Trauma A Focus Of Adoption Awareness Month

Adoption Awareness Month offers a chance to remind New Brunswickers of the 500 children and youth without a permanent family.

This year a focus is being placed on how children react to trauma.

Executive Director Suzanne Kingston said children removed from their birth mothers experience trauma.

Kingston said many kids who have been through foster care have had lots of trauma in their lives.

“Because kids who have gone through a lot of trauma in the early part of their life. It really impacts their brain wiring so their perception of danger is different,” Kingston said.

Kingston said they offered a webinar on the ‘four f’s of trauma’ which are fear, flight, freeze and fawn.

“So even when they are in a situation that may not seem dangerous, [it] feels dangerous. So because of what you went through when you were quite young when you are a bit older and in a situation that reminds you of that you can overreact,” Kingston said

Kingston said they want families who have adopted and those considering adoption to keep that in mind.

People can learn more about the process of adoption on the foundation’s website.