Post Adoption Support Services

These services were long supported by the NC Department of Health and Human Services, but the state shifted its model away from direct services and discontinued funding CCFH.

Yet we have been able to secure private donations and grant funds to restore many of our direct service programs, including LEAF workshops, family therapy and assessment, and adoption competency training for clinicians. Stay tuned for announcements on the scheduling of these workshops and sessions.

For more information, please contact us. If you would like to stay updated on our future services, please follow this link to sign up for post adoption newsletter.

Learning and Empowerment for Adoptive Families (LEAF)

What is LEAF?

Learning and Empowerment for Adoptive Families (LEAF) is a 10-week interactive group designed for children who were adopted and their parents. LEAF was developed by the Post Adoption Support Services team at CCFH, including mental health clinicians and family partners. When families participate in LEAF, they learn communication techniques to talk to each other and the outside world about adoption. Children build confidence in how they understand and communicate about their adoption story, all while engaging in games and activities. Parents  learn strategies to manage their own and help with children’s many emotional reactions to adoption, including grief and loss.  Families also have the opportunity to meet and form lasting relationships with other families who share aspects of their unique journeys, and learn they are not alone.

Impact of LEAF

• Builds on positive parent-child relationships/attachment
• Increases family resiliency
• Builds parent understanding of child’s perspective
• Improves parenting techniques related to emotional support
• Boosts children’s positive feelings about being adopted
• Improves use of coping skills for difficult emotion
• Increases children’s confidence in their adoptive identity

Staff

Our team of clinicians is highly trained in adoption-related issues and common mental health concerns such as learning/attention problems, school refusal, low self-esteem, social or peer-related problems, effects of trauma, attachment related issues, risky behavior problems, and grief and loss. Our team also includes adoptive parent partners who share their lived experience to inform all of our services.

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