Intro and Background...

My name is Kristin Hood. I am a senior double majoring in Criminology and Psychology. In addition to school, I have a 2-year-old son, work part time, and have my Practicum internship. My internship is at Villa Maria Continuum, which is a residential treatment center for children ages 5-13. They are a branch of Catholic Charities that help kids with behavioral and emotional problems. In the residential treatment center, the children are offered family counseling, individual counseling, group counseling, and support on managing their issues. My blog is going to focus on my internship. If you are a psychology, criminology, or education major, this blog may interest you.

I work directly with boys ages 9-12. These kids face a lot of problems, which is why they are in Villa Maria. All of them have behavioral problems, while some of them are considered mentally challenged because of fetal alcohol syndrome or because of drug abuse by their mothers while they were pregnant with them. Some of the boys have juvenile records because of stealing, arson, or fighting. What I have realized up to this point is that, while these boys seem troubled, they can be really good kids suffering from horrible upbringings. I am not directly blaming the family of the kids for the problems, but how would you act if you were abused by your stepfather, watched your mother get abused, had a father in and out of jail, or had a mother who told you to your face that she did not want you? I feel like these kids deserve a chance to be able to change their lives and either go back to their families, group homes, or foster care.