New Jersey Adoption Resource Clearing House

Price: $0.00

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.

FREE!

Talking to your child about suicide is one of the hardest conversations a parent can have, but opening up this dialogue is crucial for their safety and emotional health. Join our upcoming webinar as we share guidance on recognizing the warning signs, preparing for this difficult conversation, and building a strong support system for your child. Together, we can take steps to protect our children and foster resilience during challenging times. Don’t miss this important discussion.

PLEASE NOTE: *If a couple will be watching the webinar from one device, registration must reflect the names of both individuals. *Certificates will only be generated in the names of registered individuals attending the live webinar event. *This training webinar is only to be viewed by individuals who registered for the training and by members of their households. The training link, as well as the recording, should not be shared with other individuals or groups. Custom trainings for groups or organizations can scheduled by contacting us at training@harmonyfamilycenter.org.

Join us to learn about our new Costa Rica Adoption Program. Our Costa Rica Adoption Program is open to singles, married couples, and welcomes gay and lesbian parents. In this webinar, we will detail the pathways to adopt from Costa Rica. We will share information about the system of child protection in Costa Rica. We will discuss common medical and special needs of children who are awaiting adoption in Costa Rica. We will speak about eligibility factors for prospective adoptive parents in Costa Rica. Bring your questions – we’ll save time for Q&A.

Mentors are adoptees ages 21+ who volunteer their time once a month to be a support and positive role models for younger adoptees.

The program welcomes adoptees born internationally and domestically. Mentors do not have to be Spence-Chapin adoptees themselves to participate.

Mentors are folks who are interested in learning more about themselves while supporting younger adoptees by sharing their stories while also acting as positive role models.

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.

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.

FREE!

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

4 – 5:30 PM PT, 7 – 8:30 PM ET

Cost: $20.00

Participants will learn how to move beyond token diversity toward authentic, sustained relationships. This includes evaluating environments — schools, neighborhoods, social networks and creating spaces where children are not isolated.

Interracial adoption is a complex, lifelong process that requires more than placement stability and good intentions. It calls for intentional, informed practice that recognizes the central role of race, identity development, and systemic inequities in shaping adoptee outcomes.

For parents and caregivers, this work is fundamentally about truth-telling—helping families examine how their beliefs, biases, and lived experiences influence their ability to support a child whose experiences with race, connectedness, and family differ from their own. As adoptees move across developmental stages, their experiences often reflect the degree to which parents and caregivers have been prepared to engage meaningfully with issues of race, belonging, and identity.

Cost: FREE

This two-part webinar series provides a developmentally grounded exploration of how to support adopted and foster children across the lifespan, from infancy through adulthood. Attendees will examine stage-specific health and safety considerations, ranging from newborn care practices like safe sleep and the foundations of early attachment to the evolving physical, emotional, relational, and cognitive needs of adopted children as they grow. The series will also examine thoughtful, developmentally responsive approaches to discipline that account for trauma, attachment, and identity development, alongside educational considerations that promote engagement and resilience in school settings. The speaker will provide practical, real-world applications that caregivers and professionals can use to more confidently and effectively support each phase of adoptee development.

Part 1: Birth Through Age 9 (August 25th) – Focuses on infancy, early childhood, and middle childhood, including attachment, health and safety, development, behavior support, and school-related considerations.

Fee: $40.00

The panel will include past AFTH APs sharing their stories about their wait, hospital experiences, challenges navigated, and what navigating varying relationships with their birth family has looked like since placement.

In this free 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.

4 – 5:30 PM PT, 7 – 8:30 PM ET

Join us to learn about our new Costa Rica Adoption Program. Our Costa Rica Adoption Program is open to singles, married couples, and welcomes gay and lesbian parents. In this webinar, we will detail the pathways to adopt from Costa Rica. We will share information about the system of child protection in Costa Rica. We will discuss common medical and special needs of children who are awaiting adoption in Costa Rica. We will speak about eligibility factors for prospective adoptive parents in Costa Rica. Bring your questions – we’ll save time for Q&A.

Summer isn’t over yet, but now is the perfect time to start preparing for the school year ahead.

Join Epilepsy Services of New Jersey for a one-hour webinar featuring Dr. Rachel Penn, a board-certified pediatric neurologist specializing in epilepsy, as she shares practical guidance to help children living with epilepsy stay safe, supported, and ready for the school year.

Topics will include: – Why does my child need a Seizure Action Plan? – How can I make sure teachers, nurses, and school staff know how to best support my child? – My child has rescue medication for prolonged seizures. How will the school handle and administer it? – Live Q&A with Dr. Penn.

Whether your child is starting a new school, entering a new grade, or returning to familiar routines, you’ll leave with practical information and greater confidence as you prepare for the year ahead.

Join us for a virtual networking event designed to bring together professionals and organizations who serve children and families throughout our community. During this interactive gathering, our team will share more about our agency, programs, and services while also creating space for attendees to introduce their organizations and discuss the work they are doing. This event is an opportunity to build meaningful connections, strengthen community partnerships, and explore ways we can collaborate to better support the individuals and families we serve. Whether you are a current community partner or looking to learn more about our work, we welcome you to join the conversation.

3:00 – 4:00 PM Easter Time

Cost: $5.00

Join NAMI NJ for a fun-filled day under the sun in the park. We are going to have raffles, games, surprise activities, a great lunch, and wonderful company. Please join us to celebrate together.

Complementary tickets are available for those in need. Please email btyus@naminj.org

Module 1 From the National Resource Center for Foster Care and Permanency Planning Hunter College School of Social Work:

Sibling Practice Curriculum Module 1 focuses on enhancing understanding of sibling-related issues in out-of-home care. The importance of siblings in your life and the lives of others will be discussed.  Myths and truths about sibling separation and the negative impact of sibling separation will be discussed.

This class will be held online and a link to the class will be sent out ahead of time. 

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.

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.