According to a recent associated press poll, most Americans agree that our government's actions have been terribly inadequate when it comes to reunifying the families that were separated at the US border. There's a general consensus that agencies need to be restructured and revised so that a crisis like this never happens again. However, the crisis continues for hundreds of families that the government separated without a plan to reunite them.

As the media coverage of the border crisis recedes considerably, the fate of innocent children is at stake. It is estimated that over 400 children are still not back together with their families, and the administration has been unable to locate the parents who have been deported. Weeks have passed and the government's court-ordered mandate to reunify families has come and gone. Currently, there seems to be no clear plan to complete the reunifications while one district judge warns that "for every parent not located, there will be a permanently orphaned child."

Is there anything we can do?

Hundreds of families are back together again after being separated by the US government at the border. Unfortunately for the children, life is not quite the same and many experts are saying that it may be a long road getting anywhere close to normal. Special thanks to Sarah Kelly and Stacey MIetus for sharing articles for this post.

As the court ordered deadline for family reunification has passed, the process of getting children and parents back together again has been met with mixed reviews and raised serious questions about those who remain separated. Here is a collection of short blurbs from news articles which paint a complex picture of what is actually happening. We offer these snippets to help broaden perspectives and keep this vital conversation going but we encourage you to read the articles in full to understand the situation fully.

As the news cycle moves onto other stories, and the shock and horror of the separation of children from their families fades away, the Texas Tribune is not shifting focus and looking away, it is ramping up its efforts to do more. The newspaper is staffing a new bureau of reporters, photographers, and videographers to accurately tell the story of families on both sides of the border. 

Resilience is a common “buzz word” these days among parents, teachers, and childcare experts. We are often told to “hang in there,” or “stay strong,” “be resilient” - but what exactly does that mean and why is it important for children and adults?  Stacey Mietus offers the following thoughts and expert resources to explain the role of resilience in bouncing back from trauma.

Colorin Colorado is not a political agency. They do not hold a partisan position in Washington nor do they participate in debates on national policy. Yet, their work with parents & teachers of English Language Learners provides a vital resource for many people who are immigrating to the United States. Thx to Lydia Breiseth for letting us know about the organization and Michael Krass for researching it. 

Deborah Salazar Shapiro, MSW, is a psychotherapist, mindfulness teacher, author, and artist who was born and raised in San Salvador, El Salvador. She has been working with children and families for over 15 years. Deborah holds an MSW from the University of Southern California and a master’s-level degree in psychology from the University Dr. Jose Matias Delgado in San Salvador. She lives in San Diego, California with her husband, two daughters, and a wise cat named Thay.

With degrees in sociology and education, Ana María Serrano founded Proyecto DEI in Mexico City 30 years ago and has worked tirelessly via that organization to provide support and resources to families from pregnancy through early childhood.  An educator, trainer, author, consultant, and children's book author, she has written four books in Spanish addressing various aspects of trauma that she is generously providing free-of-charge. Thanks to Stacey Mietus for contributing this piece.

Forced separations of children from their mothers and fathers is wrong, and it is cruel. This has nothing to do with conservative or liberal politics, strong borders or theories of governing. It is about understanding what it is to be human. We are inspired by these thoughts from Marsha McKeon, Ph.D. and special thanks to Barbara Dalton-Taylor for sharing!

We know that separation from parents is traumatic for children, but why?  Learn about co-regulation - what it is, why it's important, and how to foster it; and why it's so detrimental to lose it, especially for young children, but for any child separated from their parents.  Thanks to Stacey Mietus for compiling this co-regulation digest.

ActBlue has posted a list of groups actively working to help separated families. There’s a way to make one donation that evenly splits your contribution between the organizations, and an option to donate to one or more of the organizations separately. Thanks to Stacey Mandel with Bubbles and Flashlights for letting us know.

We know so much about trauma, and yet that information is not always communicated to those who need it most: parents, temporary caregivers, child workers, facility administrators. Please help get the word out by sharing these important, trauma-informed resources and interventions compiled by Stacey Mietus.

Thanks to Kathy Hegberg for pointing us towards this well-researched newsletter by Jessica Dym Bartlett and Maria A. Ramos-Olazagasti on ways to support children and parents affected by the trauma of separation. 

Bruce Cantwell points us to an episode of All Things Considered that considers the question, "What exactly is in the executive order?"

Rain Perry reminds us that it takes sustained unrest to make change happen. She's organizing sit-ins at Los Angeles facilities housing separated children.

Sunny Wright, Founder and Executive Director of Mindfulness First, shares links to an article with the science of hugging and not hugging and more.

Here's a digest of several strong articles about the trauma caused by separating families. They're a good resource for anyone interested in a trauma-informed approach to sharing mindfulness with kids and families.

Amy Saltzman weighs-in and offers resources on how you can help fight family separation at the border.

Lawmakers speak out against family detentions and border separations, and describe the centers in which children and their parents are being held. Thank you Kelly Petrie and MJ Rolek for the links.