Editor’s Note: Names have been changed to protect the privacy of our clients.
Before Daisy started Therapeutic Childcare at the Learning Tree, she was at risk for expulsion from her previous childcare center. There, she displayed significant challenging behaviors, including aggression directed at staff and other children.
She had a history of abuse and neglect and experienced multiple foster care placements for most of her 4 years of life, which resulted in near-chronic dysregulation.
Staff couldn’t determine the triggers that impacted her because most of her trauma happened before she could speak. In addition, because she lived in so many foster homes, Daisy had what’s called a disorganized attachment pattern.
Children with disorganized attachment patterns make bids for adult attention and affection, followed by disengagement and aggression or other challenging behaviors to push adults away due to unconscious fears of harm or abandonment. These behavior patterns can be very confusing and discouraging for adult caregivers who don’t understand the reason for the child’s behavior.
At the Learning Tree, Daisy initially showed defiant and aggressive behaviors with other children and staff throughout most of her day. At the same time, she quickly connected to multiple teachers, staff, and her assigned therapeutic specialist. When dysregulated, she would lash out aggressively at the caregivers with whom she had the closest relationships.
But with support and daily coaching from her therapeutic specialist, her teachers, and other Learning Tree staff, Daisy gradually learned to verbalize her feelings instead of acting them out. She learned to share and take turns with peers and use her words to resolve conflicts. Daisy’s infectious laugh, sense of humor, and excellent memory allowed her to know every staff person by name. She received safe, appropriate, and positive moments of connection with multiple staff throughout her day: greetings by name, smiles, high-fives, and hugs. Over time, she came to trust that all the adults at The Learning Tree were there to keep her safe.
Throughout the year, Daisy still faced setbacks related to anniversary effects, everyday stressors, and many still-unknown triggers. Learning Tree staff weathered the ups and downs of her emotional dysregulation “storms” but continued to give her unconditional support. The message was that no matter how she behaved, staff would always care for her.
Daisy was discharged from Therapeutic Childcare at the end of her Pre-K school year in May. At that point, she was able to spend most of her day in the classroom, follow the class routine and rules, and interact with peers and staff positively. Episodes of dysregulation would still occur, but Daisy could be managed with staff support. Incidents of aggression decreased from multiple daily incidents at admission to only once or twice a week at discharge.
When Daisy started at the Learning Tree, she had just begun a positive placement with foster parents dedicated to her healing. Through the combined efforts of supportive foster parents, the Learning Tree Therapeutic Childcare program, and outpatient therapy at The Family Center, Daisy was able to maintain her foster care placement for over a year, the longest she has lived with any adult caregivers in her young life. She spent the summer at home with her foster parents and started kindergarten this year.
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