Attachment Trauma due to Immigration Trends

Trainer:  Jeanette Lopez-Urbina, LCSW

Training Summary:

Several youth and families, especially those from the LatinX community, that we serve in child welfare services have experienced shifts and transitions in their family systems due to immigration trends. Often, LatinX families have recent roots from countries of origin that are impacted by poverty, violence, lack of access to education and steady employment among other challenges. Therefore, many families or family members are forced to leave their country of origin to find refuge and a better life abroad, including in the U.S. The migration for each family may look unique to their family system and specific needs, but often we have a parent or both parents immigrating to the U.S. while many children are left in the care of extended family in their country of origin. Eventually, families may reunite with their children, but what may be considered as a joyous occasion, is often experienced as challenging by families due the attachment disruption that may have occurred between parent(s) and their children during the separation. Along with the attachment and relationships being disrupted, the families face challenges, such as bicultural identities, acculturation, trauma, and several other factors that further compounds the stress for the family. This workshop will provide an overview in understanding the challenges that families face when an attachment disruption took place due to immigration as well as the impact of other accompanying challenges that surround families in such situations. 

Class Objectives: (what knowledge, ideas or skills will participants explore, learn, and practice during the training)

Review historical and intergenerational factors that influence immigration trends in families from some Latin American countries

• Identify, at least, 3 ways in which families are impacted by immigration in a family system
• Identify 3 to 5 skills in engaging and providing culturally responsive services to families to support them in the attachment and relationship challenges impacted by immigration
• Practice assessing and applying culturally responsive strategies to families that are negatively impacted by family separations due to immigration

How can participants utilize their new skills and knowledge after the training to reinforce their learning?

• Discuss material from training in supervision and team meetings
• Practice conceptualizing material by applying to case work documentation
• Apply strategies to client population