A conference for birth parents, adoptive parents, adoptees, siblings, extended families, and advocates.
Saturday, March 10, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Head-Royce School Campus
4315 Lincoln Avenue
Oakland, CA
5 continuing education credits (CEUs) are available.
Click here to print a download the conference brochure.
In every adoption there are many stories. There is the birthparents’ story and the adopting parents’ story, not to mention the stories of siblings and extended families. Whether an adopted child has ongoing contact with their birthparents, or none at all, adoptees must “weave” together their own narrative to create a strong, healthy identity. Learn how the adults in adopted children’s lives can best embrace and support each child’s story and validate everyone’s loving contributions to the child. Join us for a rare opportunity to learn to recognize a child’s changing emotional and cognitive understanding of adoption over time.
This daylong conference will prove enlightening and informative if you are:
- A birth mother, or a member of a birth family by adoption;
- An adoptive parent, or a person considering adoption;
- An educator, social worker, volunteer, counselor, or others engaged in working with families.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
8:30 – 9:00 am – Registration
9:00 – 9:15 am – Welcome and introductions
9:15 – 10:45 am – Pat Irwin Johnston, Keynote speaker: “Adoption Realities: Weaving the Stories Together”
10:45 – 11:00 am – Morning Break
11:00 – 11:30 am – Keynote Question and Answer Session
11:30 –12:15 pm – Susan Ito, Solo Performance, “The Ice Cream Gene”
12:15 – 1:15 pm – Lunch and optional break-out affinity groups provided
1:15 – 2:30 pm – Session I
Session I Topics:
- Expecting by Adoption (for parents-to-be)
- Talking about Adoption with 0-5 years olds
- How Kids Think about Adoption at Ages 6-11
- Continuing the Conversation About Adoption with Tweens, Teens, and Young Adults
- Birth Parent Sessions – Sharing Our Stories With Each Other and Our Children
- Adopted Adults Speak Out About Their Own Stories & Experiences
2:45 – 4:00 pm Session II
Session II Topics:
- For Professionals Only, Working with 21st Century Clients
- Transracial Adoption – Living Across Culture and Race
- LGBT Headed Families Intersecting with Adoption
- Navigating Identity Issues In Families Who Have No Birth Parent Contact
- Navigating Open Adoption Relationships, For Adoptive Parents
- Navigating In Open Adoption Relationships, For Birth Parents
- Parenting the Hurt Child: Recognizing Trauma Prior to Placement
4:00 – 4:30 pm Book signing
Afternoon sessions will be facilitated by a distinguished list of local adoption professionals including our featured speakers as well as Anne Brodzinsky, PhD; Leslie Foge, MA, MFT; Beth Hall; Susan Romer, Esq.; Lynne Fingerman MSW; and others.
ABOUT THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND MORNING PRESENTER
Pat Irwin Johnston, MS, has been an award-winning advocate and educator as well as the publisher at Perspectives Press in the field of infertility and adoption for over 30 years. She is an author of eight books and was a columnist for Adoptive Families Magazine. Her most cherished credentials are those of being a parent through adoption of three grown children and a member of a family which has experienced adoption as birthparent, adoptee, and adoptive parent through five consecutive generations.
Susan Ito is biracial Asian adoptee, teacher and published author. She has served as the director of Pact Camp and Head of Pact’s Adult Adoptee Advisory Board. Susan’s solo performance piece on adoption, The Ice Cream Gene, has been performed nationally.
FEE INFORMATION
Cost: $75 per person ($80 for individuals wishing to earn CEUs). Scholarships for adoptees and birth parents available on an individual basis, please inquire.
Please register today. Registrations received after February 15 will be charged an additional $15.
Catered lunch and one copy per family of Pat Irwin Johnston’s book “Adopting: Sounds Choices, Strong Families” included in cost of conference.
Questions or inquiries please contact: Deanna Matthews at: 510-243-9460, email: Deanna@pactadopt.org