Preparing for Special Needs Adoption and Parenting

Adopting and parenting a child with special needs (medical, cognitive, developmental) requires a heightened level of awareness, understanding, and preparation to successfully navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with this journey. In this Q&A style webinar, four adoptive parents, representing a variety of family demographics and types of adoption, discuss what they’ve learned through their personal experiences as adoptive parents to children with special needs, and in the case of one parent, as an adoptee himself. They also offer practical tips and lessons learned from their professional experiences in special education and statewide adoptive/foster family support programs.

Kristen Hamilton – ParaEducator, Support Services, Zeeland Christian School

Dee Worley – Adoptive Parent Consultant, Adoptive Family Support Network (AFSN)

Janelle Sievert – Teacher Consultant, All Belong Center for Inclusive Education

Zawadi Morrow – Artist in Residence, Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO)

Course length: 110 minutes
Certificate type: This course offers an attendance certificate

Recorded 6/23/25

PLEASE NOTE – This course does not provide continuing education credits.