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The Leading Continuing Education Conference for Adoption Professionals

June 28 - 30, 2023 | St. Louis, MO

NCFA-20

About the Conference

NCFA's annual conference offers continuing education and high-caliber training to professionals from the adoption, social work, and child welfare communities who all share a common commitment to helping children thrive in nurturing, permanent families.

The Conference gives you an opportunity to learn from experts, refine your application of best practices, network with fellow professionals, and be re-inspired for the important work that you do in your community, region, and the world.

More Information and Registration

Sponsor & Exhibit

Exhibitor and Sponsor registration is closed for 2023.

As the only annual event of its kind specifically tailored to the needs of adoption professionals, the Conference gives Sponsors a unique opportunity to increase brand awareness through multiple touchpoints and make actionable connections with decision-makers from the nation’s leading adoption organizations.

We offer sponsorship packages, targeted opportunities and exhibitor space on a first-come, first-serve basis.

2023 Sponsorship and Exhibitor Information

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Conference Venue

Located in the heart of St. Louis' bustling Central West End district, The Chase Park Plaza Royal Sonesta Hotel brings elegant style and old-world glamour to the Gateway City. Discover luxurious amenities and service in the grandest of hotel traditions. A block of rooms is reserved for Conference attendees at a special rate of $199/night +tax.

**The room block at The Royal Sonesta is full for Wednesday night. We recommend the AC Hotel St. Louis Central West End (a Marriott hotel) which is within a very short walking distance and has comparable rates.**

All room reservations must be processed by Sunday, May 28th to receive the Conference rate at the Royal Sonesta. Click HERE to make your room reservation online with the Royal Sonesta.

If you need to make a reservation by phone, please contact Amy Wolfe for the Group ID.

Side by Side Project: A Special Invitation to St. Louis Area
Intercountry Adult Adoptees

Please join us for this unique conference session.
Due to limited seating, advance registration is free but required. You may also register a guest to accompany you. The form is below.

Thursday, June 29th, 3:00 - 4:30pm
Chase Cinemas at the Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza St. Louis

In this conference session, filmmaker Glenn Morey will screen a short documentary version of the award-winning and widely distributed Side by Side project — 100 individual narratives of abandonment, relinquishment, orphanages, aging out, and 65+ years of intercountry adoption from South Korea, created over the last eight years — and will briefly speak to the project’s scope, intention, and methodology.

He will be joined by Kim Warner-Hudy, LCSW, to discuss the impact of Side by Side on adoptees and adoptive families; its role in mental healthcare and social work; and its use in education, training, and scholarly research. Q&A will follow.

Registration for Side by Side Project Session

Name(Required)
Guest First Name
(Optional) This event invitation is open to intercountry adult adopted individuals only. Please share the year of your adoption and the country from which you were adopted, to help the presenter and discussion facilitator better prepare for their audience.
How You Heard About the Event
How You Heard About the Event
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

What 2022 Attendees Had to Say

"This was a well run and organized conference. I’m glad I attended."

"One of the best [sessions] at the conference, bringing us to the most important part of the adoption community, the adopted person."

"Wonderful conference! So much great information that will impact what we do."

"I thought the speakers & topics were the best I have experienced. Thank you for doing this each year."

Past Conference Programs

A look back at past sessions and speakers, sponsors and exhibitors

Stay Connected

Sign up for our email list to be among the first to know about registration, featured speakers and session topics, opportunities to sponsor the Conference, and other big announcements.

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National Council For Adoption, #1804, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 4/13/23-4/13/26. Social workers participating in this conference will receive up to 11 continuing education credits.

This event does not offer credit for NJ social workers. The state of New Jersey does not recognize ASWB ACE continuing education provider level approval. National Council For Adoption is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0681.

In order to receive continuing education credit, attendees must participate in the entirety of live in-person session, scan in and out of the course to have their attendance verified and complete a course and overall conference evaluation. Attendees will receive their conference continuing education certificate of credit within 30 days to the email address provided at registration.

Other Questions? For questions, concerns or to request special accommodations, please contact us at ncfa@adoptioncouncil.org or 703-299-6633.

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