[FostermomCathie]

I was told by a CW that babies under 1 actually dont need a long transition to transfer that attachment. I am having a hard time believing that. I know that to long wouldnt be good but I would think at least 2-3 weeks of a lot of contact with new parents would be the least that should be done. Isnt this the period that the attachment problem begins if disrupted?

[swanzie]

under the foster parents forum, someone posted a link to the Georgia Foster Parents Bill of Rights - in the article it goes into depth about how much time there should be transitioning from one home to another. Give it a read it should prove interesting.

You could even e-mail the link to your sw, because when I read it, it appeared that there should be certain steps followed and time frames for the best transition.

Good luck,
Swanzie

[ALI143]

My dd saw us a few hours for a couple of days then the next week saw us everyday. When she moved in she liked us, was fond of us, but definetly grieved. She had only been in one home which I think helped with attachment transfer, but she was used to spending a lot of time with different caregivers. I've seen a few odd type behaviors when she's with strangers, but two weeks seems to have worked well enough for her.

[hophock]

Originally Posted by FostermomCathie

I was told by a CW that babies under 1 actually dont need a long transition to transfer that attachment. I am having a hard time believing that. I know that to long wouldnt be good but I would think at least 2-3 weeks of a lot of contact with new parents would be the least that should be done. Isnt this the period that the attachment problem begins if disrupted?

I strongly disagree with the CW. I think of it in terms of marriage...would I be ready to leave my husband for a new man after knowing the new man for 2-3 weeks? Our son was less than 6 months old when he came home and we could only see the real problems about 6 months later...after a long honeymoon. You're wise to question what you're hearing!

[karaleah]

We brought home DD#1 after spending a few hours with her. She was 5 mo. old at the time and had been bounced around quite a bit between caregivers, although one birth-aunt spent quite a bit of time caring for her off and on.

I noticed the first day and a half she seemed confused and and just not sure what was going on (broke my heart for her). We picked her up on a Saturday, flew back home Sunday night. She woke up in her new crib Monday morning and was happy as a clam from there on out. So, I guess her transition was relatively easy.

Now, DD#2 (homegrown) is a totally different temperament. She HATES new people and places and would have had a terrible, terrible time transitioning to a new home. Of course, she's rarely cared for by anyone but me, whereas DD#1 had tons of caregivers and homes prior to us, so that likely made a difference.

My opinion - babies are unique and probably many CAN handle a quick transition... but IMO if you have the time, gradual is better.

[karaleah]

Originally Posted by hophock

Our son was less than 6 months old when he came home and we could only see the real problems about 6 months later...after a long honeymoon. You're wise to question what you're hearing!

If it's not too personal, what types of problems did you notice? Our a-daughter was 5 mo. old when she came home. She's 2-1/2 now. The only unusual thing about her behavior was she never had any separation anxiety. I guess she was just used to it. Other than that, she seems happy, confident and bonded to us (esp. her daddy).

Shari