The importance of home passes

Why do children in care go on home passes? If they can do that, why can’t they just go home?

Just because a kid seems to be doing well enough to go home for a weekend doesn’t mean they are ready to move home full-time. Mental health and trauma recovery has its up and downs, and it is essential to make a careful, well-thought-out discharge plan. Home passes are an important part of this plan. They are test drives that serve several purposes.

Practice coping skills learned in treatment. At the Ranch, we believe family participation in a child’s treatment is vital for success. Whenever possible, children and their families work together to learn new skills and strategies to help them be successful in their home, school, and community.

In intensive individual therapy sessions, children learn skills that help them build and maintain relationships. During family therapy sessions, children and their families practice these skills and learn how to communicate and build healthy relationships. Parents are also invited to attend a weekly parenting group where they can learn more about the coping skills their children are learning each week.

Home passes give children and their families a chance to practice the coping skills they’ve learned in their everyday environment while they still have the support of their Ranch treatment team. If something goes wrong during a home pass, families can contact the Ranch for phone coaching.

Before one child went home for Christmas, we set up pre-arranged check-in calls.

If things were going well, we gave the child lots of praise and encouragement. If they weren’t, we talked them through it and reminded them of the coping skills that worked for them at the Ranch. Those skills are different for every kid, but can include deep breathing, listening to music, counting to 10, or doing something physical like wall push-ups.

In some cases, we remind parents that they don’t have to talk everything out right away. Sometimes kids need space before they are ready to talk. We also might coach parents on how best to bring it up and give them an example.

“I’m going to check on you in ten minutes and then I want you to share how you feel about the situation. I won’t interrupt and I will respect what you are saying. When you are done, I’ll share my perspective without interruption. Then we can try to come to a shared understanding of the situation and how we move forward.”

One of our kids went on a home pass and wouldn’t go to church, something that was very important to her parents. When she came back to the Ranch after her pass, her therapist talked to her about the anxiety she experienced when she thought about going to church. The next time she was home, she was willing and able to attend church with her family.

Gather feedback. After each visit, our case managers and therapists check in with the children and their families to talk about how things went. They discuss challenges that came up, what went well, and brainstorm ways to make the next visit smoother. This feedback helps the treatment team fine-tune the support and skills the child and family need for future home passes and eventual discharge.

Give families time to reconnect. The period leading up to placement can be fraught with arguments, stress, and weakened family ties. Home passes give families time to reconnect and continue the healing that began in family therapy.

Simple activities like playing board games, making a meal together, watching movies, or completing a household project, help knit the family back together, creating new, happy memories in the process. Families witness firsthand the progress their child has made, which can ease their concerns about returning to the challenges they faced before treatment.

Ease the transition home. Regular passes can help ease the transition to life outside of the treatment setting. Participating in community activities and reconnecting with friends and religious groups can reinforce the child’s feeling of belonging and boost their confidence about returning home for good. Gently reintroducing children to their communities not only bolsters their social support network but is also strategic in preventing potential setbacks.

Learn the types of support the family will need. Our goal is to ensure children and families feel supported not only throughout the treatment process but also after discharge. Transitioning from residential treatment back into the home can be a big adjustment for everyone. Feedback from home visits helps us arrange community services that will lead to success.

Every member of a child’s Ranch treatment team is dedicated to making a real impact in the lives of children and families. Each trip home is a learning experience for everyone—children, families, and the Ranch treatment team—and gives us the information we need to facilitate a confident and successful re-entry into normal life.