New Jersey Adoption Resource Clearing House

Third Wednesday of the month beginning April 17th from 7:00-8:30 PM EST

COST: One-time fee of $25 provides lifetime access to the support group

This support group will provide a space where interracial adoptive parents of children (and adults) of all ages can share their experiences about parenting children of a different race, while fostering a sense of community. Without the support of their parents, interracial adoptees are at a disadvantage. However, sometimes, it can be hard for parents to know what is going on with their children and when to step up, step back, or take a different route entirely. This support group offers a free-flowing environment where participants can share anything relevant to the discussion surrounding their families.

Adoption is often times a difficult journey for all of those involved. As adoptees ourselves, we understand the hardships that come while navigating life as an adoptee. Although our journeys may look different, many of our feelings and ideas are similar. Here is an open group to hear the stories of others and share your own in a safe environment that promotes adoptees finding their own voice.

Monthly Meeting Dates:

 July 16, 2024, Aug 20, 2024, Sep 17, 2024, Oct 15, 2024, Nov 19, 2024, Dec 17, 2024.

The Transracial Adoption Support Group is group to connect adoptive parents who have also adopted transracially. This is a safe space to discuss thoughts and concerns.

This is a Virtual Event, after you RSVP you will be send the Zoom Link for the meeting.

You can choose to attend one or more of the following sessions:

Jul 30, 2024, Sep 24, 2024, Nov 26, 2024.

Creating a Family offers this evidence-based, trauma-informed workshop to help parents recognize the signs and symptoms of prenatal substance exposure and train them on techniques that work best with these kids. We are able to offer this workshop free with the support of the Jockey Being Family® Foundation.

How to Register

Participants should be prepared to be on-screen and participate in all discussions during the workshop, presented on Zoom. Complete the registration form in the link below (registration will open 30 days before Session 1). Seating is limited. We will contact the first 45 participants with instructions for completing the registration. If all seats are not registered within 3 days of Session 1, we will reach out to the waiting list to provide others the opportunity to attend.

Registration opens on October 8th for the fall sessions

FREE!

Having the opportunity to be surrounded by those who understand your family’s journey is a vital experience. There is sometimes a lack of understanding for the intersecting experiences LGBTQ+ families face. Such families require environments that honor those experiences, as well as spaces that provide opportunities to connect with individuals from similar family types.

C.A.S.E. looks forward to providing that space for your family.

Each group will meet virtually via ZOOM on the third Thursday of each month.

Meeting dates: 10/24/24, 11/21/24, 12/19/24, 1/16/25, 2/20/25, 3/20/25, 4/17/25, 5/15/25, 6/19/25, 7/17/25, 8/21/25

FREE!

This support group is designed to support adoptive parents who face the complexities of supporting children with both attachment and developmental issues. The support group will provide education, intervention ideas, space for members to share creative successes, and opportunities to work through challenges involved in engaging systems (medical, school, community) that are not always understanding of the special needs of adopted children or those with developmental challenges. Members will be asked to share their concerns and needs when signing up for the group so that the facilitator can incorporate information specifically relevant to those attending.

Each group will meet virtually via ZOOM on the second Thursday of each month.

Meeting dates: 11/14/24, 12/12/24, 1/9/24, 2/13/24, 3/13/25, 4/10/25

unior Mentorship welcomes adoptees ages 10-12 years old in this group mentoring program that meets once monthly from September to June.

To learn more about this program and how to join, please visit:

Spaulding Adoption Training is a twelve-hour course that provides families with the tools and information they need to understand the Missouri adoption process. It is required in Missouri for families to become an adoptive resource for a child. The curriculum covers topics such as cultural competence, attachment, expectations, and working as a member of a professional team. The discussion will include how creating a family through adoption differs from a biological family or foster parenting. The training is facilitated by an experienced adoptive parent and a child welfare professional.

FREE!

This is a free virtual support group meeting for parents of adoptees with the purpose of connecting with other parents to learn how to navigate the joys and challenges of the holiday season. Parents will learn effective strategies for navigating these times as well as learn how to view the holidays from their child’s perspectives. Parents will also receive helpful resources to support them during the holidays.

Our International Team is excited to host this webinar and to share information about adopting from South Africa. Spence-Chapin is proud to have the longest history of any US-based agency of facilitating adoption from South Africa and we work with adoptive families living across the entire United States. The South Africa program welcomes adoptive applicants regardless of marital status or sexual orientation. In this webinar we will discuss common medical and developmental needs of children who are currently living in South Africa and waiting for their forever families. We will provide an overview the adoption process. We look forward to answering any questions you may have about adoption in general and specific questions about adoption from South Africa.

** We have chosen the Go to Webinar Platform to respect that during the exploration phase, some families are not yet ready to share their hopes to adopt with others and in Go to Webinar, your names and faces will not be visible to other participants. But we are always happy to support families in building an adoption community! If you do feel ready to connect with other pre-adoptive or adoptive parents, please let us know and we can facilitate introductions for those who wish to be connected to other families. **

Cost: $350.00CAD*

We know how hard it is to parent children with Reactive Attachment Disorder and we want to give you the tools you need to bring HOPE and HEALING to your family.

Fall Course: November 19th – December 17th; Tuesday & Thursday evenings, 6:30PM CST. (Nov. 19th, 21st, 26th, 28th, Dec. 3rd, 5th, 10th, 12th, & 17th)

Considering adopting? Want to learn about adoption programs at Spence-Chapin?

Join Spence-Chapin staff to learn about the current landscape of international and domestic adoption and the needs of children waiting for adoptive families. We’ll discuss the scope of all Spence-Chapin adoption programs including international adoption (South Africa, Colombia, Jamaica and the Eastern Caribbean), and domestic adoption, as well as Spence-Chapins’ adoption services.

Bring your questions! This meeting will include ample opportunity to have your questions answered.

FREE!

This is a one-time group for adoptees in grades 9-12. Adoptees will be able to connect with other adoptees to explore what makes a holiday meaningful, explore emotions and feelings during the holidays, and to discuss creating traditions during the holidays. Additionally, adoptees will learn effective strategies for coping with emotions throughout the holidays. Adoptees will also be provided with a variety of helpful resources to support them during these times.

We look forward to you joining us for this online discussion group. This is a space for individuals with histories of infertility who are interested in adoption. We’re here to answer your questions and give you a space to connect with others like you!

This free online discussion group is sponsored by ARC Fertility. This session does not offer social work CEs.

Join us to learn about our Colombia Adoption Program. Our Colombia Adoption Program is open to singles, married couples, unmarried couples, and welcomes LGBTQ+ parents. In this webinar, we will detail the pathways to adopt from Colombia, including pathways available to individuals without Colombian Heritage as well as pathways available to individuals who hold a Colombian Cedula. We will share information about the system of child protection in Colombia and will share photos of some of the children’s homes where children reside while in protective care. We will discuss common medical and special needs of children who are awaiting adoption in Colombia. We will speak about eligibility factors for prospective adoptive parents in Colombia. Bring your questions – we’ll save time for Q&A.

Join Families Rising board members as they share their lived expertise as adoptees or individuals who spent time in foster or kinship care. The panel will explore ideas and strategies that caregivers and professionals can use to better support youth as they navigate developing all aspects of their identities including their cultural and racial identities. Panelists—Dr. JaeRan Kim, Jarel Skinner-Melendez, Nathan Ross, and David Simmons—will share personal insights into the strategies that were helpful for them, as well as those they wish had been used during their own journeys. This session is essential for anyone dedicated to understanding and supporting the complex identity development of youth who are adopted or in foster or kinship care.

It is not enough for caregivers to simply love and treat a child as their own without seeing the color of the child, understanding and validating the impact of race on the child and being intentional about racial socialization to create a positive racial identity.

Using lecture, discussion and reflection opportunities, participants will evaluate the necessity in acknowledging the role that race plays in the experience of systemic oppression, marginalization, internalized oppression and feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.  Strategies to increase safety, break down barriers and practice humility will be presented as well as how caregivers and professionals can use racial socialization as a protective factor.

This one-hour presentation will explain the court’s involvement in the foster care and adoption process & will share the experience of families who have pursued adoption in creating their forever families. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions. 

National Adoption Day is an annual event in which courts and communities in all 50 states come together to finalize thousands of adoptions of children, and to celebrate families who adopt.

This live virtual program is free of charge and open to the public. Advance registration is required.

Spaulding Adoption Training is a twelve-hour course that provides families with the tools and information they need to understand the Missouri adoption process. It is required in Missouri for families to become an adoptive resource for a child. The curriculum covers topics such as cultural competence, attachment, expectations, and working as a member of a professional team. The discussion will include how creating a family through adoption differs from a biological family or foster parenting. The training is facilitated by an experienced adoptive parent and a child welfare professional.

Join us for an informative session learning about Diakon Adoption & Foster Care programs.

The information session can help you to make a decision whether you are comfortable taking the next steps to become a licensed Diakon foster family.  Sessions are offered without obligation; participants are not required to proceed following the presentation.

There is no obligation to become certified with Diakon by attending.

Pre-registration is required so that the ZOOM link can be shared!