The Three Legged Stool Program (3LS) is an innovative wrap-around program uniquely tailored to meet the needs of foster / kin / pre-adoptive caretakers. It offers them the skills, endurance, and relational support needed to parent children with significant, complicated attachment/trauma histories.

"We mirror for caregivers what the child cannot. We attune, we validate, we appreciate and we hold the vision and belief in their ability to create a family."

- Dr. Paula Stahl

Consultation Services

Clinical consultations provided to foster and pre-adoptive parents are based on our model of Therapeutic Parenting to support parents in the management of developmental trauma, grow attachment, and advocate for appropriate school and community services.

On-Call Service

24/7 on call support and parent coaching to offer parenting technique to manage behavioral crises and avoid removal to a higher level of care.

Individual and Family Therapy

Option for reserved treatment slots for both the children in families involved in the 3LS Program and Attachment Family Therapy as needed.

Groups

Group programs at Children’s Charter are designed to meet the needs of children with trauma and attachment histories.

Social Skills Group

In our work with the children who receive trauma treatment at our clinic we have observed lagging social skills as a major developmental deficit. We have developed a Social Skills Group with the primary focus of learning to improve social interactions and develop friendships.

Group Details:

  • Age range: 6-8 years old
  • Duration/Length of meetings: 10 weeks, meeting weekly for 45 minutes
  • Location: Children’s Charter Trauma Clinic, Waltham, MA

To make a referral or to learn more about this group, contact Imogene Edson - (781) 894-4325 x23

Email Imogene

Foster Child Support Group

The Foster Child Support Group was created to provide children in foster care with the opportunity to discuss the challenges of being a foster child. The group provides the opportunity to talk to other children with similar experiences and to develop a narrative that addresses important questions asked by foster children.

Group Details:

  • Age range: 10-12 years old
  • Duration/Length of meetings: 10 weeks, meeting weekly for 45 minutes
  • Location: Children’s Charter Trauma Clinic, Waltham, MA

To make a referral or to learn more about this group, contact Imogene Edson - (781) 894-4325 x23

Email Imogene

Collaborative Problem-Solving Group

The Collaborative Problem-Solving group is designed to support foster, pre-adoptive, and adoptive parents of children who have exceptionally challenging behaviors due to trauma and multiple placements. The group follows a consistent format to stay focused on problem solving.

Typical Topics:

  • Lying and Stealing- why does this happen and effective responses
  • Control Battles and Negative Attention Seeking- how to avoid
  • Visits with Birth Parents- mitigating the effects
  • Birthdays, Mother's Day, Holidays- typical issues

Group Details

  • Participants: Foster, Pre-Adoptive and Adoptive Parents
  • Meeting Schedule: The group meets every other Wednesday from 7:15 - 8:45 pm.
  • Location: Zoom

To make a referral or to learn more about this group, contact Lulie Munson - (781) 894-4325 x20

Email Lulie