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Found out today that shortly before Christmas one of the older children attempted to burn the house down, resulting in evacuating the entire family in subzero temperatures in the middle of the night. My guess is at this point the father actually fears for his younger children's lives if they remain in the home. Still haven't talked to him personally, so I don't have the full story.
There are numerous RTC options in Utah, but they run thousands of dollars a month in most cases that this family probably doesn't have. To get a child into the state hospital here they have to be an "active threat" to themselves or others, and there has to be beds open. There usually is not. Post adoption support is obviously very limited. There is apparently more in the county I am in than the county they are--at least there is a decent respite care program here. Trying to see if there is any chance of getting the younger ones into a crisis nursery for a couple of weeks. Down here it's possible--up there they don't offer 24 hour care.
I don't know if he feels like he can handle the problems the older children are presenting, probably more of a logistics decision. Who is going to willingly take a 13 year old with RAD vs three young children with apparently no major issues? Not to say they won't develop after this kind of trauma.
And to clarify, while I have had symptoms of RAD myself I have not raised a child with RAD. Only done respite for a maximum of two weeks. Quite honestly, I don't think I could do it without landing in a psychiatric facility myself. My situation wasn't that severe compared to some, but enough that I have some idea of where these kids are coming from. Even then, I can only take so much manipulation and triangulation before I give up myself!