BURTONSVILLE, Md., Nov. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) is pleased to announce the launch of its newest publication, the W.I.S.E. Up! Powerbook for Children in Foster Care(R). Based on the nationally acclaimed program for adopted children, the book offers a simple, easy-to-remember solution for managing their complex feelings (sadness, fear, frustration, anger, loss and grief) while responding to the questions, comments and curiosities of others.

At any given time, approximately 500,000 U.S. children are in the foster care system. Of those, nearly 130,000 are waiting to be placed in permanent, loving homes.

"Foster parents and relative care givers work hard to support vulnerable children who are coping with a range of experiences, including past abuse, neglect and loss and grief," said C.A.S.E. Executive Director Debbie Riley, M.S. "The children need a simple, effective tool to help them cope with their troubled pasts, while adjusting to new opportunities for family security and stability. We are so pleased to make this book available."

Based on C.A.S.E.'s proven clinical program that has benefited tens of thousands of adoptive families since 2000, the book's main character, W.I.S.E. Up! Owl, walks children through various life scenarios that children in foster care are likely to experience. Owl helps children identify, normalize and manage their feelings about experiences over which they have little or no control and then offers an effective, easy-to-remember method for receiving, processing and responding to others. It also helps them to prepare in advance on how they might answer particularly intrusive or hurtful remarks.

"Young children don't always realize that they own their own stories, histories and feelings," said C.A.S.E. Director of Community Education Michelle Lovejoy. "It's empowering to know that you can respectfully walk away, say 'it's private,' share something personal, or educate others about foster care."

"Among the most important skills that foster parents, relative care givers, social workers, teachers, school counselors and mentoring adults can teach to children in foster care," says television actress, NY Times Bestselling Author and foster care alumni Victoria Rowell in the book's foreword, "is that the decision to share (or not share) personal information belongs to them. By practicing the choices, W, I, S, and E, children can learn how to communicate in ways that are comfortable, assertive and respectful to others "“ a skill that will benefit them in all facets of their lives."

About The Center for Adoption Support and Education
Named "One of the Best Small Charities" by The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington (2008-09) The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) provides adoption-competent individual and group counseling/educational services for foster and adopted children, teens, adults and families. Since 1998, C.A.S.E.'s mission has been to ensure the well-being of foster and adopted children through its family support services and nationally acclaimed programs, workshops, trainings and publications for families, educators and professionals. For complete information and to order publications, please visit the website at www.adoptionsupport.org.

Center for Adoption Support & Education, Inc.

Center for Adoption Support & Education, Inc.

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