A parent support group provides a way for families to come together and learn from each other. Some parent support groups are involved in planning meetings, collecting and distributing clothing, organizing summer camps, and coordinating respite care. There are often presenters that come to the group meetings to discuss relevant topics that are of concern to the parents. Most importantly, parent support groups provide a reliable network for the adoptive and foster families. Every state has established parent support groups. AdoptUsKids has a nationwide list of the parent support groups that received a sponsorship from us. You can view it online at http://www.adoptuskids.org/. Consider joining a parent support group in your area. It just might surprise you to learn that other prospective parents have the same questions and concerns as you!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
13 comments:
I live in Savannah, GA and my caseworker started a montlhy support group for adoptive parents who have already adopted a child or have been approved to adopt and are awaiting a placement. It has been a great help in answering questions and voicing concerns and frustrations with the entire process. I highly recommend anyone who has adopted a child or has been approved to adopt to attend these support group meetings.
If your agency does not have a parent support group, as a foster or adoptive parent you can inform your agency that you would like to start one.
Families can locate a parent support group in their state by checking out http://www.nacac.org/parentgroups/database.html
I also live in Savannah , Ga. The ATEAM also has a support group for parents who has adopted a child.They meet the first hour of the ATEAM meetings for the kids once a month.
The support group which ladymanaee is speaking of is through Lutheran Services.
Can a single mom be a foster and/or adoptive parent?
A single person can foster or adopt. I am a single foster parent and one of my friends is a single man that adopted two boys.
Stacey Leidner
Family Advocate/Respite Coordinator
AdoptUsKids
Another contact in New Jersey is FAFS (Foster Adoptive Family Support Group). You can get the contact info from the web by inputing the name and NJ. It is actually overseen by one state agency (DHS) the helps monitor and assit another state agency (DCF-DYFS).
NE Tennessee has a support group. It is called Harmony and it is a wonderful group for pre--post adoptive parents. We also get training credit for attending. Connie
Can I get a contact # or email for NE TN. Support Group?
From ladymanatee: If you are in the Savannah GA area and have an approved home study or are an adoptive parent, contact Lutheran Services of GA on Abercorn St. and speak to them about attending the support group meetings. They meet in the evenings on the second Tuesday of each month.
I am freaking out, we thought we were going to adopt our foster child. Now, after 14 months it's return to parent. How will I deal with the grief?
At this time, there are two parent groups in Tennessee that I am aware of. They are the Carroll County Foster Parents Association and the contact is Betty Hastings. The other group is the Johnson County Foster Adoptive Care Association and the contact is John Maze.
Dealing with grief when a child leaves your care is very real and painful! I often say it is much like death and dying and refer people to look at the stages of grief. We deny that this is happening. Even though we know that we are doing foster care which is interim care. We are often angry, because we love this child and feel that we are the best parents. Then we move to bargaining, trying to encourage the placing agency to leave the child with us. Finally, we need to move to acceptance, that we have "planted seeds" for this child and need to take care of ourselves and move on.
It is terribly difficult, however as foster parents we know that this is a reality.
I would suggest that you run to a support group or association meeting and connect with others that have "walked this walk". Take care of yourself and take some time to heal.
Post a Comment