family and child

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Tina and Her Family: The Need for Care and Stability

The following case study involves a family in need of support and intervention.

While the context is critical to the case, the focus of the case information is the family,

primarily the mother, Donna and the preschool child, Tina. Please refer to the set of

questions in the Journal 8 description, and respond to the case. What are your thoughts on

the role that the pre-K and Kindergarten school program should have with Tina? How can

they best support her and address her needs?

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Tina is a 5-year-old child with emotional needs who has two brothers Alex, age 2

and Aiden, age 7. When Tina was 4-years old, she and her siblings were living with their

28-year-old mother Donna in temporary shelter housing. Donna had been diagnosed with

mild depression, and soon after became overwhelmed caring for her three children.

Without the support of her own parents due to their chronic medical needs, Donna had

requested shelter housing after she became estranged from her children’s father and could

not renew the lease on her small apartment. Donna had reasons for her depressive

symptomology, and was advised during the shelter intake that she needed to seek an

evaluation as she may need therapy and other forms of support to address her parenting

needs. Soon after, Donna was evaluated and began treatment that included individual

therapy and medication. However, Donna continued to appear overwhelmed in her

parenting role.

A month into the shelter placement, Donna was observed drinking alcohol in the

shelter at various times throughout the day. She began to show signs of even less energy

and focus for important caregiving tasks such as caring for her youngest son Alex and

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getting Tina and Aiden ready for school. Donna’s behavior was a concern to the shelter

staff and other families. Staff had offered her support with parenting tasks and childcare,

but they needed to address Donna’s alcohol abuse as a violation, as alcohol use was

firmly prohibited for anyone staying at the family shelter. The primary concern was for

Donna’s children care and safety as they needed the shelter housing along with their

mother.

Tina and Her Brothers: Placement in Kinship Care

After initial warnings from staff, the concerns for Donna increased with regard to

her ability to consistently care for her children and to follow shelter rules and

expectations. The children began seeking out other adults when they needed comfort or

attention. This situation was documented by the team staff and reported to the shelter’s

clinical social worker, who after meeting with Donna referred the family case to the

Department of Children and Families. After an investigation and full case review, the

children were voluntarily placed in foster care (kinship care) with Donna’s maternal aunt

and uncle who had a stable home and one pre-teen daughter. Donna had thought of her

aunt and uncle as an option when asked about family, though she had not been in regular

contact with them. She was feeling remorseful about her behavior, and agreed to the

recommendation for her children’s temporary placement with kin. Donna told her worker

that she knew she must be more committed to improving her health and her situation.

The aunt and uncle agreed to an emergency placement and the required home study.

They had not seen Donna in over a year, but were willing to care for Tina and her

brothers as a support to the children and as a support for Donna as well. When the

children’s father Alan was contacted regarding his children and Donna’s current status,

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he agreed to provide financial support when he was settled in a new job, but he did not

feel prepared for involvement and full time care for his children. He lacked economic and

other resources and had moved out of state, both to avoid Donna and to seek job

opportunities near his extended family. The father shared in writing that he would like to

be informed of his children’s well being, but could not give the children what they

needed at this time.

Donna’s Hope for Reunification

Donna was in need of employment as well, as her lack of a job was a factor in her

difficult situation. She was offered the opportunity to live with her maternal aunt and

uncle as she sought job training and continued treatment. This option to reside with her

children during placement, required Donna’s agreement to receive twice-weekly

counseling and to abstain from alcohol use. However, once the children were placed,

Donna refused to live in her aunt and uncle’s home. She was suddenly angry and began

to resist the treatment for her depression and related alcohol abuse. She said the shelter

staff was unfair to her and that her light drinking was to relax and de-stress given the

break-up from the children’s father. Donna began to feel misunderstood by the

Department of Children and Families and did not like the idea of rigid rules and

expectations. The aunt and uncle wanted Donna to take better care of herself and to

receive the needed care.

The social workers agreed that this kinship placement was in the best interests of

the children even if Donna did not decide to live with her children. Donna stayed with a

friend in her small apartment, and was given a schedule for visitation. The visitation

schedule allowed Donna to have frequent contact with her children. Donna’s hope was

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for reunification, but this required that she cooperate with all aspects of the treatment

plan. The social worker and intervention team believed reunification was possible, and

they had hope for Donna given they knew she was at a difficult time period in her life.

Ideally, with better care for herself, Donna could provide better care for her children.

Tina’s Response to the Changes and the Support From Her School

Tina was enrolled in a public school pre-kindergarten class. Tina’s teachers knew

her well and were very sensitive to her needs. They had observed changes in Tina’s

behavior before the placement with her aunt and uncle. Tina began to appear less

outgoing, vigilant and cautious. The teachers had unanswered questions, but were pleased

that Tina could be encouraged to participate and play alongside others. At times Tina

seemed distracted and appeared to have a “worried look”. The teaching staff soon learned

that shelter life was more stressful for the mother and the family than they realized, and

that Tina’s father had moved away. Tina had little contact with her father anymore.

Tina’s emotional needs included the tendency to cry more easily when stressed and to

withdraw when overwhelmed. These were areas of concern; however, Tina typically

responded to reassurances and guidance from familiar teachers.

When Tina was first placed with her great aunt and uncle, this was a big change and

a time of uncertainty. Tina received ongoing attention and support from her familiar

teachers and the early education staff. Given the need to update all consent and contact

forms and keep in communication with caregivers, teachers became more fully aware of

the family changes. Tina missed seeing her mom every day, but seemed comfortable with

her great aunt and uncle and responded well to their care. Having her brothers with her

was helpful as well. The great aunt and uncle agreed to continue with the custody plan as

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long as needed given their worries about Donna’s mental health and how her situation led

to the neglect of her children. Safety was paramount at this time.

The aunt and uncle lived in the same school district, so Tina and her older brother

were able to remain at the same school. Tina’s younger brother was cared for at home by

the great aunt at this time. When stability in her kinship placement and in her pre-K

classroom, Tina was able to make progress in math and literacy readiness. Her

cautiousness decreased, and she shared and played more openly with other children. The

placement with her great aunt and uncle continued into the summer months, so Tina

attended her school’s six-week summer early childhood program and then successfully

advanced to the kindergarten class.

Reunification Efforts

Donna had reluctantly agreed to the treatment required by the Department of Child

and Family Services before the summer, even though she had delayed this and wanted to

be with her children on her own terms. Once treatment was consistent, Donna had shared

with the social worker that her treatment was helping her open up more about her feelings

and her depression. Donna missed her children’s father, and felt a mix of intense anger

and sadness, but she finally realized she had to care for herself and her children without

his presence. Even though she wished for things to be different, she understood the reality

that their father would not return as she had hoped. After a six-month consistent effort in

her therapy and improvement in her parenting behavior during visits, Donna and her

children were reunited, with conditions, just as Tina was to begin kindergarten. The

family had been awaiting final word on permanent housing and the move was meant to

align with the start of the new school year. Donna also was enrolled in a training program

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that provided her a stipend, and she was optimistic about finding a job. Given the need

for Donna to be in the training program. Donna’s youngest son would remain with the

aunt and uncle until he was placed in a quality childcare setting nearby Donna’s new

home.

When Tina’s mother had found permanent housing, the school district required that

that Tina and her older brother transfer into the neighborhood school closer to the new

home. The social worker advocated for the children to remain in the prior school for

continuity given the enrollment was already in progress, but the worker’s efforts were

unsuccessful. The transfer to the new school was arranged. This new school was nearby

and would be more accessible, and this was important given Donna did not have access to

a car.

Just one month after the family’s move to the new apartment and the older

children’s placement in the new school, the reunification had a major setback. All three

children were in the new home, including the little brother who was there for a scheduled

weekend visit. When the social worker came to Donna’s home for a pre-arranged late

Friday afternoon visit, the social worker found the three young children at home alone.

The children seemed stressed and confused as to their mother’s whereabouts. The social

worker made endless calls and inquiries, but could not locate Donna. Given the strict

expectations that were part of the reunification plan, the worker acted at once to arrange

an emergency placement. The aunt and uncle, who had kept the youngest during the

transition, were requested to again assume physical custody of all three children.

An emergency court hearing was scheduled. While the family judge was

sympathetic to Donna’s depression and her status as a single parent, it was evident that

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Donna’s issues with alcohol abuse had resurfaced and led to the children being left alone.

Donna also acknowledged that this was not the first time. The judge was harsh with

regards to Donna’s poor judgment and neglect. The judge’s decision was to support the

children’s removal. The records showed that Donna had become inconsistent with her

treatment immediately after she found housing and her commitment to the ongoing plan

did not match the effort she had shown prior to the time her children were returned to her

care. The decline in Donna’s behavior was rapid. Strict timelines would be needed if any

more opportunities for full reunification were afforded to her.

Next Steps: Hopes and Challenges

Given the reunification of Tina and her brothers with their birth mother proved

unsuccessful, once they were placed in the home of their great aunt and uncle, Tina was

returned to the same school where she had attended pre-K and was placed in the

Kindergarten class. Her brother retuned to the school as well. During the last 18 months,

a main source of stability for Tina was her school program, where she was able to learn

and make progress. The school staff and the teachers knew Tina well and saw the benefits

of her return to their school. The teachers recognized Tina’s resiliency over the past 18

months, but remained concerned that the separations and uncertainties she has faced

would have some long-term effects. The teachers were cautiously optimistic, but had a

more pessimistic view if there was a possibility that these back and forth placements

could continue.

Tina’s aunt and uncle advised the teachers that the next steps would be focused on

permanency planning for Tina and her brothers. This was now a time where all realized

that while Donna cared deeply for her children, she clearly needed more time and support

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and needed to fully understand the impact of her behavior. Her children both loved and

needed their mother, but they also needed safety, stability and security. Even with

Donna’s challenges and lack of consistency, Donna told everyone involved that she

would appeal and push for reunification. Would Donna be resilient after this setback?

What would be in the best interests of Tina and her brothers in terms of their care and

well-being?