Are you an adoptive, foster, or kinship parent who wants to start a support network in your community? Are you a professional who would like to help parents support one another. If so, NACAC is here to help!
NACAC has nurtured and supported the efforts of more than 1,000 parent groups across North America since 1974. Over the years, parent groups have:
- supported families and children
- provided post-adoption services
- recruited prospective foster and adoptive families
- become agents of change—identifying policies and practices that will help children in foster care and adoptive families and working to make those policies and practices a reality
As a parent group leader, you will become a part of a formidable network of parents who are dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in adoption, foster care, and kinship care. Your desire to lead is an important step for you and one that will positively affect the quality of life for families in your community and maybe even change the systems that determine child welfare policy. It takes courage to be a leader, and you should be proud of your willingness to help other parents and children.
Please explore the pages below about how to start a parent support group. Use the sidebar links to learn about how we can help and how to enhance an existing parent support group or add services to your support group.
NACAC Resources
Articles
The articles below are adapted from our publication Starting and Nurturing Adoptive Parent Groups: A Guide for Leaders. Download the guide
- Becoming a Leader
- Parent Group Development
- Getting the Group Started
- Developing Group Identity and Activities
- Managing Group Meetings
- Becoming a Nonprofit
Recorded Training
Below are webinars NACAC has recorded for parent group leaders. You can find these and other webinars in our list of Recorded Trainings.
- Self-Care for Support Leaders and Caregivers Webinar
- Rejuvenating Your Parent Group Webinar
- It’s Time to Take Better Care of Ourselves! (How to Handle Compassion Fatigue and Prevent Burnout) Webinar
- Starting and Enhancing Support Groups for Adoptive, Foster, and Kinship Families Webinar
- Fundraising for Groups Webinar
Others’ Resources
- The Community Tool Box from the University of Kansas has a number of great resources for community leaders, including a fact sheet on how to start and enhance such groups.
- PeerNetBC provides information for peer groups and peer-led initiatives, including six steps about to starting a group. (sign-in required but it’s free)