Open-adoption social workers play a unique and vital role in the social work field. Unlike traditional social workers who focus on child welfare or family services, our open-adoption social workers specialize in facilitating options counseling sessions, assisting in the placement process (paperwork, home studies, etc.), educating prospective parents, being there in support of expecting and birth parents, and assisting with the communication and relationships between birth parents, adoptive parents, and the adopted child post placement.
At Adoptions From The Heart, our professionals are well-trained and skilled in helping families and clients navigate the complex emotional dynamics of open adoption agreements, where varying levels of contact and communication are maintained between birth and adoptive families.
One key difference is that open-adoption social workers must deeply understand the intricacies of adoption laws and practices. Part of educating clients is being able to provide them with any information they may need and answer any questions they may have. Aside from direct contact, we do this by hosting in-house ed series workshops and collaborating with other professionals to ensure clients have all the tools needed as they embark on this new journey. In these workshops, our social workers host panels, provide transracial education and resources, review laws and regulations, assist with profile completion, and more.
Adoptions From The Heart is unique because many of our staff and social work professionals also consist of adoption triad members. We host adoptee support groups run by adult adoptee social workers, as well as support groups for birth parents, waiting families, and single waiting and placed parents, to name a few. In addition to supporting all parties involved in the adoption process through education, our social workers often act as mediators and advocates, ensuring that the needs and rights of each individual are respected and upheld. This might include attending doctors’ appointments and speaking on your behalf to those who may not understand. This requires a high level of empathy, cultural sensitivity, and intuitive decision-making skills, something our AFTH social workers understand and hold dear.
Adoptions From The Heart social workers are adept at building and maintaining relationships with multiple parties, from clients to extended family and professionals. They play a crucial role in creating and supporting healthy, transparent, and respectful relationships within the context of open adoption, and we are so grateful for every one of their dedication and commitment to creating beautiful families. Our social workers are extraordinary, and we’d like your help by sharing just how much!
To leave a message, sharing how your Adoptions From The Heart social worker has impacted your life, or a loved one’s life, throughout this journey, be sure to head over to our Facebook page @AdoptionsFromThe Heart and leave a comment under the office you worked with.
