Behavior problems shown by children-in-care can act as a stubborn barrier to the creation of healing relationships to foster, kinship and adoptive caregivers and helping professionals.  This workshop will focus on the “whys” of complex behavioral/emotional challenges.  When these challenges are seen only as “problematic”, and not seen as having purpose for the child, frustration and hopelessness can be experienced by youth, parents and helping professionals alike. However, when the purposes of behavior problems can be understood within the child’s life experience, supportive relational interventions can be developed. In this workshop Dr. Rick Delaney and Charley Joyce will focus on understanding six purposes or functions that behavior problems serve.  Some of these arise from the child’s exposure to past trauma. Discussion will focus on sample behavior problems (e.g. lying, hoarding, defiance, cruelty to animals, etc.) and possible interactions to consider.