Beginning or expanding a post-adoption information clearinghouse can be a daunting task. Your group may have visions of a vast library of books, articles, directories of therapists, respite care providers, and other professionals, and you might think this goal is unattainable. In reality, clearinghouses exist in many forms. The continuum can range from a recipe… More
A major concern and need for adoptive families is appropriate, safe respite care. Respite can be good for both parents and children, though often difficult to find. Creativity is helpful when trying to locate respite providers as it is with other areas of parenting. Some daily activities for children can provide limited respite for parents… More
As we all know, families feel most comfortable learning about the adoption process by talking with a person who has walked in their shoes (e.g., filed the papers, completed the home study, dealt with a National Exchange or Adoption Desk). Parent groups throughout North America have developed creative ways to bring families together and share… More
Thousands upon thousands of children who have suffered abuse and neglect are in need of a forever adoptive family and a home to call their own. Agencies throughout the country work diligently to find viable foster/adoptive parents for these children. Oftentimes, agency workers turn to formal and informal parent groups because the resources and talents… More
A couple of years ago, a handful of child welfare professionals in New Mexico—including some who were foster/adoptive parents—had a brainstorming session to discuss the question, “How can we address the problem of grief and loss for families in the state’s foster care system?” The questions came about during work to develop a concurrent planning… More
This article was originally published in Adoptalk, NACAC’s quarterly newsletter. Adoptalk is a benefit of NACAC membership. Learn more about becoming a NACAC member. The curriculum described below—including a facilitator’s guide, a participant handbook, and a slide kit—is available on the National Child Traumatic Stress Network’s website. The online community requires a user ID and… More
This NACAC manual is intended to help parents and family advocates learn how to set up parent-to-parent networks to provide post-adoption support in their own communities. The document provides information on six model peer support programs and explores in detail NACAC’s former MN ASAP parent support network. Click here to download PDF… More
An overwhelming number of foster and adopted children have a variety of special needs, and parent groups often have to address the many issues related to those special needs. As a group leader, your role is to provide group members with information on where to get reliable, comprehensive resources and where to find training opportunities… More
False allegations of abuse and neglect disrupt family life and can rock the stability of even the firmest foundations. Allegations not only affect the accuser and the accused, but also spouses or partners, other children in the family, extended family members, friends, group members, and others in the community. They are difficult to endure because… More
Children who are adopted or live in kinship or foster care bring with them an additional history and set of experiences when they enter the classroom. Part of that history includes many unknowns. No parent, child, or teacher would ever choose a public place like school to be a source of misunderstanding, misinformation, embarrassment, or… More