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Pre-Adoption Seminar

Adoption: A Lifelong Process

The two-day, twelve-hour seminar is conducted in Portland. Attendance is required before completing an application and intake interview.

The agenda includes a comprehensive review of adoption-related topics:

• Infertility and Its Impact on Adoption
• History of Adoption in the United States
• OA&FS' Philosophy of Child-Centered Open Adoptions
• Birthparent Panel
• Misconceptions and Stereotypes about Open Adoptions
• Losses Inherent in Adoption
• Benefits of Open Adoption
• Steps for Birthparents Working with OA&FS
• Adoptive Parent Panel
• Steps for Adoptive Parents Working with OA&FS
• Legal Issues: Presented by an Attorney
• Steps for creating an adoptive parent profile

For dates of upcoming seminars, please call an OA&FS office or email us.

Comments from past participants:

"All the topics were relevant. I found myself totally engaged in every step of the seminar because the moderators had it together."

"The guest speakers really brought a great sense of the process and experiences."

"I was completely inspired by this seminar. The way we dealt with emotional topics perfectly integrated with practical content."

"The seminar let us learn, address fears and begin to hope again. It also allowed us to interact with others who were in a similar situation and it was wonderful."

"[We] appreciated honest emotion and inclusiveness (all clients were supported - gay, straight, single, couples)."

"The seminar was very helpful in making the process more real, helped us to understand and feel a strong trust in the agency."

"An excellent seminar! We are very excited and definitely feel that we can start planning that we will have a baby! (Bought a baby blanket during the lunch break!!)"

"The seminar did an excellent job of preparing us for the emotional challenges of the process, educating us on the legal issues, walking us through the step-by-step process, answering our questions, informing us of the financial implications, and much, much more. [The seminar was] also, a fantastic introduction to your staff and philosophy. It is lovely and encouraging to meet a collection of enthusiastic, open-minded people who obviously work with a strong sense of values and purpose."