Post Adoption Support

We provide a full array of post adoption support in Delaware. Our programs are open to ALL adoptive families in Delaware as well as families in Delaware who have guardianship of children who have exited from the State of Delaware foster care system. These programs are FREE to adoptive families.

Click on the below services to read more

Ongoing Support and Training

Adoption is a wonderful way to build a family! However, there are times when families and children encounter issues that have a profound effect on the entire family unit. Families need support at these times and often do not know where to go for help. ABCFOC is able to provide that assistance statewide to all families!

Our Delaware post adoption services can help families with a wide range of issues. They are available for everything from learning how to explain adoption to a preschooler, to helping a child who experienced early childhood abuse, to helping with an adopted teen’s search for identity. Experience with adoptive families has shown that all family members can benefit from some type of post adoption support.

Our experienced staff has been connecting children with families in Delaware since 1996. Our services include:

  • Adoption-Related Trainings
  • Information and Referral
  • Crisis Assistance
  • Love and Logic Parenting Classes
  • Parent/Child Bonding Workshops

For more information and to get support, please call our offices in Wilmington (302-746-7265) or Milford (302-725-5008).

 

Monthly Support Groups

Our support groups serve as a place for parents to come together in order to share and learn with those who have had similar experiences. It’s a time to share your joys and get support through the challenges that come with adoption.

While the adults gather together the children and teens are given the opportunity to spend time with other adopted kids having fun and getting to know each other.

Support Group for Kent/Sussex Counties:

  • 805 S. DuPont Highway, Milford, DE 19963
  • 4th Friday of each month
  • 6:00pm – 8:00pm
  • Childcare provided for children over the age of 2.
  • SCHEDULING NOTE: If the 4th Friday falls on a holiday weekend, please refer to our calendar for the rescheduled date.

Support Group for New Castle County:

  • 1307 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington, DE 19809
  • 1st Friday of Each Month
  • 7:00pm – 9:00pm
  • Childcare provided for children over the age of 2.
  • SCHEDULING NOTE: If the 1st Friday falls on a holiday weekend, please refer to our calendar for the rescheduled date.
Diverse Families Group in New Castle County This group is open to all families and is a great opportunity to connect with others. Everyone brings a dish and we spend the evening eating and learning together.
  • Simpson United Methodist Church: 907 Centerville Rd, Wilmington, DE 19804
  • Third Thursday, every other month (click here for event calendar)
  • 6:00pm – 8:00pm
For more information on these support groups or to reserve your spot, contact us at:
  • Statewide Toll-Free: 877-533-2212
  • New Castle County: 302-746-7265
  • Kent / Sussex Counties: 302-725-5008
Monthly Teen Support Group A Better Chance for Our Children’s Teen Group is for any teenager, age 13 and up, who has been adopted or is in foster care.
  • The group meets the first Friday of every month, 7:00pm – 9:00pm.
We all know the importance of social relationships for teens. Positive connections help with their development, identity formation, mental health and well-being.  This group gives teens the opportunity to connect with others who may have had similar experiences and history, which is not something they always find with their peers.  While this group allows and encourages discussion of any struggles the teens may be experiencing, we focus on having fun, playing games, and connecting with one another.  New teens are welcome to join the group at any time! If you have any questions, please contact Nikki Outten at Noutten@abcfoc.org

Family Respite Services

Many of our adoptive families need respite but have difficulty finding people who are able to take care of their children for extended periods of time. Through our Post Adoption Family Respite Services we are able to connect you with another adoptive family who is willing and able to provide overnight care in their home. What this looks like will vary family to family, so give us a call to learn more! 302-746-7265

If you are interested in becoming a Respite Provider with A Better Chance for Our Children, please click here to fill out an interest registration form.

Once you submit of the registration form, we will invite you to participate in the next cycle of Resource Parent Preparation Classes. This training includes four informal group sessions held on alternate Saturdays, 9:00am – 4:00pm, for a total 28 hours of training. The group sessions typically include 20 – 30 people who are contemplating foster care, adoption, or respite.

For more information about this process, please call 302-746-7265.

Rec-n-Respite Program

Rec-n-Respite is one of the many Delaware adoption support services provided by A Better Chance for Our Children. This program provides valuable respite for parents and a great opportunity for children to have fun with kids who are just like them!

Rec-n-Respite is a place for adopted children to come together with other adopted children and make friends and learn while having a fun time! The program is for adopted children between the ages of 6 and 14 to come together twice a month from September to June. In this program the children are able to enjoy a variety of structured activities; including learning life and social skills. Given that routine and consistency are so important for our kids, families are asked to start the program in September and commit to having their child attend each session through June.

For more information please call our offices in Milford (302-725-5008) or Wilmington (302-746-7265).

Wilmington Site: United Cererbal Palsy located at 700 A River Road, Wilmington, DE

Milford Site: A Better Chance for Our Children office: 805 S. DuPont Blvd., Milford, DE

Parent Coaching

Parenting children who have experienced trauma and/or have been adopted is difficult and typical parenting approaches are usually not effective. Training is not enough – it is different once the child joins the family. Therefore, adoptive parents benefit from support to approach parenting in a new way, develop insight, and learn new skills.

For more information please call our offices in Milford (302-725-5008) or Wilmington (302-746-7265).

Wilmington Site: A Better Chance for Our Children office, 1307 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington, DE

Milford Site: A Better Chance for Our Children office: 805 S. DuPont Blvd., Milford, DE

Supporting Birth Family Connections

Maintaining birth family connections for our children is an important goal, whether those are physical or emotional connections. However, there are often complicated dynamics at play and adoptive parents can struggle with knowing how to best support their child’s birth family connections. Therefore, we focus on helping families achieve openness in adoption, whether or not that includes contact with birth family. When contact is an option, we help adoptive families not only assess and make decisions regarding that contact, but we can also facilitate contact.

For more information please call our offices in Milford (302-725-5008) or Wilmington (302-746-7265).

Wilmington Site: A Better Chance for Our Children office, 1307 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington, DE

Milford Site: A Better Chance for Our Children office: 805 S. DuPont Blvd., Milford, DE

Specialized Childcare

Our children often struggle when in typical childcare or recreation settings. Unfortunately, many programs and childcare providers do not have the experience necessary to provide effective services. When parents are unable to get a break, or are constantly struggling to identify childcare supports, the chance of parental burnout or blocked care is high.

For more information please call our offices in Milford (302-725-5008) or Wilmington (302-746-7265).

Wilmington Site: United Cerebal Palsy located at 700 A River Road, Wilmington, DE

Milford Site: A Better Chance for Our Children office: 805 S. DuPont Blvd., Milford, DE

Teen Mentoring

No matter the age of adoption, the teenage years are often a difficult time for our kids. It is the identity stage of development and a number of complicated questions and feelings can arise. Parents often struggle to understand the new challenges and struggle with how to best support their teen.

For more information please call our offices in Milford (302-725-5008) or Wilmington (302-746-7265).

Wilmington Site: United Cerebal Palsy located at 700 A River Road, Wilmington, DE

Milford Site: A Better Chance for Our Children office: 805 S. DuPont Blvd., Milford, DE

Sibling Support

No matter how children joined a family, there are times when one child is having a harder time than the others. Those challenging times can take a toll on their siblings. When this is the case, support is needed! Sibling Support will provide guidance to parents and individual support to the sibling in need. ANY sibling is eligible for this service, whether they joined the family via birth or adoption/permanent guardianship.

For more information please call our offices in Milford (302-725-5008) or Wilmington (302-746-7265).

Wilmington Site: United Cerebal Palsy located at 700 A River Road, Wilmington, DE

Milford Site: A Better Chance for Our Children office: 805 S. DuPont Blvd., Milford, DE

Adoption

The adoption program at A Better Chance for Our Children (ABCFOC) is unique in many ways. At the heart of our unique approach is that we work almost exclusively to place children who are in foster care and who are considered to have special needs.​
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Foster Care

Children in foster care need safe, loving homes in which they can thrive until they return to their birth families or find permanent families through adoption. Yours might just be the home a child is waiting for!​

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Therapy Services

We believe that therapeutic services for foster and adopted children are most successful when they are provided by adoption-competent and trauma=informed professionals.

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