2009 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.
Medical Issues in International Adoption
As adoptive parents investigate international adoption, one of the many things to consider is the possibility of adopting a child with a medical need. This session covers the more common and concerning issues that apply to children who are adopted internationally. Dr. Susan Dibs will cover growth and developmental delay, microcephaly, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and infectious diseases
Hosting an Orphan in Your Home
Through orphan hosting programs, adoption agencies seek to find adoption-minded families and families interested in praying for and advocating for orphan children as they visit the United States during their summer vacation. These children are typically older, ages 6-12, and face a grim outlook if they remaining in orphanages through adulthood. By hosting these children, potential-adoptive families to participate in the experience of having a child in their home as they consider international adoption as an option for parenting.
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.
Preventing F.I.T’s: Parenting Strategies for Adoptive Families
Families who welcome children into their lives and homes through adoption or foster care sometimes encounter difficulties in parenting. Some adopted and foster children have very hard backgrounds and have adapted their lives with undesired behaviors through necessity. This session will cover techniques and resources for parents who experience these difficulties so that they and their children can become connected and flourish together as a family.
Domestic Infant 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 Waiting 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.
Adoption & Orphan Ministry in your Church or Small Group
God's plan is for children to be placed in families through adoption, and for families to care for the fatherless. The church has a mandate for supporting adoptive families and foster families. Learn how you can be involved in supporting these families when they need it most. Learn how to support them yourself, within your church's small groups, and within your church home as a whole.
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!
Handout and Suggested Reading List (PDF)
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.
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.
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.