Jack and the Williams

A family built on curiosity and care

Jack found his adoptive family through Northwest Adoption Exchange.

When his journey began, Jack had faced loss and trauma. These experiences had shaped his behavior. Some families might have been unsure after hearing this. But the Willams family did not hesitate.

They opened their home and their hearts. They looked at Jack’s past with curiosity and care, not judgment. Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with him?” they asked, “What need is he showing through this behavior?”

This doesn’t mean they ignored Jack’s history. But rather they saw his actions as clues to what he had been through.

“From the start, the Williams wanted to learn the best ways to help him,” Jack’s caseworker said.

It was their willingness to approach Jack with questions rather than assumptions that was a key part of what made them a great connection.

The Williams joined trauma-informed parenting classes. These trainings helped them avoid unhelpful questions like, “How can we fix what’s wrong?” Instead, they asked, “What happened that caused him to use these behaviors?”

With this approach, the Williams began to build trust with Jack. They started with Zoom calls and then moved to in-person visits before eventual placement.

This steady, caring method helped Jack feel safe.

“Jack has thrived in this loving home where he gets one-on-one attention,” his caseworker said. It’s amazing how big of an impact having a permanent home can be. I have heard nothing but good things about how he’s doing.”

Their success was not luck. It came from hard work and a commitment to trauma-informed parenting.

This approach recognizes that trauma changes the brain and the way kids handle stress and relationships. This parenting approach isn’t a quick fix. Instead, it’s grounded in neuroscience and helps caregivers understand the ways trauma changes how a child sees the world and themselves. It focuses on connection instead of punishment, which is key when a child is feeling fear or is out of balance.

You can learn more about trauma responses and get tips by reading AdoptUSKids’ blog post about trauma-responsive parenting.

Note: *Names and identifying features have been modified to protect privacy.