New Jersey Adoption Resource Clearing House

Need help with career advice, navigating resources, or just want to connect? This space is here for you!

When?

Starting December, join us every 2^nd Thursday of the month from 6 PM-7PM (EST}

Where?

Virtually on zoom! Zoom link will be shared

Who Should Attend?

• Experienced foster care or are currently in foster care
• Been adopted
• Been impacted by the criminal justice system
• Experienced human trafficking
• Had an incarcerated parent during their childhood

Why attend?

• Get answers to your questions
• Receive guidance and support
• Connect with someone who understands your journey

This is voluntary and unpaid. It is designed to support and empower eligible youth in achieving their goals

Helping Children Heal from Sexual Abuse is a Free, virtual Parent Support Group for adoptive, foster, or kinship families raising children who have previously suffered sexual abuses.

WHEN: Scheduled to meet monthly on the third Tuesday at 7 PM

WHERE: Exclusively in the in the AFFCNY.Network

Just Adoptees: A Monthly Virtual Support Group JUST for Adopted Adults

Have you ever been told or made to feel like you’re Just an Adoptee? If so, then have we got the space for you! The fourth Wednesday of the month is, currently, set aside for Just Adoptees.

“Just Adoptees” is a peer led adoptee-centric support group just for adopted adults. We believe being adopted can come with complexities that only another adopted adult can understand. Our goal is to let every adopted person know they aren’t alone and the way they feel is normal for a not normal situation. This isn’t therapy – it’s better! It’s a group designed to be a “safe space” for adopted adults to gather and share experiences regarding their adoption experience without judgement or expectations.

February 25, 2026; March 25, 2026; April 22, 2026; May 27, 2026; June 24, 2026; July 22, 2026; August 26, 2026; September 23, 2026; October 28, 2026; November 24, 2026; December 22,2026

FREE!

Post-permanency services are often concentrated in urban areas, leaving rural families with limited access to care. Geographic isolation, limited provider availability, and distinct cultural norms can make these communities harder to engage, especially when using traditional service delivery models. Join us as we examine barriers to program development and delivery and highlight creative strategies for building community-responsive post-permanency supports that reflect the unique realities of rural families.

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.

Free, monthly  virtual support calls provide a safe space for BIPOC adoptive, foster and kinship parents of BIPOC teens and young adults.

Join Raquel Vivanco, Director of the Adoptive Parents of Color Collaborative (APCC) and fellow adoptive parent, to find community and talk about parenting adopted and foster teens and young adults of color, including challenges, and helpful strategies. We will discuss how relationships shift as our young ones grow in their journey and how we can support ourselves and our loved ones.

This call is for people of color who are parenting adopted/foster teens and young adults of color.  Please be respectful of their space.

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.

Teen Voices of Adoption (V.O.A.) is a virtual community where adopted teens ages 13–17 from around the world can connect, meet peers, and have real conversations about the topics that matter most to them.

Hosted by Rebecca Fiore, transracial adoptee born in Paraguay, and Adoptee Advocate. V.O.A. welcomes adopted people of all backgrounds to experience community amongst other adoptees.

FREE!

The Meet the Model series from the Post-Adoption Center introduces the core components of the Post-Permanency Model, designed to guide states, tribal nations and territories in delivering coordinated services to adoptive and guardianship families. The model is outlined in detail in the Post-Adoption Center’s Program Manual, which services as the blueprint for building comprehensive, community centered and accessible post-permanency services. We break down the 253-page manual into smaller pieces. This session focuses on the 24-Hour Phone Support Component.

Non-Member * $35.00

Are you navigating the rewarding, yet sometimes challenging, world of raising a teen or tween? Do you wonder how to maintain a strong relationship with your child through the adolescent years, or are you looking for practical ways to improve it now?

Join us for an exclusive, highly interactive Q&A with renowned child and adolescent psychiatrist, Dr. Jane Aronson, moderated by PSP Founder Susan Fox and Mandi White-Ajmani, Founder of Small Brooklyn Psychology.

Dr. Aronson will provide guidance on your most pressing questions, including how to:

• Guide teens to make decisions they feel good about and that we like too
• Keep communication open between teens and parents
• Help kids gain inner confidence, independence, and a sense of purpose
• Manage screen time
• Cultivate motivation for healthy habits and self-care in a teenager
• Foster supportive relationships with our tweens and teens

We’ll also talk about issues specific to single parents and divorced parents:

• How divorce and separation affect parenting of young adults
• How do parents figure out how to be collaborative and have one voice when you are separated?

It gets overlooked at times, but teens are FUN! We will talk about that too!

• This webinar will NOT be recorded. 
• You will receive a unique zoom link before the event.

Voices of Adoption (V.O.A.) is a virtual space for adopted people 18+ world-wide to join in conversation, meet peers and talk about the topics that are important to them. Hosted by Jessica M. Luciere, transracial adoptee born in Bogota, Colombia, and Manager of Community Engagement at Spence-Chapin, V.O.A. welcomes adopted people of all backgrounds to experience community amongst other adoptees.

The webinar is a great way to learn more about Adoptions From The Hearts Open Adoption Program, which primarily places infants directly from the hospital.

IMPORTANT NOTE: AFTH is currently only accepting applicants who are open to adopting children of all racial backgrounds and heritages. Because we are an open adoption agency and have seen an increase in requested visits, all prospective adoptive parents must also be open to a minimum of 2 in person visits per year with birth parents. Direct communication such as text, phone, or email is also commonly requested.

As a private, non funded agency, there are fees associated with our services. AFTH can connect families to grant and finance coaching resources. If you would like fee information prior to the webinar, please email adoption@afth.org with your city and state, and we will connect you with your local office.

Join us for an informative session learning about adoption & foster care options in Pennsylvania.

The information session can help you decide 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.

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

$60.00

The primary focus of work with traumatized children is to teach and support them to learn new ways of effectively managing their emotions and behaviors.  In this interactive/skill based webinar, clinicians will explore strategies to: Increase a child’s sense of safety for assist adoptive parents to anticipate, prepare and trouble-shoot transitions and change to avoid or minimize acting out behaviors, support children to identify and regulate their feelings, teach adoptive parents to respond rather than react to children’s behaviors using predictable and safe responses to minimize power struggles. This webinar will build the clinician’s toolkit to assist adoptive parents to tackle behaviors before they intensify while calming themselves before calming the child. [Required for Adoption Certificate Program]

Learn about Spence-Chapin’s innovative host-to-adopt program that prioritizes adoption for children from Colombia, ages 10-13 years old. For families who are open to older child adoption, this pathway provides both you and the child an opportunity to get to know each other and commence the bonding process during a multi-week hosting period in your home. Two different hosting periods are available – a five-week opportunity over the summer, or a three-week opportunity in December. Host families need to complete a home study with Spence-Chapin prior to being matched with a child for hosting, so now is the right time to learn more and get underway with your home study!

This program is open exclusively to families residing in New York, New Jersey, Arizona, and Florida, so that our local social work team can fully support you and the child during the hosting period.

• 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm Eastern Time
•  5:00 pm – 6:00 pm AZ Time

Join us for an informative session learning about adoption & foster care options in Pennsylvania.

The information session can help you decide 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.

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

FREE!

Post-permanency services are often concentrated in urban areas, leaving rural families with limited access to care. Geographic isolation, limited provider availability, and distinct cultural norms can make these communities harder to engage, especially when using traditional service delivery models. Join us as we examine barriers to program development and delivery and highlight creative strategies for building community-responsive post-permanency supports that reflect the unique realities of rural families.

Sin Costo (FREE Webinar)

En muchas comunidades latinas evitamos hablar sobre la adopción por temor a confundir o dañar a nuestros hijos e hijas adoptivos. Posiblemente tengamos ciertas actitudes hacia los padres y las madres biológicos y las personas adoptadas que se basan más en mitos que en la realidad. En este seminario web, disiparemos algunos de los conceptos erróneos sobre la adopción y el acogimiento familiar, y aprenderemos cómo centrarnos verdaderamente en las necesidades de los niños adoptados. Hablaremos de la importancia del lenguaje y las conversaciones sobre la adopción, tanto con nuestros hijos como en nuestra comunidad. Exploraremos el valor de mantener relaciones abiertas con las familias biológicas, así como las diferentes etapas de desarrollo de los niños y jóvenes adoptados. Este seminario web se impartirá en español y es adecuado para padres adoptivos, familias de acogimiento, sus parientes y comunidad y los profesionales que los apoyan, tanto como trabajadores sociales como maestros de escuela.

Join Pact’s Executive Director and fellow adoptive parent, Beth Hall, to find community and talk about parenting adopted and foster teens and young adults of color, including challenges, helpful strategies and how to support yourself and your loved ones.

This call is free and open to current Pact members only. If you have not purchased a Pact membership (or your membership is not current) you can join at pactadopt.org.