Parents
Being an adoptive or foster parent is beautiful, life-giving, and fulfilling. The anticipation of meeting your child for the first time is an experience unlike any other. Whether you are traveling down the road or across an ocean, the journey is filled unimaginable joy.
But you know not every moment is perfect. The challenges facing adoptive and foster families are real and can be painful. You may be struggling to bond, or traumatic experiences may be manifesting as disciplinary issues, but no matter what you are going through we want you to know that you are not alone. Groups and resources won’t make the pain go away, but they can help you.
But you know not every moment is perfect. The challenges facing adoptive and foster families are real and can be painful. You may be struggling to bond, or traumatic experiences may be manifesting as disciplinary issues, but no matter what you are going through we want you to know that you are not alone. Groups and resources won’t make the pain go away, but they can help you.
Parent Resources
Empowered to Connect Parent’s Training
We recommend Empowered to Connect Parents’ Training (ETC) parent training is an interactive learning experience that equips parents with a holistic understanding of their child’s needs and development while empowering them with the tools and strategies to effectively meet those needs, build trust, and help their child heal and grow.
The ETC Parent Training was developed by Michael & Amy Monroe and relies heavily on the Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) model developed by Dr. Karyn Purvis and her colleagues at the Karyn Purvis TCU Institute of Child Development.
The training focuses on a wide range of topics and issues relevant to adoptive and foster parents, including helping parents understand the impact of their child’s history, what they themselves bring to the parent-child relationship, the fundamentals of attachment, the impact of fear, and the importance of meeting their child’s sensory processing, nutritional and other physiological needs.
Support Groups
Another powerful resource is community – connecting with other foster and adoptive families through Support Groups. Gathering with parents that understand your unique joys and challenges allows you both a safe space to share your needs and an opportunity to connect with others on similar journeys.
Find a Local Faith-based Congregation
We know that adoptive and foster parents need help! Get in touch with us to see if there’s a congregation near you that’s offering the support you need. If you’d like to engage your community of faith in this vital role, we’d love to help. Visit our congregations page for more information.
We recommend Empowered to Connect Parents’ Training (ETC) parent training is an interactive learning experience that equips parents with a holistic understanding of their child’s needs and development while empowering them with the tools and strategies to effectively meet those needs, build trust, and help their child heal and grow.
The ETC Parent Training was developed by Michael & Amy Monroe and relies heavily on the Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) model developed by Dr. Karyn Purvis and her colleagues at the Karyn Purvis TCU Institute of Child Development.
The training focuses on a wide range of topics and issues relevant to adoptive and foster parents, including helping parents understand the impact of their child’s history, what they themselves bring to the parent-child relationship, the fundamentals of attachment, the impact of fear, and the importance of meeting their child’s sensory processing, nutritional and other physiological needs.
Support Groups
Another powerful resource is community – connecting with other foster and adoptive families through Support Groups. Gathering with parents that understand your unique joys and challenges allows you both a safe space to share your needs and an opportunity to connect with others on similar journeys.
Find a Local Faith-based Congregation
We know that adoptive and foster parents need help! Get in touch with us to see if there’s a congregation near you that’s offering the support you need. If you’d like to engage your community of faith in this vital role, we’d love to help. Visit our congregations page for more information.