Description for adoption assistance articles.
As many of you know, the adoption tax credit (ATC) is vulnerable and may be eliminated as part of tax reform – and we need your help to save it! Join us as we work to keep pressure on Congress to save the credit that makes it possible for all families to adopt. Help us… More
Learn about an innovative program currently operating in Missouri that has the potential to revolutionize mental health treatment for kids in the child welfare system who have suffered extreme trauma. Designed by an adoptive parent whose children were in residential care but not getting better, this program is based on her personal approach to “What I need… More
This session is for individuals and agencies looking to expand their advocacy and public awareness efforts in partnership with true experts – the youth who have experienced foster care, kinship care, and/or adoption. Learn the basics of development, promotion and maintenance of public speaking team(s) of adopted/foster/kin youth. Engaging youth and young adults in such a “team”… More
The Preventing Sex Trafficking & Strengthening Families Act, which became law in September 2014, provides financial opportunities for states to fund post-adoption services. The law reauthorized the Adoption Incentives Program at $43 million and will calculate increases in adoption by rate rather than number of adoptions. It also increases the incentive for adolescent adoptions and… More
What child doesn’t want to play on a Little League team, go on a school field trip or sleep overnight with friends? What teen doesn’t dream of getting a driver’s license, earning money at a part time job and attending the prom? Many of us can remember how foundational these and similar experiences were in… More
This informative webinar is designed for anyone parenting or providing services for LGBTQ children and youth in foster care, adoption, or relative care. Included is an overview of what we know about: LGBTQ youth in out of home care the impact of family rejection their struggle for inclusion and safety when in care lack of… More
In the late 1990s child welfare leaders began to challenge the belief that attaining permanent families for preteens and teens was an impossible goal, and model specialized youth permanency services were developed across the country. Sadly many of the projects fell into disuse as initial funding sunset. In many cases, counties and states failed to… More
The most effective advocacy efforts are those that bring together both disparate and like-minded advocates, who can speak with one voice. For Advocates for Families First, the ability to unite youth, kin caregivers, foster, and adoptive parents is essential to our success. For others, it may be the missing link to your efforts as well… More
Presenters share successful Florida advocacy efforts to pass the state’s “Normalcy Bill” to create a more supportive and normative growing up experience for children and youth in foster care. The law allows foster and kin caregivers to make prudent parental decisions about activities that their foster and kin children participate in, without having to seek… More
This webinar is dedicated to improving public perception of kinship, foster, and adoptive caregivers and their children and youth. Too often, media portrayals of this population – whether in the news, TV or movies – are negative. We want to change the messaging around these issues and the language used. This webinar covers: a brief… More
Gain tools and understanding to become effective advocates, whether you are working on personal needs (case advocacy) or larger issues (class advocacy). Advocates need to develop consensus, value the principle of WII-FM (what’s in it for me), craft a coherent and achievable message, gather meaningful data, and develop an advocacy agenda that can succeed. Presenters… More
Learn how to advocate for adoption assistance programs in your state or province. In these tight financial times, legislators sometimes seek to cut adoption assistance programs and advocates need to be ready to respond. Even if your adoption assistance program is not under threat, proactive advocacy can help maintain and even enhance these important benefits… More
You can use the outline below to help you craft an advocacy plan. Additional information about advocacy planning and strategies is available in the Advocacy section of our website. Step 1: Identify and understand your topic What does the problem look like? What is your topic? Whom does this topic affect? What’s the… More
The following are some recommendations for making your visits with legislators as productive as possible: State your purpose. Make it clear who you are, where you are from, and why you have asked for this meeting. Be prepared with your information and handouts. Decide ahead of time who will introduce the group and the order… More
by Janet Jerve, NACAC writer/editor Before you start interviewing people or gathering personal stories to help you with your advocacy efforts, you need to first answer the what, when, where, why, how and who questions regarding your advocacy work. You should first be able to answer these questions and explain your mission to prospective speakers… More
Why? Legislators are rarely specialists on child welfare issues. They are generalists on a huge variety of topics—the environment, education, taxes, transportation, and many more issue areas. To influence the political process, parents must educate their elected officials on foster care and adoption. In Minnesota, we used the foster doll project to educate our legislators… More
On September 29, 2014 President Obama signed the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (Public Law 113-183 or the Strengthening Families Act). As detailed below, the law will protect children from sex trafficking, enhance the Adoption Incentive program, enable children in care to participate in normal childhood activities, and fund new post-adoption and post-guardianship… More
On October 7, 2008 President George W. Bush signed the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (Public Law 110-351)—the first comprehensive reform of federal child welfare financing in 28 years. The legislation was guided through Congress by Representatives Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Jerry Weller (R-IL) and Senators Max Baucus (D-MT), Charles Grassley (R-IA)… More
There are a lot of factors we can’t control about our lives. Our bodies, our family, what’s happened to us, where we are (to a certain extent). Fortunately there is a part of this equation, which is dictated by the quality of our reaction and the types of choices we make. That’s what self care… More
1: Choose Your Topic and Decide on an Ask The very first thing you should decide about your PSA campaign is what you’re trying to accomplish. This is what people refer to as an “ask.” After watching or reading your PSA, your audience should be inspired and knowledgeable enough to take action. Keep in mind… More