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.

Open to single waiting and placed families working with any office. Join AFTH social work staff and other single waiting and placed families for a time to connect and process the different aspects of your adoption journey as single adoptive parents. One credit hour will be given for waiting families for attendance. This is a virtual event, after you RSVP, a link will be sent to you for the meeting.

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

Jul 9, 2024, 07:00 PM, Sep 10, 2024, 07:00 PM, Nov 12, 2024, 07:00 PM

Free!

In honor of National Adoption Month, C.A.S.E. is excited to launch the Adult Adoptee Support Group, a support group for adult adoptees over 18. In this monthly group facilitated by adult adoptees Tony Hynes and Rachel Shifaraw, adoptees will share, build community, and learn from other adoptees as they explore their experiences. In acknowledging the lifelong journey of adoption, the Adult Adoptee Support Group fosters an environment where participants will be able to voice some of the challenges, triumphs, and identity work unique to adult adoptees. We look forward to seeing you there!

The virtual group will be held the 1st Thursday of every month. This is a drop-in group and participation at every session is not required.

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

Adoptive parents of color join in a practical discussion about how to talk to children of color about race. Topics covered include developmental milestones, cultural context, social narratives, and strategies for maintaining joy and pride despite it all. Parents share strategies they like to support their children. Target audience: Pre- and post-adoptive parents of color, professionals working with pre- and post-adoptive parents of color.

Webinar Time: 11:00 am-12:30 pm Pacific time.

Cost and Registration: $38.50, with a 20% discount for Pact members. Become a Pact member today for $75 per year.

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!

This webinar aims to provide a stimulating look into the journey of a grandmother who has navigated the complex realms of both informal and formal kinship caregiving over different generations. Through storytelling, expert insights, and interactive discussions, participants will gain a deep understanding of the day-to-day experiences of kinship caregivers, the evolution of support systems, and practical strategies to support kinship families effectively.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to identify and describe the key differences between formal and informal kinship care, including the processes, benefits, and challenges associated with each type of care.
2. Participants will understand the historical and current landscape of kinship care support systems in Pennsylvania and be able to describe how these systems have evolved over the past 20 years to better support kinship caregivers.
3. Participants will be able to apply the insights and best practices discussed in the webinar to develop practical strategies for supporting kinship caregivers in their own professional or personal contexts.

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.**

FREE!

This event is at 8:00AM Arizona time.

Do you live in Arizona and are considering adopting an infant? Learn about Spence-Chapin’s Domestic Adoption Program for Arizona families during this free webinar! This webinar is the first step for families interested in applying to Spence-Chapin as all webinar attendees will receive a Domestic Adoption Program application. Our team will share details about the adoption program, including the application process, open adoption, demographics of the children in need of adoption, the matching process, options counseling for birth parents, and more!

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

Spence-Chapin’s Domestic Adoption Program is open to residents of Arizona, New York, and New Jersey. If you reside in New York or New Jersey, please register for a webinar dedicated to Spence-Chapin’s Domestic Adoption Program for New York and New Jersey families. These events can be found on the Events Calendar page of Spence-Chapin’s website.

If you are unable to register for this webinar, please contact us to schedule a call to discuss additional pathways to grow your family through domestic infant adoption.

Do you live in New York or New Jersey and are considering adopting an infant? Learn about Spence-Chapin’s Domestic Adoption Program for New York and New Jersey families during this free webinar! This webinar is the first step for families interested in applying to Spence-Chapin as all webinar attendees will receive a Domestic Adoption Program application. Our team will share details about the adoption program, including the application process, open adoption, demographics of the children in need of adoption, the matching process, options counseling for birth parents, and more!

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

Spence-Chapin’s Domestic Adoption Program is open to residents of New York, New Jersey, and Arizona. If you reside in Arizona, please register for a webinar dedicated to Spence-Chapin’s Domestic Adoption Program for Arizona families. These events can be found here.

If you are unable to register for this webinar, please contact us to schedule a call to discuss additional pathways to grow your family through domestic infant adoption.

Fee: $25.00

This educational seminar will provide information and insight on selecting photographs and an outline for writing the letter for the initial picture and letter updates during the first six months and annually after that. The social work staff, along with input from adoptive parents, will provide guidelines, suggestions, and strategies for in person visits between birth and adoptive parents, as well as tips and techniques on how to build open adoption relationships.

FREE!

Talking early and often with children about body safety is an essential component of child sexual abuse prevention—and should be part of everyday household safety routines​. ​Join guest panelists from Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) to learn practical ways that parents and caregivers can empower children to be body-aware, understand healthy boundaries, and identify strange behaviors that may be red flags for grooming. Panelists will share insight from professional work in the field of child abuse response, and from personal experience as advocates for safe kids in their families or communities. This session is geared for parents and caregivers, professionals interacting with children, and community members committed to creating safe places for Pennsylvania children. Handouts provided will include Signs of Abuse flyer and a kid-friendly 5 Body Safety Rules fridge poster.

Children’s Advocacy Centers of Pennsylvania is a nonprofit statewide coalition supporting 41 nationally accredited CACs that provide a child-friendly, trauma-informed, team approach to investigations of child abuse in Pennsylvania.

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!

We are eager to talk with you about the intensive technical assistance (TA) we can offer your State, Tribe, or territory. TA involves communication between a specialist and an organization to implement and sustain change.

Difficulties with sensory processing are often confused with behavioral problems. Children who have been in foster care or adopted are at a heightened risk of experiencing these challenges. Learn about Sensory Processing Disorder; what it is, signs and symptoms, suggested ways that parents and teachers can help, and resources in the area. This two-part training provides parents with a hands-on experience.

FREE!

Teen Voices of Adoption (V.O.A.) is a virtual space for adopted teens 13-17 world-wide to join in conversation, meet peers and talk about the topics that are important 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.

Fee: $25.00

Hear from Adoption Therapist Julia Ruggiero, LCSW about the importance and benefits of adoption focused therapy, and share a safe space to ask questions about adoption related challenges.

Participants will hear a brief overview of the importance of tracking data on children and youth who re-enter foster care following a legally finalized adoption or guardianship, as well as common challenges to tracking such information. Using data from the Adoption and Foster Care Reporting and Analysis System (AFCARS), the presenters will demonstrate several approaches for generating calculations and how to choose an appropriate approach.