Back to School Resources

The Strengthening Your Family (SYF) Webinar Series is an annual series of ten 90-minute webinars on a wide variety of topics to support families experiencing foster care, adoption, and kinship care. Webinars are presented by individuals with expertise and lived experience and are designed for both parents and members of the adoption kinship network as well as the child welfare and mental health professionals who support them. The Jockey Being Family Foundation funding provides 600 free registrations for each webinar. Webinars providing continuing education credit can also be purchased.

Lisa D. Maynard, LMSW, NTI Implementation & Training Specialist and adoptive parent, explains why adoption competency is important in a school setting and introduces the National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training for School-based Mental Health Professionals.   

Hailey D’Elia, former C.A.S.E. Policy and Advocacy Fellow and a member of the Foster Care Alumni, shares tips and resources for parents and educators to put themselves in the shoes of the child.

Ellen Singer, LCSW-C, former C.A.S.E. Adoption-Competent Therapist provides adopted parents tips for effective communication with school personnel to ensure their child’s educational success.  

John Sobraske, LMHS, LMFT, an adopted person, a stepparent of adopted children, and an adoption psychotherapist in private practice, describes recommended interventions for both parents and professionals. This webinar is part of a two-part series on executive function. Receive FREE webinar access for 48 hours with promo code SCHOOL23.

In this second webinar in a two-part series on executive function, please note viewing the first webinar is not required, John Sobraske, LMHS, LMFT presents a workshop for parents and professionals that is timed to coincide with the return to school and focuses exclusively on interventions, which are paradoxically simple and complex, general and specific. Please note viewing the first webinar is not required. Receive FREE webinar access for 48 hours with promo code SCHOOL23.

Kim Stevens, Adoptive Parent and former NACAC Program Manager, challenges caregivers to think about growth and maturity in the context of developmental strengths and needs and learn strategies for helping older youth develop the new skills they will need to succeed as adults, while ensuring that your relationship is sustained and strengthened. Receive FREE webinar access for 48 hours with promo code SCHOOL23.

The W.I.S.E. UP! program teaches children that they can decide if, when, and how to share their adoption story. Ellen Singer, LCSW-C, former C.A.S.E. Adoption-Competent Therapist, shares what parents need to know to effectively teach W.I.S.E. UP! to their children.  Receive FREE webinar access for 48 hours with promo code SCHOOL23.