situations. Part Three shows how the parent can support the healing of a child who has been sexually abused.

Dealing With Sexually Acting Out Behaviors In Children
This packet is divided into three parts, "What Is Sexually Acting Out in Children?;" "Three Goals For Parenting Children Who Sexually Act Out;" and "Reducing Risk of False Allegations of Abuse." Part one offers guidelines for evaluating what is normal, what is not, and how serious a concern it might be. Part two offers three realistic goals and methods and means of achieving them. Part three offers an 11-item checklist for preventing allegations.

Effective Discipline
This guide to working with behavior problems has sections on setting short and long range goals; parenting styles; prevention strategies; understanding the behaviors of traumatized children; and techniques that work, including natural and logical consequences, contracts, and more.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
This 8-page, nuts-and-bolts introduction to fetal alcohol exposure and its effects on children and their families is for those who have little or no knowledge of the disorder and need a basic understanding. It can be a good introduction for teachers, out of home relatives, and others the child comes into regular contact with.

Lifestory Books
This 45-page information packet is a compilation of Lifestory Book material. The contents include atricles, helpful tools, and resources.

Parenting Children Who Have Been Exposed to Methamphetamine
This information packet begins with a brief overview of current knowledge regarding the abuse of methamphetamine: what it is, how it effects the user, and how addiction is treated. Part Two contains information about the known and suspected effects on the children of methamphetamine users. It includes both prenatal exposure effects and environmental exposure effects. Part Three offers suggestions for adoptive, guardianship, and foster parents who care for the children from meth abusing homes. Part Four contains reprints of several articles on the topic, written specifically for foster and adoptive parents. Appendix A is a list of recommended resources for more information, and Appendix B contains a list of sources used to compile this information packet.

The Physically Abused or Neglected Child
This packet includes headings such as Definition, Discussion, and Indicators of Physical Abuse, Why Abuse Happens, Effects of Physical Abuse (listed by age groups), Guidelines for Parents (of children who have been abused), Dealing with the Violent Child, Child Neglect, Emotional Abuse, and Attachment and the Abused Child.

Self-Destructive Behaviors
This packet contains sections on where self-destructive behaviors come from, high risk and self harming behaviors, and working with children with suicidal behaviors.

Substance Abuse
This packet contains sections on understanding drug and alcohol use in teens; descriptions, common names and common effects and symptoms of a long list of drugs; and treatment options and the parent’s role. This information packet was based on a self-study course, which was developed by Aileen M. McInnis for the Alaska Foster Parent Training Center.

Transracial Parenting
(Description)

Youth Depression and Suicide Prevention
Section One provides facts about prevalence, risks, and treatment options for youth suffering from depression. Section Two offers statistics, facts, warning signs,and prevention and intervention strategies for youth who may be at risk for suicide attempts. The scope is limited to basic information. The “For More Information” section at the end provides further resources. This packet is not a substitute for appropriate mental health interventions. If you suspect your child suffers from depression or is at risk for suicidal thoughts or behaviors, seek professional help immediately.

Information Packets produced by other organizations

Adoption Awareness in the Schools
Educational packet used by adoptive families to help educate school professionals on issues faced by and related to adopted children. Packet includes several handouts and resources teachers can use when developing their curriculum. Packet includes a 16-minute video (description follows):

Through conversations with adopted children, their families, and education professionals, this video demonstrates ways to address family issues in the classroom that are helpful to adopted children and respectful of their unique sensibilities. It focuses on three observations: certain class assignments can be traumatic for adopted children; adoptive families need teachers as partners; and certain adoption terms can be painful to adopted children and their families.

Oregon's Legal Guide for Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children
The first half of this booklet helps caregivers understand their legal rights in a number of situations. The second half offers practical suggestions for dealing with such things as school registration, medical insurance, financial assistance (food stamps, SSI, respite care, etc.), housing considerations, violence in the family, etc., and a list of resources.

A Resource Guide for Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children in Oregon, 2007
Hundres of families in Oregon find themselves caring for relative children. Sometimes families need help to meet these children's needs. Relatives' willingness to care for a relative child is a gift--to the child and to the parents. The hope is that the information on resources, benefits, and services in this guide can assist grandparents and relative care providers take care of a relative child when his or her parents are unable to do so.

SensAbilities: Understanding Sensory Integration
This book, written in easy-to-understand language for parents of children who have problems integrating sensory input, opens the door to understanding and treating the disorder. It introduces some of the difficulties the child may encounter, examines specific types of problems related to the disorder, and offers ways to help remediate those problems. Suggested techniques are straightforward and nurturing, respecting the child’s dignity. They are easy to implement and fun too.

Special Education: A Guide for Parents and Advocates
Individualized packets will be sent to families based on the age and “status” of their child. Early Intervention materials, for instance, would be sent only to families with a child not yet five years old, and Section 504 materials would not be sent for a child already on an IEP. Call for a custom designed packet.

Starting and Nurturing Adoptive Parent Groups: A Guide for Leaders
Produced by NACAC, this guide has chapters on types of groups, getting started, developing group identity, managing meetings, becoming nonprofit, financial planning and fund raising, and rejuvenating your group.

Sticking Together: Kinship Care & Financial Care
This handbook from the National Endowment for Financial Education and Child Welfare League of America, focusing primarily on grandparents raising grandchildren, examines legal, emotional, social, financial and medical considerations. It covers such basic needs as food, clothing, shelter, education, child care, transportation and medical and dental care. It is a non-return item that you may keep for continued reference.

The Storm in my Brain: Kids and Mood Disorders (Bipolar Disorder & Depression)
This non-return booklet, produced by the Child & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, is beautifully illustrated by kids ages 6 to 18. It offers a practical and insightful look into mood disorders, answering the questions both kids suffering from one and their parents might ask. It contains phone numbers and web sites.

The Story That Makes Me Special
"The Story That Makes Me Special" is only one part of a larger binder of material entitled "FAMILY PRESERVATION: The Second Time Around, A Curriculum for Adoptive Families" produced by the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC). ORPARC received permission from NACAC to reproduce and distribute the "Lifebook" tab of this binder, under "PART II: Latency-Age Curriculum" Lifebook II-129, which is "The Story That Makes Me Special" by Peg Studaker, Judy Haines, and Deb Contag Al-Aidy and Illustrated by Michaelin Otis.

Tips and Techniques for Adoptive Parent Support Groups
This pamphlet, produced by the state of Oregon, discusses the objectives and functions of various types of support group; organizational considerations such as time, place, size, who would facilitate, etc; considerations around group process; and more.

Transitions: Moving Children with Sensitivity
This booklet is a hodgepodge including a PowerPoint print-out, a questionnaire, a reprinted magazine article, an activities list, checklists, fill-in-the-blanks materials, and a book list. Some of it is geared toward professionals and some geared toward parents, adoptive and foster.

Trying Differently Rather Than Harder: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders
This booklet is divided into five sections entitled, " What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?"; "Reframing Perceptions from 'Won’t' to 'Can’t'"; "Application" (which helps parents consider how to proceed in light of their "reframed perceptions"); "Examples of Behavioral Characteristics and Effective Adaptations"; and "Comments, Questions and Resources", respectively.

Questions to ask yourself. A book for kids, like you, who live with their grandparents
ORPARC has this booklet as a PDF printable file. This booklet was created with assistance of: Aging and Disability Services of Multnomah County, Lifespan Respite Care Network of Multnomah County, Oregon Post Adoption Resource Center, The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, and Nickey.

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A program of Northwest Resource Associates. Funded by the State of Oregon Department of Human Services, Child Welfare. Copyright © 2008 Northwest Resource Associates and the Oregon Post Adoption Resource Center. All rights reserved. Privacy policy.