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

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. *

FREE!

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.

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.

Dates: 6/5/25, 7/3/25, 8/7/25, 9/4/25, 10/2/25, 11/6/25, 12/4/25.

Limited number of registrations!

Are you curious about how digital media is impacting your child? You’re not alone! Join this free 4-session virtual learning collaborative designed for parents and caregivers of youth.

This ECHO opportunity is open to parents & caregivers who:

• Want to learn more about the risks and benefits of social media and how it impacts youth well-being
• Learn about resources and strategies that can aid in creating healthy digital habits for the whole family
• Are interested in connecting with subject matter experts and parents nationwide

Each session is 1 hour long and includes guidance from experts, real-life discussions, and opportunities to ask questions. We’ll explore hot topics like how to manage device settings, how to spot good and bad online content, and learn how to navigate tricky conversations about media. We’ll also discuss when digital media can become a concern and share helpful tips and resources.

Sessions are held once a month on Wednesday at 11 am
Save these dates: June 18, July 16, August 20, and September 17.

Project ECHO is like a big online classroom where people from different backgrounds and geographical locations come together and learn from each other (we call it ‘all learn, all teach’). Each session will last an hour and will consist of a short presentation followed by a group discussion focused on real-life situations or questions that parents commonly have regarding youth social media use.

A week-long Educational Sports Camp for Children with Visual Impairments.  Summer 2025 Dates: August 19 – 21st. Registration is open!  Go to the registration tab to sign up today!

Camp Abilities New Jersey at the Field of Dreams is a three-day educational sports camp for children and adolescents who are blind, visually impaired, and deaf-blind. The camp is arranged to offer individualized instruction to each participant, which often differs from camps specifically tailored to individuals with visual impairments.

Our counselors are physical education, adapted physical education, orientation and mobility, special education undergraduate and graduate students from across the state of NJ. Since our first summer in 2023, we have trained more than 30 future teachers in the area of sport and recreation for children with sensory impairments.

This is a monthly event through Tuesday, August 19.

These support groups provide safe space where LGBTQ+ adoptive and foster parents of children of color can find community and talk about their parenting joys and challenges, intersections with our own queer identities and helpful strategies.

This call is 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

√ Certificate of Completion Included!

Original price was: $85.00. $65.00

This live webinar/workshop explores how insights from neuroscience can serve as a bridge between home and school environments, fostering stronger connections, emotional regulation, and deeper learning for children. By understanding how the nervous system develops and responds to stress, relationships, and routine, educators and caregivers can work together to create consistent, supportive spaces that nurture each child’s growth. Participants will gain practical strategies rooted in brain and nervous system science to enhance communication, build resilience, and promote well-being—both in the classroom and at home.

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.

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.

In-Person and Virtual!

The Second Annual BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Adoptee VOICES Conference is an immersive and impactful free event designed specifically for adults (18+) only and welcomes:

• BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) adoptees
• BIPOC descendants of adoptees
• BIPOC former or current foster youth in the child welfare system (foster care), adopted, or living with a legal guardian

This unique gathering aims to create a space for connection, healing, and empowerment within the adoptee community.

View the full event schedule here. Expect plenary sessions, engaging program sessions, support and affinity groups, and more!

Fee: $30.00

Birth Parents will talk about the reasons they chose adoption, how they chose their respective adoptive families, their current relationship with their child and adoptive family, and the importance of maintaining an open relationship with their child.

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.

Please join us to learn more about contemporary domestic infant open adoption and the work we do here at Open Arms! This free 90-minute information session is where the entire domestic adoption process is discussed at length. We cover the most commonly asked questions, including wait time, fees, laws, statistics regarding race/ethnicity of babies, substance exposures, mental health risk factors, etc. and any additional questions not covered can also be answered at this time. Open Arms is a non-profit adoption program licensed in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

This session will explore how adoption professionals can use self-assessment tools to support meaningful self-reflection among pre-adoptive and adoptive parents. Participants will learn how to utilize tools that promote caregiver engagement, insight, and self-discovery. The session will offer strategies for helping parents assess their strengths and identify opportunities for growth across key adoptive parent competencies. This practical guidance will not only strengthen pre-adoption assessment and approval processes but will also provide foundations for long-term adoptive parent growth and learning.

This FREE live webinar will provide 1.5 CE credits for social workers. For social workers licensed in the state of New York, it will provide 1.5 contact hours. Registration is open until the webinar begins.

To participate in this webinar, attendees must have the Zoom application downloaded to their device. For more information on this webinar and continuing education credits please follow the links below.