Friday, June 6, 2008

FSA National Conference August 8-9, 2008

One Miracle at a Time
August 8-9, 2008
Atlanta, Georgia


We hope you have already marked your calendars and planned your weekend getaway to Atlanta, Georgia for our first-ever opportunity to participate in the FSA National Conference. If not, we have received some additional information that we hope will entice you.

We will be participating in the Southeast Regional Conference, which will include a live broadcast from the National Conference in Salt Lake.

While not everything is completely set in stone, here is the most recent list of planned courses:

Loss in Adoption-
how to process and overcome grief. Includes discussion on infertility, failed adoption, and loss of biological connection

Networking- ideas for networking and finding an adoption situation.

Trans-racial Adoption- Discussion of how to prepare yourself for a transracial adoption, how to overcome challenges. Includes a presentation and question/answer with panel.

Open Adoption- Take the fear out of open adoption. Discuss the ways open adoption will benefit you, your child, and the birthfamily. Ideas for setting boundaries and overcoming challenges.

Birthparent Relationships- How to establish and navigate a relationship with the birthfamily. Ideas for letters, gifts, and visits. How to help your birthmother heal.

Adult Adoptee- Adult adoptees will share their experience and answer questions.

Birthmother- A birthmother who has worked with LDSFS will share her experiences.

Helping Loved Ones Become Adoption Fluent- How to talk to others about adoption, how to promote positive adoption language. How to maintain privacy when asked questions.

Talking with your child about adoption- How to discuss adoption with your child. Includes discussion on developmental understanding of adoption, and how to answer questions. Also includes how to prepare a sibling for an upcoming adoption.

Process of Adoption- Understanding the legal aspects of adoption, includes timeline, expectations, and each person’s role. Includes approval, selection, birth, and finalization.

Adoption Tax Credit- A tax professional will give a presentation about the adoption tax credit. There will be time for questions.

1st 3 weeks at home- What to expect after placement. Includes newborn care, communicating with birth family, post adoption depression.

Advocating for Adoption in School- How to talk to teachers and other professionals about adoption. Ideas for introducing adoption to your child’s class. How to help your child answer questions from peers.

Funding Adoption- How to find the money to pay for your adoption. Ideas given.

“He’s all mine”- How to promote attachment and bonding with your child. Includes discussion of adoptive breast feeding, reactive attachment disorder, and infant massage.

Foster Adoption- A discussion of how to adopt from the foster care system, and how to overcome challenges of older child adoption.

International Adoption- A discussion of how to adopt internationally, an overview of different countries to adopt from and benefits to each.

Special Needs Adoption- discuss adopting a child with special needs.

Strengthen Your Marriage- Ideas for strengthening and improving the marriage relationship. Ideas given for handling the stress of adoption, the frustration of waiting, and the roller coaster of new parenthood. How to help and understand each other through this process.

To register for this fantastic event, click HERE.

The registration for has the address of the church in Atlanta (actually Sandy Springs), as well as maps and fee information.

If you have any questions, please email Kim at florida.fsa@gmail.com.

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