Looking Through an Adoption Lens

What is it?

Looking Through an Adoption Lens is an introductory workshop designed to enhance clinical practice working with families created through adoption, kinship and guardianship placements, in meeting often complex and challenging mental health related needs.

How long is the program?

The workshop is designed as a full day session.

We can also work with you to customize a plan that best suits the needs of your group’s schedule.

What is the cost?

The cost of the workshop is $150/person.

How do I sign up?

Please contact [email protected] for more information and to book a workshop.

We are also working on developing this workshop into a multi-session online module for group and individual participation.

More About Looking Through an Adoption Lens

About the Program

Meeting the mental health needs of individuals and families touched by adoption  requires specialized training in assessment, diagnosis and intervention. At each phase of the clinical process, clinicians must be attuned to the complex array of historical and contemporary factors impacting the lives of their clients and, specifically, to the ways in which the adoption experience can influence their identity, relationships and development.

This workshop is aimed at creating permanency and adoption-informed child welfare and mental health practitioners who can support families created through adoption, kinship and guardianship placements in meeting the complex and challenging mental health related challenges experienced by this population.

Participants will learn:

• to understand the positive benefits of adoption for children with separation and trauma histories
• to understand the journey to adoption for Ontario families
• an introduction to a theoretical framework for practice with all members of the adoption and permanency constellation, based upon the core issues of loss, grief and separation
• Drawing from the fields of trauma, attachment, and neurobiology, participants will understand key elements of adoption competent clinical practice that is relationship-based and child-focused.

This course is level one of the ACO’s comprehensive Permanency and Adoption Competency Training Program.  For more information on level two, please visit our ACT page.