What is Limbo?

Limbo was originally a Christian medieval term given for the resting place of souls without fault that were deprived of heaven, and is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “an uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution; an intermediate state or condition.” This concept has been applied by child welfare to the prolonged period of time in which children are deprived of permanency. Although there are many reasons why a child may be “in limbo”, the destabilization of children’s lives while they remain in limbo undermines the development and continuity of important relationships resulting in severe emotional and psychological costs. The goal of the Children in Limbo Task Force is to identify, describe and illustrate the factors and issues both clinical and court-related, which contribute to children remaining in limbo unnecessarily.

Children At The Centre

Cover of publication, there is a painted heart with children inside it.

The Children in Limbo Task Force published “Children at the Centre: Their right to Truth and Voice,” and launched in 2019.

The publication reflects many of the ideas presented at our Symposium held at Jewish Family and Child in November 2017. The authors are professionals in child welfare and their chapters present useful information for people who work in the field.

For more information and to buy copies of the book please contact the Children in Limbo Task Force: taskforcechildreninlimbo@gmail.com

 

The Heart that Silence Built

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“I pretend I am somewhere else

I feel lonely

I worry about losing faith

I touch heave

I cry for freedom

I am strong and beautiful”

Written by our very own CLTF Member and Lived Experience Advocate, Wendy Hayes.  Healing from many of the unspoken pains of her adoption journey, Wendy explores themes of love, family, loss, grief, and trauma with this book. Silence, and its impact on identity, is another major theme explored, with hopes that it will touch the hearts of so many adoptees that hold unspoken truths about their journeys. Wendy started writing poetry the year her younger sister was born, and this book features work authored between the ages of 12 and 30 from a complex adoption journey.

For more information and to get your own copy, visit https://heartthatsilencebuilt.ca/