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Take Root's mission is to empower former abducted children to respond to family abduction by
facilitating healing, providing knowledge, and raising public
issue awareness from the unique perspective of the abducted child.
The
Take Root Support & Advocates Network was
established to enable abducted children to relay and resolve their adbuction experiences
while providing a knowledge-base to develop Educational Resources for impacted families
and response professionals.
Once upon a time, at the
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, nine adults
who had been abducted as children gathered to share stories of family abduction. They decided to write a new ending.
Each of the nine came to that first meeting uncertain about what to
expect. Remarkable that they came at all, since abduction was a
chapter in their history all had invested in trying to forget.
Then they learned, with a start and a bump, that 200,000 more
children are being parentally abducted each and every year and
that children abducted by a parent or family member account for
nearly 80% of all abducted children in America.
With the incidence rate presumably on the rise, the Founding
Rooters knew it was time to speak up. It didn't take long for
others to join in. Over 100 former abducted children now participate in Take Root.
No one understands the impact of parental abduction on a child
better than the adult who was that child.
We believe that the child's voice can make a difference in how this crime is perceived and understood, and that our voice can improve the services avilable to family abduction victims.
The
story of abduction is typically seen and told through the eyes of
those who are left behind. Our objective at Take Root is to better
understand - and help you better understand - what happens to us
while we are "missing" and how the experience continues
to impact us throughout our lives.
* * *
With the support of sponsors like
the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention, the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children, and
the Polly Klaas Foundation, Take Root
administers a national Support & Advocates
Network for former abducted children while
using the emerging findings to
develop Educational Resources to assist today's generation of parentally abducted children,
their families, and the professionals who assist them.
Together, we can do
more than recover missing children-
we can help missing
children Recover
* * *
Here is what leading missing child agencies and experts have had to say about Take Root:
Bob DeLeo, Executive Director, Polly Klaas Foundation: “The work of this organization is absolutely essential to our collective cause and the objectives of our profession…Take Root continues to be a pioneer in developing innovative approaches in response to the needs of the abducted child… They are authentic, innovative problem solvers with a unique perspective that must not be lost to the field.”
John Rabun, Vice-President, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: “Take Root is a welcome and much-needed addition to the work being done on missing child issues….adding the perspective that Take Root brings will, I believe, move us light years ahead…. Take Root’s contribution will be critical.…we look forward to working closely with Take Root in the future on issues of mutual interest.”
Ellen Conway, Director, Office of Children’s Issues, Department of State: “Nothing can replace the personal and professional experience that (Take Root’s) workshop presents, the focus on the child as victim – which can sometimes get lost in the legal and technical aspects of the case or day-to-day dealings with parents. Your presentation was truly an incredible experience and scored a perfect “5” – a first since we began the class.”
Members of the 108th Congress of the United States (Sen. Patty Murray, Rep. John Conyers, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, Rep. Joe Bacca) : “The often unheard voices of adults abducted by children are an invaluable addition to the field of missing and exploited children. The field must take into account these children’s unique experiences and specialized needs…therefore, we applaud Take Root’s unique services and work in this field. Professionals who deal with abduction need the information and expertise that only Take Root can provide.”
Renowned missing child advocate Patty Wetterling: “Although there are many services offered to families of missing children, Take Root stands alone in the services they provide to abducted children once they are located, and the information they provide to professionals and the public about child abduction from the child victim’s perspective….Take Root’s services are desperately needed.”
Wendy Jolie-Kabi, National Coordinator, Association of Missing & Exploited Children’s Organizations (AMECO): “Take Root is now providing for a historic gap in services. They are also reaching out to other nonprofits providing services to missing children to ensure that we all improve our effectiveness when handling abduction cases…..Take Root partners with and enhances the work of many AMECO member organizations….It is an honor to commend the work of Take Root.”
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TAKE ROOT MEMBERSHIP for former abducted children
(Support & Advocates Network Program)
You qualify for membership in Take
Root's Support & Advocates Network if you had the following
childhood experience:
1) You were physically hidden
from your family
2) You were taken by someone in your family
Learn more about joining Take Root
RESOURCES for professionals
and impacted families
(Educational Resources Program)
For more information use the "Contact Us" option
from the menu at left or contact
executive director Liss Hart-Haviv
1(800) ROOT-ORG
~ Public Issue Awareness Resources:
VOICES –
a panel of Take Root members who
volunteer to share their personal
stories with the public and the media to raise issue
awareness and reach new members.
Written versions of some of these
stories are also available online, in “The Missing
Side” section of our website.
PSA's -
raising awareness of abduction by family members as the leading
cause of abduction in the United States. 30 seconds, for radio
and television broadcast.
"Being Missing" - an eleven minute
video featuring Take Root members
discussing what it means to be an abducted child. DVD or VHS.
"Family Abduction: How Bad Can it Be?" - a three minute video featuring Take Root members addressing the myth that children taken by a parent or family member are not abused or endangered. DVD or VHS.
"Helping Missing Children Recover" - a three minute video featuring Take Root members explaining Take Root's programs and objectives. DVD or VHS.
The Missing Side - online publication of essays, biographies, poetry, and artwork by Take Root members.
The Grotto - online issue library featuring an extensive bibliography and linked texts. Currently under constuction, but a .pdf download of our compiled bibliography is available.
~ Conference Workshops:
• The Missing Side:
A Child’s
Eye View of Being Lost & Found – this
presentation draws on information
emerging from our Support & Advocates Network
program work with former abducted
children to help audiences
understand the experience and impact
of being abducted by a parent or family member. Can be scaled anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes.
• Kid Gloves for
Handling Abducted Children – based
on three years of investigation
into the recovery experiences
of our members and into current
professional recovery practices,
Take Root has developed recommendations for recovering abducted children. The workshop
introducing our Kid Gloves approach
can be
tailored for law enforcement, mental
health, lawyers, judges, human & social service
workers, or mixed audiences. 2 hours, but can be abbreviated to 60 or 90 minutes.
~ Telephone and email consultation for:
• Impacted families in the process
of reunion or preparing for reunion
• Case Managers handling family abduction cases
• Lawyers (consultation with Legal Education
Coordinator Susan Connolly, Esq)
• Mental Health professionals (consultation with
Clinical Director Janet Brodsky, LCSW)
Use the "Contact Us" button on this page
or call 1 (800) ROOT-ORG
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