Dr. Jack Shonkoff, co-editor of From Neurons to Neighborhoods, spoke at the symposium “Applying the Science of Early Childhood Development to Child Welfare Policy and Practices” in Oregon last month. Shonkoff, along with Philip A. Fisher a University of Oregon psychology professor, emphasized the neurological basis for the developmental, social, and behavioral problems of very young children experiencing toxic stress. Their discussion, as well as Fisher’s research, focused primarily on children in foster care. Because we now know how stress impacts brain development, policy and practice regarding how to treat foster children must be re-conceptualized. Fisher noted that “The message may not be getting through,” he said. “They (foster children) are not just defiant…these are brain deficits.”
Shonkoff and Fisher further noted that toxic stress is not just the effect of family experiences resulting in out of home placement, but that multiple placements and disruptions within the foster care and larger child welfare systems also contribute to developmental setbacks. The symposium called for an alignment of services and the retraining of all foster parents, practitioners, and professionals working with foster children. Only the full understanding of how individual development and functioning are impacted by the environment will improve services, reduce number of placements per child, and save the child welfare system money. Shonkoff concluded by noting that leadership on this issue should not be about politics, “This is the mother of all bipartisan issues…the science is the science – we cannot wish it away.”
Overall, this symposium allowed for a fantastic discussion on the direct link between brain development, behavior, and the child welfare system, and it should be continued. Additionally, this work calls for policy addressing the need for more early intervention and preventative programs to meet the needs of these children and families. There is legislation in the pipeline that addresses some of these recommendations through an enhanced focus on best practices when working with children who have experienced trauma and have special mental health and developmental needs.
A request for feedback from you: As practitioners and/or policymakers in the field, how do you see this discussion being manifested in your work? How feasible would it be to retrain professionals and foster parents in the field? Finally, what are you suggestions for the child welfare system based on what is known about how toxic stress impacts brain development?
To read the full article on Oregon’s Human Services Department website click here!