The Post-Adoption Journey
November is National Adoption Awareness Month
Words by Sam Lauron Photos by Rachel Durban and Evan Michner
As a former educator and social worker, founder and director of Stand Up 8 Jen Reichert has worked with children throughout her entire career. A self-proclaimed “champion for the underdog,” Reichert has always been drawn toward the children who are deemed as “troublemakers.” However, it was her position as a teacher that truly set in motion her desire to make a greater impact in the lives of youth.
“I was with a group of 30 kids for a year, and I felt like I was making some change for them,” she remembers. “But I thought, I need to multiply this and be involved with more kids, more often.”
With this realization, Reichert embarked on a new career as a social worker. As a case worker, she witnessed every facet of fostering, adoption, and childcare. While her position cleared up the preconceived notions she had about the foster care system, there was one thing that really stuck with her. “The biggest need that I continued to see over and over again was services for families after they adopt,” says Reichert, “[and] the dust settles.”
This observation led Reichert to found Stand Up 8. The mission of Stand Up 8 is to provide direct support and guidance to families who have adopted. According to Reichert, children who have been adopted typically have trauma history from being abused or neglected. This means that parents of adopted children need to have a special skill set and may have to adapt to a different parenting style.
Reichert and her team go into homes to work directly with families by teaching them how to interact and connect with children who have a history of trauma. For many adoptive parents, this is the first time they’ve received any help after the adoption process. Reichert finds that her first interactions with families “who have felt completely alone” up until this point typically involve her “saying ‘hey, all of these things that you’re thinking and feeling about this gig, it’s ok. You’re not alone, and we’re here to help you.’”
Two years into her nonprofit, Reichert is more determined than ever to help as many families as she can. Stand Up 8 currently serves Williamson and Travis counties, with the hope to expand to the rest of Texas, and eventually outside of the state. “Foster and adoptive families [everywhere] need help,” she states, “whether they tell you they do or not.”
Did you know?
In 2017, there were 3,895 children adopted in Texas and 461 adopted in the greater Austin area. But there’s still more work that needs to be done. Currently, there are 933 children waiting to be adopted in the Austin area. Stand Up 8 hopes to support families during the post-adoption process with their behavior management intervention services.
How to help
If you want to get involved with Stand Up 8, you can support the families of the organization with a monetary donation or donate in-kind items like sensory toys and games.
Contact
standupeightatx.org
@standupeightatx
