This Power Point presentation was generated for a Child Development course that I enrolled in for the Fall 2013 semester at Los Angeles City College. I enrolled in this course to become more educated in the field of work that I am currently involved in.

1. Child Development 011
Section 3113

2. Divorce, Remarriage, and
Stepfamilies

Statistics: Societal changes in modern families
 About 250,000 families stressful experience for
Divorce is the second-most are “recycled” ¹ every
year.
families after death.
Eachof divorces involve children,affected
 2/3 family member involved is and these
differently. are often quite young (under 13 years of
children
Children are more vulnerable than adults
age) ²
during a separation
 Most
remarriages occur within two to three years
at the end of the first marriage, when children
Divorce has longer lasting effects on children thanare
adultsstill coping from the pain and loss from that first
family. ³

4. Factors that Contribute to Children’s
Adjustment after Divorce





Mental health of parents
Quality of parent-child relationships
Degree of open anger versus cooperation
between parents
Age, temperament, and flexibility of child
Extent to which parents are willing to have the
same routines for the child in each home
(From Wallerstein, Lewis, & Blakeslee, 2000)

5. Working with
Children in the Classroom,
Parents, and Stepfamilies
Children in
Classroom
•
•
•
•
Maintain structured environment
Encourage expression of feelings
Encourage acceptance
Be aware of group reactions
Parents
•
•
•
•
Reassure parents
Keep requests light
Be aware of legal agreements
Know available community resources
Stepfamilies
• Offer emotional support and information that
promotes transition
• Be sensitive to family name differences
• Attention to language and the message it
conveys to children is important

6. Professionals, Teachers, and
Others:
Parent Relations
Treat Parents as Individuals
Focus on the Present and
Future
Clarify Information
• Avoid stereotyping and show respect
• Families will appreciate children’s progress and abilities
• Main focus of a teacher is to clarify a diagnosis, not comment on
Be Hopefully Realistic
• Teachers should be as positive as possible, strive for realistic
optimism
Help Families Let Go
• Promote children’s feelings of confidence in new abilities,
strengthen their willingness to venture forth on their own
Increase Family Involvement • Teachers should invite and welcome families in contributing to
the well-being of their children and the other children
in the Classroom
Know Available Community
Resources
Help Re-Establish SelfConfidence
• Be familiar with all community resources that can support
families and others who care for children with disabilities
• Assess families who struggle with social and emotional isolation

7. Working with Parents
of Children
with Special Needs
 What are children with “special needs”?
 It is now common for children with special needs to be
included in most schools and classrooms
IEP – Individualized Educational Plan
• intended to help children reach educational goals more easily than
they otherwise would; the IEP must be tailored to the individual
student's needs
IFSP – Individualized Family Service Plan
• a plan for special services for the family unit of young children with
developmental delays
• creates opportunities for learning interventions in everyday routines
and activities

8. Working with Families when Abuse Occurs
Gather Information
PhysicalDetermine ifDeliberate hurting concern. of injuries on children
• there is cause for or inflicting
Abuse
Document Evidence
• Any neglect then document in sexual activities for the
Observe patterns of abuse andinvolvement of childrenwhat you see.
Sexual Abuse
gratification of the offender, including sexual contact
and exploitation of children for pornographic purposes
Report to Proper Agencies
Check local regulations for current laws and the appropriate protective agency to which to report.
Emotional
Abuse
• Acts of omission or commission that result in an
absence of a nurturing environment for a child
Create an Atmosphere of Trust and Healing
Organize healing activities for children to process painful memories and experiences.
Neglect
• Failure to provide physical, emotional, and social
needs that are necessary for healthy growth and
Refer Families to Support Groups
development
Certain agencies offer support in the form of therapy and reparenting education.