Specialized Needs Training Self-Assessment

This  self-assessment  is meant to help prompt discussion ONLY as you consider if your family might be well suited for the adoption of a child with specialized needs. As every family is capable of learning and growth, the results do NOT determine if a family could be a good fit for a child with specialized needs.

If you are part of a couple, please complete the worksheet separately, and then discuss the results together to identify areas for further discussion and education.  
 
The options below may not be an exact description of your feelings or reactions to the prompts provided – please select the answer that MOST closely describes your feelings or reactions. 
 
Once you click the "Submit" button, you'll be able to review and discuss your responses with your partner, support group, or adoption specialist. 

Question Title

* 1. Your understanding of specialized adoption is most closely described as....

a.) Excellent. I have taken significant training (10+ hours), and/or have other life experience directly with this population (through work, parenting, family etc.) - 1 pt.

b.) Good. I have taken some training and/or have indirect experience with this population (through an acquaintance, stories, indirect relationships). - 2pts.

c.) Unsure. - 3pts.

d.) Fair. I have taken minimal training and feel I have a much better understanding, but still a lot of questions.- 4. pts

e.) Just beginning. I have not taken any adoption-specific or specialized adoption training. - 5pts.

Question Title

* 2. Most often when something stressful and unexpected comes up in your day...

a.) I’ll make it work! I don’t have trouble changing course when I need to and re-arranging my plans. - 1pt.

b.) I can get flustered, but I can make the adjustment. I know who to call to help me figure this out. - 2pts.

c.) Unsure. -3 pts.

d.) I don’t like change very much, and unexpected things make me feel quite stressed. I might be able to get through it. - 4 pts.

e.) Unexpected events cause big anxiety for me and can cause me to shut down. I can get stuck, and it can take time for me to regroup and recover. - 5 pts.

Question Title

* 3. You have a 9am meeting, and your family woke up late, so there’s lots of stress in the home.  Your 5 y/o child is upset and will not begin their morning routine.  You are most likely to...

a.) Manage what’s in front of me! I can figure it out and prioritize needs in the moment. Its ok if we’re late! - 1 pt.

b.) Be quite stressed, as rushing generally makes me flustered. However, I can manage as best as I can although it may take some time to regroup. - 2pts.

c.) Unsure. - 3pts.

d.) I am likely to lose my cool. This situation would be very triggering for me. -4 pts.

e.) Walk away. I am likely to disengage from the situation entirely.-5 pts.

Question Title

* 4. How aware are you of how you give and receive love?

a.) Very aware! I’ve discussed it extensively with the people I’m closest to. - 1pt.

b.) Somewhat aware. I know there’s lots of literature about it and people can give/receive love differently. - 2pts.

c.) Unsure. - 3pts.

d.) Not really aware. - 4pts.

e.) It doesn’t feel relevant to me. -5 pts.

Question Title

* 5. How comfortable are you with giving and receiving love in a way other than what is most typical for you? (e.g., You are not a big hugger and are parenting a child that thrives from physical affection, or on the other hand, you are parenting a child who is triggered by physical affection, and you are a big hugger)

a.) I would do whatever is needed to make sure my child can give and receive love safely. The responsibility is mine to make any needed changes. - 1pt.

b.) This would be difficult for me but with time and therapy I think we can find some common ground. -2 pts.

c.) Unsure - 3pts.

d.) This would be difficult for me to change. My expressions of love are a reflection of how I grew up, and this is the most natural way for me to give/receive love. - 4pts.

e.) This could be a dealbreaker. I don’t feel able to adjust the ways I give and receive love and might feel rejected by a child who is not receptive to my gestures of love. - 5pts.

Question Title

* 6. The child you have adopted is 10 years old and has lived in multiple foster homes (or in an orphanage/group home setting) prior to joining your family.  As a result, their schooling has been very inconsistent and disrupted.  About two months after your child joins your family, you get a call from their school that they are really struggling and have not turned in any assignments in several weeks. They are failing a few of their classes and may have to repeat a grade.

a.) This is totally expected and doesn’t faze me at all.  I have some work to do educating their school staff about what realistic expectations and supports should look like for my child. My goal is to prioritize attaching and bonding with my child at this stage. - 1pt.

b.) I knew this could happen, so I’m not surprised. I want my child to do well and have a good experience in school, so I’m worried.  With support, I can put that worry aside and focus first and foremost on my relationship with my child. - 2pts.

c.) Unsure - 3pts.

d.) School is very important in my family and education is highly valued. I will need to prioritize my child’s education over other activities and goals so that they can catch up. - 4pts.

e.) This is unacceptable in my household. My child will be grounded until grades are raised.- 5pts.

Question Title

* 7. What have you done when dealing with hard things in your life...

a.) I have reached out to mental health professionals for support and would proactively do so again. - 1pt.

b.) I have thought about reaching out to mental health professionals before but haven’t engaged in services. I would be open to engaging in services in the future. - 2pts.

c.) I have not considered mental health treatment before.-3 pts.

d.) I have engaged in mental health treatment in the past and did not find it helpful. I would be hesitant to try again. -4pts.

e.) I don’t believe mental health treatment is necessary or helpful.-5pts.

Question Title

* 8. You are stuck in an important meeting at work and your child needs to be picked up unexpectedly from gymnastics due to a behavioral issue…

a.) I have family/friends close by who I can call to pick my child up.- 1pt.

b.) I don’t have family/friends nearby but have a consistent babysitter or nanny that I pay and who is familiar with my child and can help in these types of situations. -2 pts.

c.) Unsure -3 pts.

d.) I will need to end my meeting because I do not have any local family/friend or paid support people who are able to help in a pinch. -4 pts.

e.) I am unable to end my meeting and I do not have friends/family close by or who are available, so my child will need to wait until I can get to them.- 5 pts.

Question Title

* 9. You and/or your child are feeling tired, grumpy, and overwhelmed. You think you could benefit from having a break from each other…

a.) I have an identified family member or friend who can come be with us or who my child can stay with for a brief period for respite. We have emotional support professionals that I will also immediately engage with. - 1pt.

b.) I have flexible paid support services (e.g., camp, daycare with drop-in hours, nanny, babysitter) who I can call on to assist us. - 2 pts.

c.) Unsure -3 pts.

d.) I have family, but they do not live close by. I don’t have many friends in the area. - 4 pts.

e.) I don’t have anyone close by or anyone I would trust to help in a time of crisis for emotional support for me / my child. I don’t have connections to any flexible paid support services. -5 pts.

Question Title

* 10. Which of the following best describes your feelings about completing the required adoption trainings:

a.) Great, I really like learning! -1 pt.

b.) Pretty good, I know there’s lots to learn. -2pts.

c.) Unsure -3 pts.

d.) Seems excessive but I know it’s required.- 4 pts.

e.) I don’t need any additional training. It’s a little frustrating that I have to do it when biological parents don’t. - 5 pts.

Question Title

* 11. All the strategies you learned in therapy last week to help your child are no longer working this week.  You will...

a.) Try something new! If it’s not working, I feel very comfortable tossing it out and moving on to something else. - 1 pt.

b.) Keep trying in hopes that it will work.  I’ll give it another week and then I may need to move to something new. -2 pts.

c.) Unsure -3 pts.

d.) These are the strategies I know, so I feel uncomfortable changing my approach. -4 pts.

e.) If these strategies aren’t working then the placement probably won’t work. It's too much to have to keep adjusting how I parent. - 5pts.

Question Title

* 12. Your child’s teacher has suggested that speech therapy would be incredibly helpful for them and would assist them in closing the communication gap between them and their classmates.  However, your child doesn’t currently qualify for services through the school. What is your response?

a.) I know exactly where to go to find this service and will follow up right away even though there is a cost. - 1pt.

b.) I have no idea where to get this service, but I am super comfortable with research and know several organizations and friends I can call to get started finding this service for my child. -2 pts.

c.) Unsure - 3 pts.

d.) I’m not sure where to get started and feel concerned that this will take a lot of time and money. - 4pts.

e.) My child doesn’t really need this service. -5 pts.

Specialized Needs Training Self-Assessment

Question Title

* 1. Your understanding of specialized adoption is most closely described as....

Question Title

* 2. Most often when something stressful and unexpected comes up in your day...

Question Title

* 3. You have a 9am meeting, and your family woke up late, so there’s lots of stress in the home. Your 5 y/o child is upset and will not begin their morning routine. You are most likely to...

Question Title

* 4. How aware are you of how you give and receive love?

Question Title

Question Title

Question Title

* 7. What have you done when dealing with hard things in your life...

Question Title

* 8. You are stuck in an important meeting at work and your child needs to be picked up unexpectedly from gymnastics due to a behavioral issue…

Question Title

* 9. You and/or your child are feeling tired, grumpy, and overwhelmed. You think you could benefit from having a break from each other…

Question Title

* 10. Which of the following best describes your feelings about completing the required adoption trainings:

Question Title

* 11. All the strategies you learned in therapy last week to help your child are no longer working this week. You will...

Question Title

* 12. Your child’s teacher has suggested that speech therapy would be incredibly helpful for them and would assist them in closing the communication gap between them and their classmates. However, your child doesn’t currently qualify for services through the school. What is your response?

Question Title

* 13. Please add up your total scoring from the questions above and type your score in the box below.

* 3. You have a 9am meeting, and your family woke up late, so there’s lots of stress in the home.  Your 5 y/o child is upset and will not begin their morning routine.  You are most likely to...

* 11. All the strategies you learned in therapy last week to help your child are no longer working this week.  You will...

* 12. Your child’s teacher has suggested that speech therapy would be incredibly helpful for them and would assist them in closing the communication gap between them and their classmates.  However, your child doesn’t currently qualify for services through the school. What is your response?