New Jersey Adoption Resource Clearing House

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

Join us for an evening of connection, community, and discussion with fellow adoptees. Facilitated by Amy Trotter, Director of Post Adoption Services and Elliot Bliss, Supervisor of Adoptee Programs. We are excited to start this new monthly group!

Here are the dates for the upcoming drop-in groups!

• January- Tuesday 14
• February – Tuesday 11
• March – Tuesday 11
• April – Tuesday 15
• May – Tuesday 13

FREE!

The virtual group will be held the 3rd Monday of the month from April 21, 2025 – March 16, 2026.

Meeting Dates: 5/19/2025, 6/16/2025, 7/21/2025, 8/18/2025, 9/15/2025, 10/20/2025, 11/17/2025, 12/15/2025, 1/19/2026, 2/16/2026, 3/16/2026

The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) is excited to launch the Lunch Break – Parent Support Group for adoptive, foster, and kinship parents and caregivers! *

Topics covered include relationship building, grief and loss, birth family relationships, coping skills and self-care, and so much more.

In this monthly group we will engage in thought provoking, honest conversations, receive support and guidance, and leave better equipped with expanded knowledge, skills, and confidence – knowing you are not alone. We look forward to seeing you there!

This is a drop-in group and participation at every session is not required. *

Monthly virtual support calls provide a safe space for adoptive parents of color to connect and share their experiences.
This is a group intended to meet the needs of people of color who have built their families through domestic adoption, kinship adoption, international adoption, foster care, same race and transracial/interracial adoption.   This  call is free to current members of Pact. If you do not have a current Pact membership please join or renew at pactadopt.org.

This programming is for adoptive parents of color.  Please be respectful of their space.

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.

In this support call first/birth parents will be able to connect, listen and share their experiences of adoption, both private and through the child welfare system. Space will also be provided for participants to explore and share experiences around open adoptions, closed adoptions, recent reunions, same-race adoption, transracial adoption, termination of parental rights, and other topics as decided by the group.
Please remember that this group is for birth/first parents who are related by birth to a child placed in adoption or foster care.

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.**

Fee: $30.00

For adoptive parents considering adopting a non newborn, including toddlers and school age children, this ed series class will explore issues specific to older children including replacement visits, medical history, daycare and school enrollment, preparing the child to transition into the adoptive family, as well as the open adoption relationship with the birth family. Adoptive parents who have been placed with an older child will share their experiences and answer questions from attendees.

Fee: $15.00

Neuroscience research teaches us that there are environmental factors, teratogens, and other pre- or post-natal toxic stress such as trauma, alcohol exposure and drug exposure that can impact the developing brain. Our experience also tells us that many children who have been impacted in such ways struggle to have successful relationships with others in their lives whether it be friends, siblings, or other family members. Why is this, exactly? Additionally, why do the standard, commonly accepted support and discipline techniques fail when applied to these kids? And, most importantly, what can parents do to support these children and teens differently (and more successfully) when it comes to being in reciprocal relationships with others? Part 1 of Eileen’s training will provide information on how to understand the root cause of these relational challenges in kids and teens who live with neurobehavioral challenges from a Brain First lens.

Mom2Mom is hosting a virtual support group for parents of children with special needs. Our groups are hosted by other parents of children with special needs with a background in mental health and wellness. All services are free and confidential. We are here to support you with education, resources, social connections, and many of the challenges that come with caring for a special needs child.
If you are interested in attending, please reach out via phone, email or webchat through our website to first speak with one of our peers.

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

Free for members and non-members.

Donations are encouraged.

Join us for a panel discussion about DNA and birth search in China from adoptees with diverse perspectives in various stages of reunion!

The event will not be recorded. Please let us know if you need any accommodations, we will be happy to accommodate to the best of our ability.

WHO: This event is open to only Adoptees 18+

FREE!

Spence-Chapin’s Birth Parent Support Group is a virtual meet-up for individuals who made an adoption plan (with Spence-Chapin or elsewhere) and are in any stage in their placement journey. This group is a safe place to get support and know that you are not alone. Topics will include coping with feelings of grief and loss, sharing challenges and successes with open and closed adoption, and improving communication with friends and family around your adoption plan.

There is no cost to attend.

What is your little one thinking and feeling about adoption? Preschoolers are very concrete thinkers. They are just beginning to learn about things like “same and different” and to apply their new understanding to everything, including friends and family. Each stage of their development will challenge you to grow along with them.

*Live Webinar: Attend a live real-time presentation, followed by a brief Q&A chat. You receive a recording of the webinar after the live event, whether or not you are able to attend.

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.

FREE VIRTUAL support group session via Zoom, Friday, May 2, 8:00-9:30 pm EST
“Preparing for the Launch – School and Life” with Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Pediatrician, Dr. Jane Aronson sponsored by Concerned Persons for Adoption

Dr. Aronson’s discussion will be on the school environment and creating shared commitments and goals for your child with their teachers. The conversation will include sensitivity and tolerance, school support, advocacy, and more with the goal of preparing your child for further education and independence.

As an adoptive parent, Dr. Aronson offers a unique perspective on how we can assist our children navigate school situations and coach them to advocate for themselves. Take this opportunity to ask questions, share your thoughts and concerns. Resources and ideas will be shared with those who attend.
Register here through May 1 at below site. For more information visit www.cpfanj.org

NYC Teen Mentorship welcomes adoptees ages 13-18 years old in a group mentoring program that meets once monthly from September to June.

FREE!

This is a free event open to adults of color who were adopted or are former foster youth. Space will be provided for participants to explore and share experiences around international adoption, foster care, transracial/interracial adoption, search and reunion, birth/first family and other topics of interest to the group.

Join Pact’s Executive Director and fellow adoptive parent, Beth Hall, to find community and talk about transracial adoption, race and identity issues that may be coming up for you or members of your family. The focus for these calls is transracial adoption.

These calls are open only to current members of Pact. If you have not purchased a Pact membership (or your membership is not current) you can join at pactadopt.org.

Fee: $30.00

Come join us in lifting adoptee voices with a panel of adult adoptees of different backgrounds International Adoption, Domestic Adoption, Transracial Adoption, etc. You do not want to miss hearing from the most important members of the adoption triad on their experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Panelists will be open for questions from attendees.