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Instructor: Adam McCormick
Live Event - 2/13/27 - 10am-1pm EST - The Wounds of Separation: Understanding the Trauma of Family and Sibling Separation
Course Description
Separation from parents, siblings, and other attachment figures can create profound and enduring trauma for children and families. This training examines the emotional, relational, and developmental impact of separation across foster care, sibling placement, immigration, and other child welfare contexts, with particular attention to how these experiences shape attachment, identity, grief, behavior, and a child’s sense of safety and belonging.
Participants will explore the experiences of both children and parents and develop a deeper understanding of how systems can unintentionally intensify separation trauma. The session will also identify trauma-informed strategies for reducing harm, preserving relationships, and supporting children and families through separation and reunification.
Learning Objectives
- Identify the emotional, developmental, and relational impacts of parent-child and sibling separation on children and caregivers across foster care, immigration, and child welfare settings.
- Recognize how grief, attachment disruption, ambiguous loss, and trauma related to separation may appear through children’s behavior, relationships, and emotional functioning.
- Apply trauma-informed strategies to reduce the harmful effects of separation, preserve important family and sibling connections, and support children and caregivers during separation and reunification.
Learning Method: Synchronous distance (interactive)
Amount of CE Credit Offered: 3 Live Clincial CE Credit. ASWB ACE and NBCC.
Fees: This course can be purchased individually for $79.00 or as part of an annual unlimited continuing education subscription available for $99/year.
Posttest: No posttest is required as this is a live CE event.
Certificate of Completion: A certificate will be issued at the end of the live event to all attendees who attended at least 80% of the live event.
Content Level:
Both beginning and intermediate-level content are included in this course.
Instructor Bio(s):
Adam McCormick
ONE YEAR OF UNLIMITED CE FOR $99
Requesting Accessibility Accommodations:
Please email [email protected] to request accessibility accommodations.
System Requirements:
- The most recent version of Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge browser
- Javascript enabled
- PDF plugin
- Graphic and audio output capability
- Broadband internet connection with a minimum speed of 5Mbps (recommended)
- TLS 1.2 supported by your web browser
Refund Policy: In general, refunds will not be provided. However, if you do have any concerns or grievances, please contact us at the email address below. Registrants who do not complete their course(s) will not receive a refund. The Agents of Change Grievance Policy can be viewed here.
Cancellation Policy: If an Agents of Change Continuing Education course is canceled, a full refund will be provided to all participants.
Please email [email protected] with any questions about the course.
Agents of Change is Approved by ACE
Agents of Change, #1919, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 7/26/2023 – 7/26/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 3 Live Clincial CE Credit.
Agents of Change is Approved by NBCC
Agents of Change has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7620. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Agents of Change is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Adam McCormick
Adam McCormick, MSW, PhD is Professor of Social Work at St. Edward’s University in Austin and teaches courses on topics related to social work with families and childhood trauma. He has a number of research interests and speaks frequently on a number of topics including LGBTQI+ youth in the child welfare system, the trauma of family separation in child welfare, the weaponization of poverty in child welfare, the relationship rights of siblings in foster care, the intersections of child welfare and immigration, social work and moral injury, and masculinity and mental health. He is the author of the forthcoming book, The unfinished business of our childhood: Healing the child trauma wounds of helping professionals. Dr. McCormick is also the author of the book LGBTQ youth in the foster care system: Empowering approaches to an inclusive system of care.
+ LIVE EVENTS
- Live CE Webinars: 25+ Per Year ($2,000+ Value)
- 200+ CE Courses and Unlimited CE Credits
- ASWB ACE and NBCC Approved