submit a nomination Each year, NACAC honors leaders in adoption and child welfare for their efforts to ensure that children have families and families have the support they need. We are currently accepting nominations for our 2020 awards, which will be presented at the NACAC conference in Toronto, Ontario from August 26–29. (View a list… Read more
Do you have ideas that would strengthen foster care in your area? Not sure where to start to advocate for the changes you want? We can help! NACAC is working with CHAMPS (Children Need Amazing Parents) to help you make policy changes in your state. In this session, we will review the CHAMPS policy goals… Read more
Children and youth being raised in families of a different race and culture than their own have unique needs around positive identity formation and social / community safety. Through this webinar, presented by a young adult with lived experience and by an adoptive parent – both in transracial adoptive families – parents, youth, and professionals… Read more
Have questions about how to claim the adoption tax credit? NACAC’s adoption tax credit expert, Josh Kroll, presents a webinar on the federal adoption tax credit outlining the steps to file. The focus is on filing for the 2019 tax year, but also covers applying for the credit for adoptions as far back as 2016… Read more
In this session, you will learn the basics of adoption assistance for children adopted from foster care, including eligibility, benefits, taxes, and more. The workshop is designed for both prospective parents seeking to learn more about the support available for the children they adopt and parents who are seeking an adjustment due to a change… Read more
Adoption Assistance Benefits and Eligibility Wednesday, December 4, 2019, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CST Register here Do you want to better understand adoption assistance benefits? In this session, you will learn the basics of adoption assistance for children adopted from foster care, including eligibility, benefits, taxes, and more. The workshop is designed for both… Read more
Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 2:00-3:00 pm CST (12:00 noon pacific, 1:00 pm mountain, 3:00 pm eastern) Fee: Free Presenter: Josh Kroll, NACAC Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4005808234914759169 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… Read more
Many children coming into care were prenatally exposed to drugs and/or alcohol. We will explore risk factors for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, look at the connection between brain impairment and behaviors, including impact of trauma & discuss reframing and other strategies for professionals and parents to better support children who were prenatally exposed to substances… Read more
See your kids in a whole new light! This webinar offers a toolbox of strategies for parenting children and teens. Topics include developing trust and attachment while helping children learn to manage their own behaviors, build self-esteem, and maintain sanity. The presenter will give special attention to the unique world of teens. Presented by Denise… Read more
The responsibilities of caring for children and youth who have experienced trauma and loss, as well as those of the support leaders who serve these caregivers can take a huge toll. As the flight attendant will tell you, “you must put your own oxygen mask on before helping others.” In this webinar, we will address… Read more
Recorded on November 29, 2017: Strategic Sharing: Using Personal Stories for Child Welfare Advocacy Access the recorded webinar This webinar for young people who have experienced foster care and/or adoption, adoptive and foster parents, and leaders interested in child welfare advocacy teaches how personal stories can be powerful advocacy tools. This session addresses why personal… Read more
This webinar for young people who have experienced foster care and/or adoption, adoptive and foster parents, and leaders interested in child welfare advocacy teaches how personal stories can be powerful advocacy tools. This session addresses why personal stories can make a difference and best practices for telling or writing your own stories to achieve system… Read more
AdoptUSKids has recently published new public narrative-writing guidelines developed to help workers craft compelling narratives that protect the safety, privacy, and dignity of children. The principle behind these guidelines is that information about children should be shared on a continuum, with positive, descriptive information in the public profile that is available to all and information… Read more
November offers a prime opportunity for adoptive parent groups, youth networks, and others to raise their community’s awareness of adoption- and foster care-related issues. Whether you are trying to raise awareness about how to help adoptive families, increase your pool of prospective adopters, or increase community support for post-adoption or other permanency services, we can… Read more
In this webinar, Dr. Rowell explores how a child’s early experience with hunger or food insecurity can result in survival behaviors that continue in foster or adoptive families. These behaviors can include eating quickly, stealing or hiding food, getting upset if asked to share or slow down while eating, and more. The presentation helps parents… Read more
Every child entering foster care has experienced some amount of trauma—if nothing else, removal from his or her home and placement into foster care is itself traumatic. In most cases, children in the child welfare system have multiple experiences with trauma, often referred to as complex trauma. Parenting a child who has been separated from… Read more
In an adoption world where disruption looms all too often, this session offers a positive approach for workers and families. Here is a way to make sense of (and deal with) some of the negative feelings that adopted children can make their parents feel. Understanding this dynamic, as well as other key parent-child interactions which… Read more
Children who have been prenatally exposed to drugs, particularly alcohol, can have significant challenges with learning and behavior. When parents or foster caregivers understand the underlying causes and the impact on the brain from prenatal exposure, they can develop therapeutic parenting and teaching strategies that allow both parent and child to experience success! Presented by… Read more
Children do best when they know the truth about their lives. But sharing difficult information with children is not easy. This webinar will give participants the tools to discuss the most challenging situations (abuse, parental incarceration, death, HIV, incest, termination of parental rights) with children of all ages. Please bring your own challenging questions to… Read more
Research is revealing that the typical youth brain is not capable of true adult functioning until 20+ years of age – information that has critical implications in terms of cause and effect understandings, critical thinking skills and maturation. For youth who have experienced foster care and adoption, this developmental process can be significantly affected. This… Read more