SESSION #1
INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION 101, Marshall Williams, Gladney Center. Are you interested in adopting internationally but the process seems overwhelming? Mr. Williams will share an overview of the international adoption process. He’ll also cover general information about a few of the top sending countries families are adopting from and explain how the Hague Convention affects the process. Marshall will also provide a glossary of adoption terms to help families sort through the confusion of intercountry adoption.
FOSTER-TO-ADOPT, Jen Reichert, Arrow Child and Family Ministries. This session will focus on many of the common questions about the Texas foster-to-adopt process. It will address common myths about adopting through the foster care system and some important considerations when choosing this path to build a family. Jen will also discuss how families are matched with available children and provide an overview of the adoption process for these children. In addition, this session will address information regarding a program called Special Needs Adoptions and the Adoption Assistance Program in Texas.
DOMESTIC INFANT ADOPTION, Sara Black, New Life Pregnancy Center. Domestic adoption can be an exciting way to build your family. Sara will discuss the differences between an agency and a private adoption, and will explain the degrees of openness in adoption placements. Some of the topics covered will be: 1) the time line of adoption as it relates to both birthparents and adoptive families, 2) transracial adoption issues, and 3) common questions and fears regarding adopting domestically.
ADOPTION BASICS, Chris and Tanya Maclin, Mt. Sinai Baptist Church and Julie Kouri, Grace Covenant Church. Are you so new to this process you are not even sure what questions to ask? Does adoption terminology sound like a foreign language to you? Do you need the basics to help you feel like you can get started? Olivia and Julie will give you a quick overview of all the adoptions options and discuss basic questions to ask yourself and spouse as you explore what an adoption would look like for your family.
Foster Care at a Glance, Sibyl McDade, LBSW-IPR, Department of Family Protective Services. There is a lot of misunderstanding and questions surrounding the foster care system. This breakout will answer many frequently asked questions about foster care and the children in foster care.
SESSION #2
Feeling Safe Versus Being Safe, Lisa Martin. Families and those who care for children often assume that children from hard places FEEL safe because they ARE safe. This is especially easy for families to assume if they have brought an infant into their home. Lisa will explain “felt safety” and how it is crucial to attachment, development and the ability for a child to trust. She will also demonstrate how to create an attachment-rich, sensory-rich environment for at-risk children to experience “felt safety.”
DOMESTIC INFANT ADOPTION, Sara Black, New Life Pregnancy Center. Domestic adoption can be an exciting way to build your family. Sara will discuss the differences between an agency and a private adoption, and will explain the degrees of openness in adoption placements. Some of the topics covered will be: 1) the time line of adoption as it relates to both birthparents and adoptive families, 2) transracial adoption issues, and 3) common questions and fears regarding adopting domestically.
INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION 101, Marshall Williams, Gladney Center. Are you interested in adopting internationally but the process seems overwhelming? Mr. Williams will share an overview of the international adoption process. He’ll also cover general information about a few of the top sending countries families are adopting from and explain how the Hague Convention affects the process. Marshall will also provide a glossary of adoption terms to help families sort through the confusion of intercountry adoption.
IF YOU CAN’T BRING HOME A CHILD, WHAT CAN YOU DO?, Tonya Parrott, Austin Christian Fellowship. If you are not sure you are called to adopt or foster a child, there are lots of ways you can still be engaged in caring for these vulnerable children. Tonya will give you an overview of needs and opportunities to serve orphans and children in foster care in Austin and the surrounding areas. She will share both concrete and creative ways to engage your family, friends, small group, and others in serving the needs of these kids, their caregivers, and other individuals on the front lines working with orphans and foster care. She’ll also encourage participants to identify how God has uniquely equipped them – through their spiritual gifts, abilities and experiences – to serve this population.
FOSTER-TO-ADOPT, Jen Reichert, Arrow Child and Family Ministries. This session will focus on many of the common questions about the Texas foster-to-adopt process. It will address common myths about adopting through the foster care system and some important considerations when choosing this path to build a family. Jen will also discuss how families are matched with available children and provide an overview of the adoption process for these children. In addition, this session will address information regarding a program called Special Needs Adoptions and the Adoption Assistance Program in Texas.
