Longing to Reconnect with Family: A Teenager and His Father Encounter Their Losses and Fears

Joshua’s mom abandoned him when he was a few days old. For the first three years of his life, Joshua lived with his maternal grandmother and her partner. When Joshua began preschool, his teachers had some concerns about his overall hygiene and care. A few months later, his teacher called DCF to report suspected abuse when he came to school with burns on both of his hands. DCF removed Joshua from his grandmother’s care due to neglect and physical abuse. Joshua went to live with his biological father for two years. At 6 years of age, Joshua’s father was incarcerated, forcing Joshua to be placed in a foster home. DCF arranged visits with his father on and off for a few years after his father’s release from prison. Joshua remained in the same foster home until the day he was arrested for attempted armed robbery at age 15​. In this session, the therapist was asked by DCF to work on strengthening the relationship between Joshua and his father to see if he could move in and live with his father’s family in the future. The therapist begins the session by welcoming the father and letting him know that she has been working with Joshua for a month now. The therapist goes over Joshua’s strengths and highlights how grateful Joshua is for the opportunity to reconnect with family.