November 2009Vol. 10, No. 9Parent-to-Parent Support for Adoptive Families
Drawing on their years of experience working with adoptive parent support networks, the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) has issued a new publication that highlights the value of peer support groups for parents who adopt children with special needs. The manual, Developing a Parent-to-Parent Support Network, aims to help parents set up peer networks in their own communities based on model programs from around the country.
Information on six successful peer support network programs is provided, with the most detailed information on Minnesota Adoption Support and Preservation, a parent support network operated by NACAC. In a separate section, the process of developing a parent-to-parent network is presented, which covers issues such as:
- Partnering with others
- Defining the community and its needs
- Identifying funding sources
- Establishing trust and providing support
- Setting boundaries and maintaining ethics
- Evaluating the program
The manual is available on the NACAC website: