This adoption awareness curriculum has been designed to help adoptive parent group leaders and others train child welfare, medical, legal, education, and mental health professionals, and other community members to be more responsive to the needs of adopted children and to work more effectively with their families.

North American Council on Adoptable Children
970 Raymond Avenue, Suite 106
St. Paul, MN 55114-1149
651-644-3036 FAX 651-644-9848
www.nacac.org • info@nacac.org

Diane Martin-Hushman, Parent Group Coordinator
hushman@nacac.org

Janet Jerve, Writer/Editor
janetjerve@nacac.org

The Office of Adoption Operations is a licensed adoption agency within the State of New Jersey, Department of Children and Families, Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P). The Office of Adoption Operations is approved to provide adoption services to children in the public child welfare system, which includes placing children into adoptive homes as well as providing other adoption related services in New Jersey. Each year, the Office of Adoption Operations finalizes the adoptions of hundreds of children; the majority of whom are adopted out of the foster care system. Yet despite the success in ensuring permanency for many children, there are still children who are in need of an adoptive family. The decision to adopt a child and fully accept that child as your own is not often made with ease. There is a lot to consider before you make such a commitment. This handbook will provide you with important information regarding general characteristics of available children, who can adopt and a step by step guide regarding the adoption process.

Specific Programs and Information Regarding Permanency Programs, Life Skills Programs, Aftercare Programs, Wraparound Funds, Housing, Youth Advisory Boards (YABS), and DCP&P Policy/Forms.
This addendum is a supplement to the “CICIC Adolescent Resource Guide May 2012” and provides program and contact information for various adolescent services. In addition, this addendum will further detail wraparound funds (also known as Chafee funds), and Adolescent related DCP&P policy and forms.

Congratulations! Welcome to the journey of being an adoptive parent. As you get to know your child, you will realize what you don’t know! But not to worry, you aren’t alone. Take time to learn the skills to parent YOUR child. Connect with others who have similar experiences. Make time for yourself. The following articles were compiled as a great starting point for your education as a new adoptive parent.

Published by:

EMK Press • 16 Mt Bethel Road, #219 • Warren, NJ 07059 • 732-469-7544 732-469-7861 fax
www.emkpress.com

Whether you are the parent of a 3-year-old who is curious about why a friend’s skin is brown, the parent of a 9-year-old who has been called a slur because of his religion, or the parent of a 15-year-old who snubs those outside of her social clique at school, this book is designed to help you teach your children to honor the differences in themselves and in others — and to reject prejudice and intolerance. Three age-specific sections feature everyday parents sharing personal stories about the challenges and rewards of raising children in today’s diverse world. Psychologists, educators and parenting experts offer practical, age-appropriate advice to help you integrate lessons of respect and tolerance in day-to-day activities. And a final section offers guidance for reflecting upon your own biases, and how those biases affect your parenting.

We welcome your thoughts on these issues.
Email us at parents@tolerance.org,
or write to us at Beyond the Golden Rule, c/o Teaching Tolerance, 400 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36104.

New Jersey Administrative Code for special education (N.J.A.C. 6A:14) and the federal Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) are laws that ensure children with disabilities a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. An important part of these laws provides parents with the right to participate in their children’s education.
You and representatives of your school district are team members who are responsible for developing an appropriate educational program for your child. This document will describe the state and federal laws affecting the provision of special education to help you understand your rights in the special education process. With this knowledge, you will be prepared to take an active role in your child’s education.
This document has been developed for you by the Department of Education, Office of Special Education, in an effort to provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date information. The document is periodically revised to reflect changes in the law, provide additional information that would be of use to you, and to provide the information in a more clear and concise manner.
This document was last revised in May 2023.

This New Jersey guide serves as a useful tool to assist you through the transition into adulthood. The information in this guide outlines resources as well as people who are available and willing to help you plan for your future. Ultimately, we want you to reach adulthood successfully!

Child Protection and Permanency (CP&P) is New Jersey’s child protection and child welfare agency within the Department of Children and Families. Its mission is to ensure the safety, permanency and well-being of children and to support families.
As mandated by state law (Title 9 and Title 30), CP&P is required to investigate all reports of child abuse and child neglect.  Please remember that our goal is to help you ensure the safety and well-being of your child.  Parenting is rewarding, but it is not always easy. When problems arise in a family, it is often the children who are emotionally or physically affected. Unfortunately, some parents do not know where to turn to get help for their children or themselves. This handbook was written to explain the role of CP&P workers and other staff who work together to serve you and your family. CP&P recognizes that this can be a very difficult time for you and your family.

For Spanish version please click here.

Published by:
Department of Children and Families Child Protection and Permanency

Inside you’ll find everything we wished we’d known to help you assess your child’s nutritional needs, and to nourish your little one back to optimal well-being in your care.

Be Happy! Be Healthy!

Cindy Kaplan and Mishelle Rudzinski

Co-Founders of SPOON Foundation

This guide is a cooperative effort between SPOON Foundation and Joint Council on International Children’s Services, nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the lives of orphaned, fostered and adopted children.

www.spoonfoundation.org | www.jointcouncil.org

This User’s Guide was created to serve as a “road map” for family members. You can use it to help make sure your family is on the right path, and make sure the process follows closely to the principles and activities of wraparound. In the following pages, you will first see some basic summaries of the wraparound process, including a quick guide to wraparound and a list of common wraparound terms. In later sections, you will see more details on the wraparound process, including descriptions of each of the four phases of wraparound and notes on “troubleshooting” common problems that occur in each phase. You will also find checklists of things that should happen during wraparound, and documents and forms you should see along the way.

A product of:
The National Wraparound Initiative