Different Types Of Support Groups For Adoptive Parents

Adoptive parents often seek community in support groups. Having a team of dedicated individuals to ask questions about parenting, spend time together sharing stories about the adoption process, and leaning on when things feel difficult is an asset. It's what many adoptive parents attribute their success to.

Reasons To Join A Support Group

If you're looking to join a support group or two as an adoptive parent, there are a few things you need to know. The first is how different many groups are from each other. Secondly, by seeing value in the resources available to you, you and your child benefit from the additional support of a loving community.

Here are some of the support groups for adoptive parents that you can choose from:

• Advocacy Groups: This type of support group's mission is to identify issues with the child welfare system, collaborate, and rally for solutions. Members work to change policies and practices locally, statewide, and nationally.
• Service Groups: Support groups like this aim to provide educational workshops and printed material to adoptive parents. Members fill in gaps where community services are not available.
• Mutual Support Groups: The most common of the support groups listed, members are also parents of adopted children. They know the ins and outs of parenthood and turn to one another for guidance and moral support.
• Frustration Venting Groups: This support group helps ease the frustration of a process or system experienced by the adopted child. It could be about homeschooling, matching, placement or even the transitioning of the child in his or her new environment. Members voice problems while others listen and find ways to meet their immediate needs.

Got A Question?

If you have questions about parenting an adopted child, you'll find a support group a valuable resource for information. Many members know what it feels like to be a newly adoptive parent, too. They can teach you the ropes, put you in touch with community programs and mental health groups that work with children, and be a listening ear whenever you need to talk through an issue or voice your concern.

To learn more about adoption, contact our Adoptions From The Heart offices in:

Greensburg, PA (Pittsburgh)
1225 S Main St #207
Greensburg, PA 15601
(724) 853-6533

Philadelphia, PA
30 Hampstead Cir
Wynnewood, PA 19096
(610) 642-7200

 Allentown, PA
2212 Union Blvd
Allentown, PA 18109
(610) 432-2384