Supporting Families After Their Child Returns Home
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Dear Friend, This month we bring you:
__________________________________ SUPPORTING FAMILIES AFTER THEIR CHILD RETURNS HOMELong-time volunteer Susan Coolidge specializes in following-up with families after their recovered missing child has returned home. Susan is active in the Petaluma, CA community, and has volunteered here at our office since the Fall of 1998. She brought with her over 20 years’ experience as a classroom teacher and agency administrator serving high risk children and their families. Her knowledge and experience has been an enormous asset to PKF. When she first started volunteering she went through a special training program for caseworkers. She became part of our team. For a number of years she took incoming calls from families whose children had gone missing, and counseled them on ways to search for their children. Talking with Families Susan began specializing in following up with families after their recovered missing child is returned home. Susan logs into the PKF case management system to see which cases are scheduled for follow-up calls. Before making a call, she reviews the case information to become familiar with the missing child, the circumstances of the child’s disappearance, and the family unit. She’ll ask a parent how the recovered child is doing, whether the child is back in school, how the brothers & sisters are doing, and how the family is functioning. Many times she speaks with grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. PKF Response Department Director Cindy Rudometkin states “Susan truly cares about how each family is doing. She wants to hear what they have to say. She willingly spends as much time on the phone with each family as they need.” If further follow-up calls could be useful, Susan schedules them. She’ll maintain the relationship with a family as long as it is needed. Susan listens, helps families with their own experiences when the crisis is over, and provides them with tools & referrals to help the family recover. She also reminds them they can call PKF at any time to speak with a caseworker. Often new details about the child’s circumstances may be shared, that were forgotten during the crisis. What she learns is often helpful to fellow caseworkers and other families who will need our help in the future. If a family is having difficulties, or counseling is needed, Susan offers PKF’s services to find services in their community. Often parents become a resource for other parents. Perhaps they make suggestions and observations which Susan can pass on to our caseworkers. Or, the parents might be interested in helping families who find themselves in similar circumstances. Those parents are given assistance in finding volunteer opportunities. Runaways Susan shares her observations that 15 year olds are at a very tender age. In addition to their personal situations, the news media & reality TV shows are rewarding impulsive behaviors. With 24/7 news coverage & the Internet, news stories around the world are bombarding all of us—the immense problems of that bigger world can come pouring in on these teens and make them feel overwhelmed. Why Susan Volunteers She likes creating relationships to help families solve their problems. She says, “This is the one thing we can do” with each person we meet. And, now that the families are out of crisis, they can tell their stories in more depth as she listens carefully, helping them figure out what led to their crisis Susan always reminds each family that they can call the Polly Klaas Foundation at any time. Families are supported for as long as needed. Gratitude __________________________________ Help Find Missing Children When You Shop Online
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