What do you wish expectant parents, adoptive parents, or other social workers knew about the adoptee perspective that is often overlooked? “What I wish more expectant parents, adoptive parents, and even other social workers understood is that adoptees can be really loved and well supported and still have complicated feelings about being adopted. Gratitude and grief [...]
How has your experience as an adoptee shaped the way you approach your work with clients? Does it change how you advocate for open adoption? “My experience reminds me that adoption is lifelong, not a single event. I approach families with an awareness that the decisions made today will echo decades into the future. It absolutely [...]
Why did you choose to work for an adoption agency, and specifically AFTH? “I chose to work with AFTH because of our moral and ethical mission and values. Originally, I did not want to work with an adoption agency as I thought they all were there to profit off people… I saw [AFTH] was the intersectionality between an agency and [...]
How do you think AFTH challenges many stereotypes and misconceptions people have about adoption agencies? “AFTH challenges the idea that adoption agencies are transactional or profit-driven by centering relationships and lived experience. Being founded by an adoptee and intentionally employing adoptees as social workers shifts the culture from just a “process” to true perspective. Decisions aren’t just policy-based; they’re informed by people who have lived adoption long after [...]
Adoption agencies are often painted with a broad brush, seen as pro-life, pushing people toward adoption, or focused only on adoptive parents. But like in most situations, assumptions can be misleading, and the nuances of how agencies actually work can get lost. At Adoptions From The Heart, our goal isn’t to convince anyone of anything. [...]
The Beginning of the Internship Journey Finding an internship is the beginning of many students’ careers. School teaches us that internships further our education, beyond schoolbooks and lectures. Internships can help decide what you want your future to look like, providing you with experience and a place to apply what you’ve learned. When I [...]
This week is National Infertility Awareness Week! Adoptions From The Heart assists many adoptive families struggling with infertility when they turn to adoption. This blog focuses on raising awareness, highlighting the importance of spousal support, and advocating for access to care and coverage. What is Infertility? Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive a [...]
Spring is finally here! To kick it off, we have some family crafts we know you'll love. These crafts will get the whole family to sit around the table and spend some time together. Afterward, you can use your finished products as decorations around the house and send a few keepsakes to your child's birth [...]
March is Social Work Month, during which we honor the social workers who make our mission possible. Social workers support our community in integral, everyday ways. Whether they are emotionally supporting an adoptive family or bringing a last-minute car seat to a birth mother in need, social workers are there for it all. Today, we're [...]
Adoptions From the Heart (AFTH) is excited to be announcing our upcoming 2025 Spring Educational Series, with classes taking place in April and May. This series of courses is geared towards prospective adoptive parents. The classes will explore several topics relating to the adoption experience. The classes are held on ZOOM and are open to [...]
