Are you expanding your family through adoption or another form of permanency? If you want to understand the needs of children and youth who are no longer in the care of their birth parents and get the tools to build a strong, supportive family, LEAP is for you!

In this 10-week online course, you will explore key topics such as trauma, attachment, openness with birth families, prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol, and cultural understanding. Indigenous consultants helped shape LEAP to ensure Indigenous perspectives are woven throughout.

Lessons will be delivered through a mix of video, audio, written materials, and group discussions, offering a dynamic and interactive learning experience. You’ll also receive ongoing support from experienced facilitators and a dedicated team.

Please note

The first LEAP course will be exclusive to prospective adoptive parents, including kinship and foster families who are adopting. Subsequent courses will be open to a wider audience and will provide information, support, and resources for all permanency families. This will include kinship families, those pursuing 54.01, or those parenting under the extended family program, even if they are not pursuing legal adoption.

This course requires participation in four mandatory live online discussions held on weekday evenings. Each session lasts one hour. The full schedule will be emailed two weeks before the course start date. If you have any questions, email us at education@belongingnetwork.com.

Course topics

• Block one: The impacts of colonization on adoption, adoption through foster care, separation and loss, and predictable adjustments
• Block two: Attachment and trauma
• Block three: Openness and cultural understanding
• Block four: Prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol, and mental health

Before you register

Before you begin your journey through the LEAP program, you must complete the online Introduction to Adoption and Permanency course. It covers the basics of the process, legal and financial considerations, and the needs of the waiting children. This course can be completed at your own pace anytime before you register for LEAP. You can sign up for this course here.

How to register

To enroll in LEAP, you must:

• Complete the online Introduction to Adoption and Permanency course.
• Register for the LEAP program (after you have completed your adoption application through MCFD’s Adopt BC Kids portal and have been approved).
• View the event calendar to find the next available course.
• Provide the name and email of your social worker (if you are adopting through MCFD).
• Pay the non-refundable $95 registration fee. Registration and fees are per person.
• If you’re adopting with a partner or another adult, they must complete a separate registration using a different email address from yours. You must register and pay separately so that you can each be certified.

What to expect after registration

Once registered, you will receive:

• A confirmation email
• Course details and the live discussion schedule two weeks before the start date
• A reminder email one week before the start date
• Course login details by 9:30 a.m. (Pacific Time) on the start date

Questions? Contact the Education team at education@belongingnetwork.com or 604-320-7330 ext.187.