STAFF Project: Support and Training for Adoptive and Foster Families of Infants with Prenatal Substance Exposure

• NCJ Number: 193645
• Journal: Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions Volume: 1 Issue: 4 Dated: 2001 Pages: 71-82
• Author(s): Caroline L. Burry; Lynne S. Noble
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 12 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program Description (Model)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article describes the Support and Training for Adoptive Families (STAFF) project, which supports early permanence for infants with prenatal substance exposure through training and supporting their caregivers.

Abstract

There is a significant population of infants with prenatal substance exposure. Infants with prenatal substance effects frequently have special needs, such as developmental lags, hyperactivity, irritability, pre-maturity, organ malformations, and increased rates of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Some of these characteristics of infants with prenatal substance effects can make them much more difficult to care for than babies born without such exposure. Therefore, caregivers need to be prepared with specialized knowledge and skills. Recent studies show that up to 60 percent of infants with prenatal substance effects have at least one foster care placement. There is a shortage of prepared and waiting adoptive parents for infants with prenatal substance exposure. Under the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, it is likely that many more of these infants will enter the child welfare system. The STAFF curriculum was developed by a review of literature and by the response to a survey mailed to 132 families in South Carolina who were identified as having adopted a child with prenatal substance exposure. The curriculum includes content to help participants understand the challenges of addiction, provides detailed information about the effects of prenatal substance exposure, teaches strategies for meeting the needs of infants with prenatal substance exposure, provides research on outcomes for these infants, identifies support services and resources, and describes laws on pregnancy and addiction. In addition to the training aspects of STAFF, there are also support services. STAFF training was delivered as an in-service training program to foster and adoptive parents who had completed in-service training. The project continues to be modified, as new research is available. There is a need for elaboration of training such as the STAFF program with content focusing on older children. 1 table, 19 references, appendix