Adoption Resources, Recommended Readings & Links

Heartland for Children strives to provide a multitude of resources and supports to adoptive parents, as we understand that adoption is a lifelong process.  Our resources and links below are a glimpse of some of the recommended material for adoptive or prospective adoptive parents. 

 

Looking for more resources or programs?

Visit heartland.auntbertha.com's searchable database–simply enter your zip code to find programs and services near YOU!

Training & Classes

Training & Classes

Family Fundamentals is a parent resource center and a project of Success By 6. Success By 6 is a community-wide children’s initiative, spearheaded by United Way of Central Florida and founded by Carol Barnett, President of Publix Charities in 1995 that brings together resources to form a community partnership. Success By 6 is an initiative to make early childhood development a top priority in Polk, Hardee and Highlands counties and to ensure that all children, by the age of six, have the physical, emotional, social, and mental foundation to succeed in school and in life.

 


The mission of the Early Learning Coalition of Polk County is to provide leadership, direction, and integrated resource management for quality services that support our vision of success for children. Their vision is that all children enter school healthy, ready and eager for lifelong learning with the collaborative support of parents, families, educators, and the community.


The Early Learning Coalition of Florida's Heartland's goal is to ensure young children in Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee and Highlands counties have access to high quality early care and education programs. A high quality early care and education program is one that is filled with rich and creative experiences, a developmentally appropriate environment and caring teachers who sincerely connect with young children. Such a program can truly help a young child prepare for school success!


Teach Me Now! offers a variety of safety classes including CPR, how to handle household poisons, allergic reactions, and more.  Call (863) 581-4177 for more information.

Helpful Links

Helpful Links

Medical & Dental

Medical & Dental

Log in, find doctors and dentists/providers/hospitals, learn about Healthy Kids and more at sunshinehealth.com.  Contact Member Services at (866) 796-0530 or TDD/TTY: (800) 955-8770. Business hours are Monday - Friday 8AM - 8PM.

Needing any assistance with Sunshine Health? Contact Heartland for Children's Post-Adoption Specialist at 863-519-8900 x 232.

Be sure to check out the latest Sunshine Health Newsletter.

Recommended Reading

Recommended Reading
  1. The boy who was raised as a dog, Bruce D. Perry & Maia Szalavitz
  2. Parenting the Hurt Child – Helping Adoptive Families Heal and Grow, Gregory Keck & Regina Kupecky
  3. Parenting from the Inside Out, Daniel Siegel
  4. Beyond Logic, Consequences, and Control, Heather Forbes & Brian Post
  5. Attaching in Adoption – Practical Tools for Today’s Parents, Deborah D. Gray
  6. The Connected Child, Karen Purvis
  7. Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting, Laura Markham
  8. No-Drama Discipline, Tina Payne Bryson & Daniel Siegel
  9. The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind, Daniel J Siegel & Tina P. Bryson
  10. Beyond Consequences, Logic and Control, Heather Forbes & B. Post
  11. How it Feels to be Adopted, Jill Krementz
  12. A Child Called It, Dave Pelzer
  13. The Lost Boy, Dave Pelzer
  14. A Man Named Dave, Dave Pelzer
  15. The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, Bruce D. Perry
  16. Parenting From the Inside Out, Daniel Siegel
  17. Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain, Daniel Siegel
  18. The 5 Love Languages of Children,  Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell
  19. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, Bessel Van der Kolk
  20. Unconditional Parenting, Alfie Kohn
  21. Three Little Words: A Memoir, Ashley Rhodes-Courter
  22. Three More Words, Ashley Rhodes-Courter
  23. Are We There Yet?, Susan Badeau

Post Adoption

Post Adoption

Are you an adoptive parent and need support and resources?

Contact our Tracy Bohannon, Post Adoption Specialist at 863-519-8900 x 232.

Payment Calendar

Payment Calendar
  • 2022 Payment Calendar - Adoption Subsidy (download)
  • 2023 Payment Calendar - Adoption Subsidy (download)

Virtual Training

Virtual Training

Adoption 101 Preliminary Training and Quiz

Adoption 101: Class 1 Presentation / Class 1 Homework / Class 1 Reading

Adoption 101: Class 2 Presentation / Class 2 Homework / Class 2 Reading

Adoption 101: Class 3 Presentation / Class 3 Homework / Class 3 Reading

Adoption 101: Class 4 Presentation / Class 4 HomeworkClass 4 Reading

Adoption 101: Class 5 Presentation / Class 5 Homework / Class 5 Reading

Adoption 101: Class 6 Presentation / Class 6 Homework / Class 6 Reading

Adoption 101: Class 7 Presentation / Class 7 Homework / Class 7 Reading
 

Psychotropic Medication Training Link

Educational Advocacy for Caregivers Video

Educational Advocacy for Caregivers Quiz