One of the many important commitments that Heartsent makes to adopting parents involves exposure to the many issues of domestic and international adoption, through the focus classes and adoption workshops provided at the agency. For our adopting parents, we are proud to offer a complete class schedule for the year prior to adoption, followed by one year of post adoption focus classes. Classes are held in each of our office locations, offering a personal opportunity to learn about the many issues of adoption, as well as the opportunity to meet other adopting families while you all learn together. Adoption workshops are free to all of our home study families. Community members can attend for a minimal fee.
Orientation
This class is offered to all adopting parents while they are in the first two months of the program, or for those interested in learning more about adoption. It serves many purposes, but primarily seeks to make the adoption process more real and inspirational by inviting a panel of adoptive parents (and their newly adopted children!) to speak about their experiences to the adopting parents beginning their home studies. Meeting other adopting parents and becoming oriented to the adoption process also occurs at this class, providing support, education and information. See "What's New" page for schedules, or call the Heartsent office nearest you.
Focus Class Workshops
(Pre-Adoption and during the adoption process) These classes continue throughout each family's pre adoption time period, and include such topics as attachment and bonding, travel to the foreign country (if international adoptions), personality and type, adopting a toddler, challenges of single parenting, and a variety of cross cultural topics as well as issues of domestically adopted children. We are presently offering our classes as Adoption Workshops, which include 3 topics and last for 4 hours. Each workshop contains a class that applies to the issues of pre-adoption, during adoption, and post-adoption. Additional classes are specially scheduled throughout the year, and each family is invited to attend these as well.
(Post-Adoption) Post adoption classes are offered to each family during our Adoption Workshops. Once a family returns home with their child. Practical parenting topics with a variety of speakers and Heartsent's attention to the issues that face parents keep these classes dynamic. New classes are offered throughout the year, to reflect current trends and family needs.
Heartsent Learning Solutions
Heartsent Learning Solutions is currently offered in our Orinda office. This is a learning center approach, helping adopted children who are experiencing 'holes' in their learning, sometimes due to orphanage care or lack of stimulation and movement early in life. Our program is short term and intensive, designed to offer academic skills and neurodevelopment, and individually designed for each child. Heartsent offers this program for adopted children of any age, starting with an assessment to determine need. Our approach is gentle, but thorough, and we are seeing fantastic success since its inception in May of 2008. You are welcome to attend our various information meetings about this program, and are referred to the web page entitled Heartsent Learning Solutions.
Cultural Events
These events are offered throughout the year, and include both pre and post adoption families. It is our commitment to the children that the parents are exposed to information, education and culture and customs of their child's homeland. These events are fun, but educational too!
Please contact us if you would like reprints of articles:
- Attachment and Bonding (Symptoms and Solutions)
- Taking Adopted Children Back to Visit Their Birth Country
- Making The International / Domestic Adoption Choice