Over time, all families change. Sometimes, when families have big problems, they need to change so kids will be safe. A child’s family might change from a birth family to a foster family or an adoptive family. That kind of change can be hard on kids. They may believe the change is their fault. They may worry about their birth parents, and they may wonder if they can trust the new adults in their life.

This book can help children and families through this difficult change. The first part is meant to be read and shared with children. The second part includes information and resources for adults who work to keep kids safe: parents and other family adults, foster parents, social workers, teachers, and caregivers.

With the support of caring adults, children who experience termination of parental rights can move from the pain o the past to the promise of the future.

Coalition Staff Member Review

Families Change is a children’s book designed to help kids who are going through termination of parental rights feel like normal, okay kids. The author reminds children that families do not remain the same; they change. They may change by adding a new sibling. They may have a family member move away, join the army, go to the hospital, or to jail. It’s not unusual for families to change. Also, the author tells kids that there are many different kinds of families. Some kids may live with their grandparents or an aunt and uncle. Others might have foster families or adoptive families. All of these families are real, and they’re important.

Kids are reminded that if families have to change because there are big problems to solve, like kids not being safe in their own homes, it is never the kids’ fault. Birth parents love their kids but sometimes they need help and sometimes that means kids having to live with other families.

Throughout this book, the illustrator presents scenes of children moving in with foster, relative, or adoptive families while still loving their birth families. The author and artist encourage children to feel okay about changes to their families, even when those changes have involved big problems. Hopefully, children going through termination of parental rights will read this book and feel good about themselves AND their birth and foster, relative, or adoptive families, because they’re all “real” families.

In addition, there are resources at the back of the book to help birth, foster, relative, and adoptive families and professionals support children who have had to be removed from their homes.

Author: Julie Nelson
Additional Author: Free Spirit Publishing
ISBN: K-NEL
Count: 1