It can be difficult for adoptive parents to find safe spaces to discuss the unique joys and challenges that come from forming your family through adoption. The Strong, Tough and Resilient (STAR) Adoptive Parent Group provides an opportunity for adoptive parents to create a lasting community with one another and gain tools and resources to advocate for and support adoptees.
“As a parent – as a foster and adopt parent – this has been the place that I have found the most connection and the most sense of understanding and support that’s enabled me to make better choices.”
See More Stories
Each STAR Adoptive Parent Group consists of 8-12 adoptive parents that meet weekly for 7 weeks. A trained adoptive parent serves as the group facilitator and leads the group through a structured (and flexible!) curriculum centered around the wonderful, unique and challenging nuances of adoptive parenting. Any adoptive parent is welcome to participate, regardless of their path to adoption or connection to Amara.
The 7-week Strong, Tough And Resilient (STAR) Adoptive Parent Group is dedicated to being a safe space to discuss the unique joys and challenges that come from forming your family through adoption. The vision for STAR Adoptive Parent Groups is that participants create lasting community with other adoptive parents and gain tools and resources relating to adoptive parenting. The curriculum has been designed by Amara’s Post-Adoption staff to be flexible, yet structured enough to complete weekly objectives, and is facilitated by a fellow adoptive parent and former STAR participant trained in our Inclusive Family Support model who understands that adoptive parenting is both wonderful and unique.
Session are 90 minutes, once each week in the evening.
Recognizing the importance of supporting families, particularly during this challenging time, the program has been modified to provide a completely virtual group experience through weekly audio recordings and Zoom meetings.
Our ongoing support of adoptive parents is made possible in part by our King County Best Starts for Kids grant. This award allows us to utilize our Inclusive Family Support Model (IFSM), the country’s first practice model specifically designed to support adoptive families in creating more open relationships with their children’s biological families. As part of our partnership with Best Starts for Kids, participants will be asked to complete pre and post-surveys. This information is integral to our STAR Adoptive Parent Group’s overall development and we greatly appreciate your participation.
As a nonprofit, Amara is reliant on individual donors to help us offer the innovative, responsive, high-quality programming we do. To reduce barriers to participation, there is no cost to join although a donation is greatly appreciated. Any adoptive parent is welcome to participate.
As a nonprofit, Amara is reliant on individual donors to help us offer the innovative, responsive, high-quality programming that we do. To reduce barriers to participation, there is no cost to join although donations are greatly appreciated.
“This group has greatly increased my feeling of belonging with people who get it, who have brought acceptance and grace when we have not been at our best, a place to vent and connect, and help me feel like we are doing the best we can with what we know at this point. It has improved my ability to advocate for my kid from a thoughtful place rather than just simply reacting. Getting real-time advice from those also in the thick of it about biological family stuff has been invaluable. It has helped make me a better parent to my kiddo.” – STAR participant
We support adoptive families and birth families to maintain positive relationships in order to help the adoptee successfully develop a healthy identity.
Join our private Facebook group to stay in the loop about upcoming events, community resources and to connect with others. This group is available to anyone who is part of an adoptive family.
