The Belonging Network is here to support you as you work with families created through adoption and permanency, or youth in and from care.
Our resources and events are designed to enhance your understanding of key permanency and adoption issues, empowering you to effectively meet the needs of today’s adoptive and permanency families, and youth in and from care.
Professional development opportunities
| We’re in the process of planning some fantastic events for you, like lunch and learns workshops specifically for professionals. Check back soon for updates. |
Resources about adoption and permanency
Are you an adoption or guardianship worker, adoption agency staff, or another professional connected with adoption and permanency? We offer a wide variety of online adoption and permanency-related resources for you and your clients, such as on-demand webinars, workshops, and support groups.
Learn more about our programs by clicking on the links below—and share them with your clients as needed.
- Adopt BC Kids Info Sessions happen regularly. If you have clients who want to know more about adopting one (or more) of the waiting children and youth in BC government care, these sessions are the perfect starting point.
- Live online workshops: Safe Babies and Trauma-Informed Parenting are our anchor workshops, along with other topics such as Teens & Tweens and Raising Relatives.
- Videos about a variety of stages and topics in permanency and adoption are available for you to watch any time you want.
- Toolkits on key issues and topics like prenatal substance exposure gather our best resources in one easy location. We’re adding more all the time!
- Handy information sheets to share with clients on important topics like Infant and toddler adoption in BC are free for you to download and distribute.
- In-depth digital resource guides on topics such as navigating the education system and supporting LGBTQ2S+ youth in adoption.
- A full range of online support groups, including virtual group meetings for waiting and adoptive parents, provide opportunities for connection and peer support.
- Our 2023 Impact Report shows the life-changing difference our programs and services make!
Request a presentation or workshop
Permanency & Adoption 101 & 201 workshops for community organizations
Choosing the right Adoption Education Program online course for your client
If your clients are adopting through MCFD, they’ll probably need to take our online Adoption Education Program (AEP). We offer two streams of the online AEP. Please read the descriptions below to determine which AEP is the best option for your client.
The AEP-Online Foundations course is for general and child-specific applicants who have not completed prior caregiver training. The course takes place over 15 weeks and covers the legal, social, and emotional aspects of adoption and permanency. Core modules include attachment, separation and loss, prenatal exposure, cultural considerations in adoption, and openness.
Please click here to learn more and access the full course outline: AEP Foundations.
The AEP-Online Refresher course is designed especially for previous adopters, foster parents, and others who have completed approved prior caregiver training. The course includes the essentials for building a strong adoptive/permanency family in a shorter 8-week format.
Please click here to learn more and access the full course outline: AEP Refresher.
Once you have determined which AEP course is right for your client, direct them to our AEP online course page for upcoming dates and registration.
Permanency Support Specialists
Are you struggling to find an adoptive family, a permanency connection, or lifelong support for a child or youth? Our Permanency Support Specialists might be able to help. Their entire focus is on finding families or permanency connections for children and youth who are often considered “hard to place.” They accept referrals from MCFD and Indigenous Child and Family Service Agencies.
Learn more about Permanency Support Specialists
Resources for professionals who work with youth
Are you a social worker, resource worker, or another professional who works with youth? We’ve got programs and services that could really make a difference for the youth you serve:
- AgedOut.com is a website for young adults who were in government care in BC. It’s an up-to-date warehouse of information for young adults to help with the transition from government care to adulthood. Learn more.
- The Belonging Network’s bursary programs provide funding for post-secondary education. That includes college, university, trades programs, and more. Bursaries can be used for tuition and related expenses, like living costs during study. Learn more.
- Our life skills programming, Stepping Stones, is like “Adulting 101.” It can help youth learn the important life skills they’ll need as an adult. Learn more.
Looking for something else?
If you have a question or need support or resources about something that we haven’t covered here, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out using our contact form, and we’ll be in touch!
