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X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://barkeradoptionfoundation.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for The Barker Adoption Foundation
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261209T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261209T201500
DTSTAMP:20260701T164647Z
CREATED:20251116T230044Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T164647Z
UID:10000421-1796842800-1796847300@barkeradoptionfoundation.org
SUMMARY:PWNL/Older Child Discussion Group (Dec)
DESCRIPTION:This group is open to any parent that has adopted a child ages 5 and up\, or who has been matched/placed through Project Wait No Longer (PWNL). \nTo learn more or register\, please contact Michelle Valdivia – mvaldivia@barkerfoundation.org
URL:https://barkeradoptionfoundation.org/events-calendar/pwnl-families-parent-support-group-dec-2026/
CATEGORIES:Adoptive Parent,Support/Discussion Groups
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://barkeradoptionfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/PWNL-Families-Parent-Discussion-Group.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261210T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261210T203000
DTSTAMP:20260119T203848Z
CREATED:20260119T203848Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260119T203848Z
UID:10000464-1796929200-1796934600@barkeradoptionfoundation.org
SUMMARY:Birth Parent Monthly Discussion Group (December 2026)
DESCRIPTION:This Group is open to anyone who has placed a child for adoption or is considering making an adoption plan. The purpose of the group is to provide a place where birth parents can talk about their experiences\, and share their feelings and thoughts with others who have made the same decision. The group is facilitated by a Barker staff social worker. \nLocation: Virtual event \nDate and time: Thu\, Dec 10\, 2026 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM \nOrganizer: Elana Lindner\, (301) 664-9664\, elindner@barkerfoundation.org \nRegister Now!
URL:https://barkeradoptionfoundation.org/events-calendar/birth-parent-monthly-discussion-group-december-2026/
CATEGORIES:Birth Parent,Support/Discussion Groups
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://barkeradoptionfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Barker-Event-Birth-Parent-DiscussionGroup.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261216T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261216T210000
DTSTAMP:20251224T154720Z
CREATED:20251110T222418Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251224T154720Z
UID:10000400-1797449400-1797454800@barkeradoptionfoundation.org
SUMMARY:Adult Adoptee Discussion Group (December 2026)
DESCRIPTION:This discussion group is open to adoptees 18 years of age and older. The purpose of the group is to give adoptees an opportunity to discuss their feelings\, concerns\, and questions about being adopted. \nLocation: Virtual event \nDate and time: Wed Dec 16\, 2026 – 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM \nOrganizer: Victoria Alves\, (301) 664-9664\, valves@barkerfoundation.org \nRegister Now!
URL:https://barkeradoptionfoundation.org/events-calendar/adult-adoptee-discussion-group-december-2026/
CATEGORIES:Adult Adoptee,Support/Discussion Groups
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://barkeradoptionfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Barker-Event-Adult-Adoptee.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270313T081500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270313T163000
DTSTAMP:20261022T222841Z
CREATED:20260926T000856Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261022T222841Z
UID:10000508-1804925700-1804955400@barkeradoptionfoundation.org
SUMMARY:2027 Adoption & Foster Care Conference
DESCRIPTION:2027 Barker Adoption & Foster Care Conference + Teen Connections\nWhat We Carry Forward\nHonest conversations. Lived experience. Lifelong learning.\n																\n															 \nAdoption is more than a single moment.\nIt is a lifelong experience shaped by identity\, relationships\, belonging\, change and connection. \nOn March 13\, The Barker Adoption Foundation brings together adopted people\, birth parents\, adoptive and foster families\, prospective parents\, and the professionals who support them for a full day of honest conversation\, practical learning and meaningful connection. \nWhat makes Barker’s conference different is whose voices are in the room. Lived experience and professional expertise come together\, creating opportunities not only to learn about adoption and foster care\, but to learn from one another. \nCome ready to listen\, connect and leave with something meaningful to carry forward. \nRegistration opens October 1\, 2026. Breakfast and lunch provided. CEU credits are available for professionals. \nLocation:\nThe Universities at Shady Grove\, 9630 Gudelsky Dr.\, Rockville\, MD 20850 \nDate and time:\nSaturday\, March 13\, 2027\n8:15 AM–4:30 PM ET \nOrganizer:\nThe Barker Adoption Foundation\, (301) 664-9664\, info@barkerfoundation.org \n					\n									Register Now!\n					 \nWho Should Attend?\nThe Barker Adoption & Foster Care Conference is designed for people across the adoption and foster care community\, including: \n\nAdopted people\nBirth parents\nCurrent and prospective adoptive\, foster and kinship parents\nAdoption\, foster care and mental-health professionals\nSocial workers and child-welfare professionals\nJudges\, adoption attorneys\, guardians ad litem and other legal professionals supporting children and families\nBarker families and community members\n\nWhether you are personally connected to adoption or foster care or support families professionally\, the conference offers an opportunity to learn from perspectives that may be different from your own. \n																														 \nSpeakers and Sessions\n																														 \nOPENING KEYNOTE\nDebbie Schugg\nThe Story Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect — Just Honest \n						Meet Debbie | Learn More \nAdoption doesn’t come with a tidy narrative. It comes with joy and grief in the same breath\, with love that shows up in unexpected shapes\, and with questions that don’t always have simple answers. Debbie Schugg opens the day by embracing all of it. Through personal storytelling that moves seamlessly between humor and heart\, she reminds every birth parent\, adoptee\, adoptive and foster parent\, and professional in the room that belonging doesn’t require a perfect story — just an honest one. This keynote sets the tone for a day built on honesty: come ready to laugh\, maybe wipe away a tear\, and leave reminded of why this community shows up for each other\, year after year. \nExplore the 2027 Sessions\nSESSION ONE | 10:30 AM – 11:45 AM\n1A. Adult Adoptee Connection Circle: Exploring Identity\, Belonging\, and Worthiness\nSpeaker/Presenter: Tony Hynes\, Ph.D.\, Adoptee & Author \nAdult adoptees only \n						View Workshop Details \nDesigned exclusively for adult adoptees\, this interactive workshop offers more than a traditional presentation—it is a supportive\, participant-centered space where adoptees can gather in community and engage in meaningful conversation. Centering the lived experiences of adult adoptees\, this session invites participants to explore the lifelong impact of adoption through honest dialogue\, reflection\, and shared connection. \nTogether\, participants will discuss themes of identity\, belonging\, and self-worth\, recognizing both the unique and universal aspects of the adoptee experience. Through guided conversation and mutual support\, attendees will have the opportunity to connect with others who understand the complexities of navigating adulthood as an adoptee. \nWhether you are early in your journey of self-discovery or have spent years exploring your adoption story\, this session provides a welcoming environment to share\, listen\, and deepen your understanding of yourself and others. By honoring each person’s story while embracing our shared humanity\, participants will leave feeling more connected\, seen\, and supported. \n \nTony Hynes\, Ph.D.Adoptee & Author \n1B. Caring for the Caregivers: Wellness Strategies for Kinship\, Foster\, and Adoptive Families\nSpeaker/Presenter: Estella Swain\n						View Workshop Details \nParents and caregivers often devote so much of themselves to supporting their children that their own needs are pushed to the background. This session invites participants to move beyond traditional ideas of self-care and explore the deeper practice of self-nourishment. Together\, we will examine what it means to sustain ourselves physically\, emotionally\, mentally\, and relationally while navigating the joys and complexities of parenting. Participants will explore practical strategies for managing stress\, strengthening resilience\, recognizing their own needs\, and building daily practices that are realistic and sustainable. They will leave with renewed permission to care for themselves\, not as an afterthought\, but as an essential part of supporting family well-being and long-term connection. \n \nEstella Swain \n1C. Growing Up Seen and Unseen: What We Wish Our Parents Knew\nSpeaker/Presenter: Michelle Valdivia + Panelists\n						View Workshop Details \nSome of the most important things adoptees carry are never said out loud — not because they don’t matter\, but because the moment to say them never quite arrives. This session is that moment. A panel of young adult adoptees shares candid\, personal reflections: the questions they wished someone had asked\, the words they needed to hear\, and the small\, ordinary moments that made them feel truly known. This workshop offers a rare\, honest window into the adoptee experience\, followed by real dialogue. Attendees leave with more than insight: they leave with one concrete\, specific thing they can do differently\, starting today. \n \nMichelle Valdivia \nSESSION TWO | 12:45 PM – 2:00 PM\n2A. Honoring My Story: The Lifelong Journey of Being a Birth Parent\nSpeaker/Presenter: Dale Cassady + Panelists\n						View Workshop Details \nThis supportive session welcomes both birth parents and those seeking to better understand the birth parent experience. Featuring a panel of birth parents sharing their own stories\, we’ll explore the lifelong journey that follows the creation of an adoption plan\, including how identity\, relationships\, and personal growth continue to evolve over time. Panelists will speak candidly about their experiences\, followed by guided conversation that invites shared perspectives from the room. Participants will gain insight into the emotional landscape of birth parents\, along with tools for supporting well-being\, navigating changing connections\, and honoring this unique role in a child’s life story. This workshop offers understanding\, validation\, and a space for meaningful connection. \n \nDale Cassady \n2B. Building Protection Against Racism: Research-Based Strategies for Families\nSpeaker/Presenter: Nabina Liebow\, Ph.D.\n						View Workshop Details \nResearch suggests that while fostering cultural pride and identity is essential\, it is not enough on its own to protect children from the harmful effects of racism. This interactive session explores the critical distinction between cultural socialization and preparation for experiencing bias\, highlighting evidence-based strategies that help build resilience and reduce the negative impact of discriminatory experiences. Participants will leave with practical\, developmentally appropriate tools and conversation strategies they can immediately use to prepare children to recognize\, respond to\, and recover from racism while strengthening their sense of identity\, safety\, and well-being. \n \nNabina Liebow\, Ph.D. \n2C. Guiding the Conversation: When and How to Share Difficult Information with Your Child\nSpeaker/Presenter: Debbie Schugg\n						View Workshop Details \nParents and caregivers are the best people to address children’s painful topics and provide context on their history — whether that conversation is just beginning or decades overdue. This interactive discussion serves two groups: those who’ve kept parts of their child’s story private and wonder if it’s too late to share\, and those earlier in their journey building comfort sharing information as it becomes developmentally appropriate. We’ll explore sensitive topics\, unpack why these conversations feel difficult\, and address when and how to begin — meeting your child where they are\, whether toddler\, teen\, or adult. We’ll also address the flip side of these conversations: helping your child understand that their story is theirs to share\, and why protecting their privacy — deciding who else does and doesn’t need to know their history — is just as important as being open with them about it within the family. \n \nDebbie Schugg \nSESSION THREE | 2:15 PM – 3:30 PM\n3A. Walking Together: Adult Adoptees and Parents on the Search for Identity\nModerator: Elena Taylor + Panelists\n						View Workshop Details \nMany adult adoptees feel a deep desire to understand who they are\, even when little or no information exists about their birth family. This panel brings together adult adoptees and adoptive parents to share their lived experiences of navigating identity\, curiosity\, and the unknown. Together\, they’ll explore how parents can offer support — even when the process feels emotionally vulnerable or scary — and how adoptees experience the search from the inside. Attendees will gain practical language\, grounding strategies\, and insight into staying connected while honoring an adult child’s evolving identity journey. \n \nElena Taylor \n3B. Pride in Parenting: Supporting LGBTQ+ Parents and LGBTQ+ Children\nModerator: Cynthia Cubbage + Panelists \n						View Workshop Details \nFamilies formed through adoption already navigate unique layers of identity\, belonging\, and community — and when LGBTQ+ identities are part of the picture\, those layers can become even richer and more unique. This affirming session brings together a panel of LGBTQ+ adoptive parents and parents raising LGBTQ+ children to share their lived experiences. Panelists will discuss building inclusive support networks\, advocating in schools and communities\, nurturing healthy identity development\, and handling moments when the world doesn’t fully understand their family. Participants will leave with practical strategies\, renewed confidence\, and a deeper sense of connection to a vibrant\, diverse community of adoptive families. \n \nCynthia Cubbage \n3C. Real Journeys: A Parent Panel on Foster-Care Adoption\nModerator: Estella Swain + Panelists \n						View Workshop Details \nEvery “yes” to adopting a child from foster care may begin with the question\, “What if I can’t do this?” Every parent on this panel has wrestled with uncertainty\, and their decision to move forward changed the course of their family’s life. Meet families who said yes\, even when they did not have every answer. \nThis compelling panel brings together parents who adopted their children from foster care\, joined when possible\, by their now-older children\, offering a rare opportunity to hear the journey from multiple perspectives. Through honest and unfiltered conversation\, they will share the fears they had to work through\, the realities and surprises they encountered\, and the moments that helped transform uncertainty into connection and family. \nParticipants will hear real answers to questions they may be hesitant to ask: What does the system actually look like from the inside? How do you build trust with a child who has experienced loss? What does it mean to support identity\, belonging\, and connection over time? Is it possible to ever feel fully ready\, or is becoming a family something you grow into together? \nThis is not a lecture. It is a conversation with people who have lived the journey and are willing to share their hard-won wisdom\, honest reflections\, and hope. \n \nEstella Swain \nClosing Session:\nWhat We Carry Forward\n						View Workshop Details \nWe close the day the way it opened — in honest conversation. A panel of Barker conference attendees\, including an adoptee\, a birth parent\, an adoptive parent\, and a Barker adoption professional\, comes together to reflect on what they’re carrying home from today\, and what they’re moved to act on because of it. Before they go\, all conference participants will receive a small token of growth to take with them — a tangible reminder that what took root today doesn’t end when the day does. \n					\n									Register Now!\n					 \nTeen Connections | Ages 13–17\nWhile parents and caregivers participate in the conference\, Teen Connections: What We Carry Forward gives adopted teens ages 13–17 their own space to connect\, build friendships and spend time with peers who may share similar experiences. \nThroughout the day\, teens will take part in fun\, interactive activities\, games and opportunities to socialize in a relaxed and welcoming environment. They’ll also participate in a creative activity exploring the strengths\, values\, relationships\, culture\, experiences and parts of their identity they want to carry forward. \nEach teen will create something personal representing what matters to them—whether that’s a goal\, a source of strength\, an important relationship\, part of their identity\, or simply a word or message they want to remember. \nThe day balances fun and connection with meaningful opportunities for teens to celebrate who they are\, explore their identity and consider what they want to carry forward as they continue to grow. \nParents and caregivers can attend the full Barker Adoption & Foster Care Conference while their teen participates in Teen Connections. \n					\n									Register Now!\n					 \nSample Schedule:\n\n\n\nTime\nActivity\n\n\n\n\n8:15 – 8:50 AM\nRegistration and Resource Fair\n\n\n8:50 – 10:15 AM\nMain Conference Room with Parent/Guardian\n\n\n10:15 – 10:30 AM\n⭐ Transition to Teen Connections Room ⭐\n\n\n10:30 – 11:00 AM\nIcebreakers\n\n\n11:00 – 12:00 PM\nLilly Trone – Guest Speaker\n\n\n12:00 – 1:00 PM\nLunch\n\n\n1:00 – 2:00 PM\nLilly Trone – Guest Speaker\n\n\n2:00 – 3:00 PM\nOutside Game Time\n\n\n3:00 – 3:30 PM\n⭐ Transition Back to Main Room ⭐\n\n\n3:30 – 4:30 PM\nClosing / Raffle\n\n\n\nRegistration is Open!\nStandard Conference Registration: $140Early Bird Conference Registration: $115 ($25 off) \nTeen Connections: $140Early Bird Conference Registration: $115 ($25 off)Additional Teen Connections Participant: $115 \nEarly-bird registration available through February 15\, 2027. \n					\n									Register Now!\n					 \nSponsorship\nSupport the 2027 Conference\nOrganizations and community partners are invited to support Barker’s Annual Adoption & Foster Care Conference and help make learning\, connection and community accessible across the adoption and foster care constellation. \nSponsorship opportunities coming soon.
URL:https://barkeradoptionfoundation.org/events-calendar/2027-adoption-foster-care-conference/
LOCATION:The Universities at Shady Grove\, Rockville\, MD\, 9630 Gudelsky Dr\, Rockville\, MD\, 20850\, United States
CATEGORIES:Adoptive Parent,Adult Adoptee,Annual Conference,Birth Parent,Continuing Education Units (CEUs),Professional,Prospective Parent Domestic Adoption,Prospective Parent International Adoption,Prospective Parent Project Wait No Longer-Older Child Adoption from Foster Care
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://barkeradoptionfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2027-Conference-Banner.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Barker Adoption Foundation":MAILTO:info@barkeradoptionfoundation.org
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