In the United States, 12% of children — nearly 2.9 million kids — do not live with their parents (U.S. Census). There are a myriad of reasons why children may not live with their parents including incarceration, child maltreatment, drug abuse and deportation. Since 2020, death has also become a factor with an estimated 200,000 children who have lost a parent or other in-home caregiver to Covid across the United States.

There are many socio-emotional challenges children may face as they struggle with living without the parents who left them - intentionally or unintentionally.  This workshop deals with the dynamics of children separated from their parents and strategies supportive adults can use to help encourage and support separated children.