2010 Conference Breakout Sessions
Adoption 101
Do you want to adopt a child, but don't know where to start?
Maybe you are considering adoption, but you are faced with questions or fears.
This presentation will help you think about the different kinds of adoption.
We will look at adoption finances, the home study, and living as an adoptive family.
The presentation will also show how to bring along friends and family through
your adoption journey and how you can give back to other families on their
adoption journey.
Domestic Adoption 101
In this session, learn about domestic adoption from two couples
who've been through the process. We'll discuss finding the right
agency, meeting the birth family, legal requirements, and common
issues and misconceptions associated with domestic adoption.
International Adoption 101
This session will be facilitated by an International Adoptive
couple and will provide an overview of the most common intercountry
adoption programs offered. We will discuss some of the differences
in each program and some items to consider such as agencies, home
studies, timeframe, travel, expenses, etc. There will be highlights
of some of the major programs and a question and answer time.
Foster Parenting 101
God calls some families to welcome a child into their home as a foster family.
Many families consider foster parenting, but don't know how to get started.
We'll present the initial CPS information meeting, telephone screening,
and the application process. The home study process will be covered, as
well as the PRIDE classes and additional training necessary to become a foster parent.
Adopting Children from the Foster Care System
Is your adoption path centered around adopting a child who is currently
in the foster care system and able to be adopted? This session will
provide you with information about the children currently available
to be adopted from the foster care system. It will also cover how
families are matched with children and provide an overview of the adoption
process for these children.
Financing Adoption
One of the major roadblocks in making the decision whether to
adopt a child is the cost of adoption. Adoption fees vary greatly
and sometimes depend on whether you adopt an infant or an older
child, use a private or public agency, etc. We will discuss the
many sources of help for adoption costs and numerous factors to
consider.
Infertility & Adoption - Going from Plan B to Plan A
After the vast emotional toil, hormonal changes, and physical challenges
associated with infertility treatment & procedures, it is difficult to
look at options beyond pregnancy. However, the choice of adoption is a
way that dreams of building a family can go from a vague possibility
to a reality of wonder and joy. Please join us for a panel discussion
with questions and answers of how to overcome infertility grief, opt
out of further medical treatments, and proceed confidently with adoption.
Parenting a Child With Special Needs
When you bring an adopted child into your family, there is necessarily a time
of adjustment and discovery. When that child also has special needs,
it can sometimes be overwhelming. Luckily, you don't have to go through
this alone. Learn tips you can use and resources you can tap into
from an adoptive parent who has been there.
Will My Child Attach?
When a child is brought into an adoptive family, sometimes
parents think that all they have to do is love their child, and
they will develop healthy attachment to the parents. However,
the reality is that many adopted children experience attachment
issues due to being raised in an institutional setting or because
of neglect, abuse, or instability. This presentation covers
many of the techniques and strategies that parents can use to
overcome these issues and develop healthy bonds between parent,
adopted child, and other children in the family. A must for
adoptive families!
Your Child's Senses
Your child's ability to process and interpret the information he
receives from his senses is something that parents take for granted.
However, for children who come from sensory-deprived backgrounds,
they may have difficulty processing sensory information. Adopted
children who have spent time in institutional settings may need
special attention and specific therapies to help them with Sensory
Processing Disorder. These topics will be presented to help families
know how to best care for children who need help processing what
their bodies are telling them.
Living as a Multi-racial Family
God's calling to build a family through adoption does not pay attention
to racial differences. Many times, an adoptive family will be build
from two or more races, which presents certain questions and challenges
that a parent should be prepared for. From questions about identity
from the child as it relates to family and friendships to being prepared
to face discrimination from the world, these topics will be explored
to help equip families in parenting their children.
Connecting with Your Child Part 1 - Understanding Your Child
For parents whose desire is to connect their adoptive or foster
child to their family, within a Christian perspective. Part 1 of
this session helps parents understand some of the issues that a
child from a hard place may face. We will discuss some of the
effects that may be seen in a child's actions resulting from his or
her background and history. By gaining an understanding, appreciation
and respect for your child's story, the parent will be better-equipped
to connect with the child.
Connecting with Your Child Part 2 - Achieving Connectness
For parents whose desire is to connect their adoptive or foster child
to their family, within a Christian perspective. This session offers
tools parents can use to overcome a child’s difficult background
to build trust and affection with him or her. It also deals with
learning and behavioral disorders, and how to discipline the child
in a loving, non-threatening way.
Adopting Children from Haiti
Do you have a heart for the children of Haiti? Join us for an informal presentation &
discussion on the post-quake plight of orphans in Haiti. The government has reopened
for adoptions, and we will cover the latest information on the process. We will
also provide a look at the overall state of orphan care and the great needs
of the vulnerable children in this country.
Adopting an Older Child - Panel Discussion
Whether God is calling you to adopt domestically or internationally,
the biggest need for orphans worldwide is to adopt older child,
who in most cases are already waiting to be adopted. Adopting
older children can be a blessing, but it may bring unique
challenges to parenting those children. This panel will be
composed of families who have adopted older children and how
they have tackled some of these challenges with good parenting
practices and a good portion of God's grace.
Launching an Orphan Ministry in Your Church
Do you ever wish your church could have a ministry to orphans,
but you don’t know how to start? This session gives the
principles and practical tools needed to launch an effective
orphans ministry. Topics including adoption ministry, foster
care ministry, and orphan care ministry will be covered. You
will also hear ideas from existing church ministries to orphans
around the country.
Church Foster Care Ministry
As a church, we are called to minister to widows and orphans
in their distress. How can your church or small group fulfill
this mandate? This session will show why we are called to be
foster parents to children in our community who need safe and
loving homes. It will also cover how churches and small groups
can wrap around foster families, children in foster care, and
their birth families to give them the support they need in this
area of ministry.
Relief Care and Other Ways to Serve
One of the greatest ways to serve children in foster care without
becoming a foster parent yourself is to provide relief care for
foster families. Defined as care for foster children for less
than 72 consective hours, relief care is a huge blessing to foster
families. This session will also cover other opportunities for
serving children in foster care and the families who are providing
homes for these children.
- Informal Q&A
- Adoption agency presentations
- Information on waiting children
- Connecting with adoptive families