Alex’s* mother abandoned him when he was young, and his father physically abused him.  With no relatives to take him in, Alex was placed in foster care. Still traumatized by the abuse and neglect, Alex was shuffled between four different homes during his first two years in foster care.  The uncertainty compounded the trauma, making life even more difficult and postponing any chance to heal.

During his fifth placement—with the Griffin* family—Alex was referred to Destination Family (DF). DF is a Stanford Sierra program that works with youth who have been in foster care longer than two years, who are considered “hard to place”, and who have no chance of reunifying with their biological families. Jenna*, Alex’s DF social worker, quickly assembled a team to assess and address Alex’s special needs and to provide the Griffins with the support they needed too. 

For most of Alex’s life, he associated the idea of family with pain, uncertainty, and rejection.  As a result, he often tested the Griffins, assuming that they too would abandon and hurt him.  But they didn’t.  Instead, they stuck by him.  They let him know that whatever he might be going through, he wouldn’t go through it alone.

The DF team continued to support Alex and the Griffins on their journey.  The more the Griffins demonstrated their commitment to Alex, the less he tested them.  The bonds of trust that started to grow helped Alex feel safe enough to open up to the Griffins, which in turn allowed him to begin healing from the pain of his past.

Through hard work and persistence, Alex and the Griffins have created the conditions for Alex’s continued growth and healing.  Today, they are a family.  Though challenges remain, they face them together.  Alex knows that he is loved and that he belongs to a family who needs him and wants him no matter what.

*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality.