Over NCFA’s decades supporting adoption professionals, we have found that prospective adoptive parents typically enter the process with many common questions: How do I know if intercountry adoption, domestic adoption, or adoption through foster care is right for me? Where do I even begin in the search for a trusted adoption professional? How will I finance an adoption process?

In this course, NCFA staff provides answers to these and other questions that are frequently asked by prospective adoptive parents. Appropriate for those families that have not yet begun an adoption, or those in the early stages of the process, this training provides an overview of adoption options, normalize what is often an overwhelming experience and provide families with practical first steps on their adoption journey.

Ryan Hanlon, PhD – Vice President, National Council For Adoption
Elise Lowe – Adoption Education Manager, National Council For Adoption
Kristen Hamilton – Director of Communication, National Council For Adoption

Course length: 90 minutes

Certificate: This course offers an attendance certificate only.

Cost to register: FREE

Updated April 2023, slides PDF updated March 2025.
(see "2025 Updates_Adoption 101 - Presentation Slides" in Files section)

PLEASE NOTE - This course does NOT provide social work CE credits OR New York contact hours.