Resources

Life-Long Support

Birth Parent Support Network

Adoptions of Indiana facilitates a private online group, “Indiana Birthparents” where those who have placed a child for adoption may share their joys and sorrows and receive encouragement, wisdom, and support from other women who have walked the same path. All birth parents with a connection to Indiana may be included. Please contact our office at (317) 820-2290 if you wish to be invited to the group!

Adoptions of Indiana sponsors special events for birth parents to come together socially to build community and support.  Those events may be centered around honoring birth parents on Birth Mother’s Day, educational opportunities, holiday parties, picnics, brunch, or activities.

Special Events

Adoptions of Indiana sponsors special events for birth parents to come together socially to build community and support.  Those events may be centered around honoring birth parents on Birth Mother’s Day, educational opportunities, holiday parties, picnics, brunch, or activities.

Support Group

A monthly support group is available both virtually as well as in person. Having the support and wisdom of those who share your journey is helpful as a birth parent.

Please contact Adoptions of Indiana at (317) 820-2290 to learn more about these programs and opportunities.

Lifetime Healing Foundation

Ashley Mitchell’s program for Post Placement care of birth mothers.

We'd Love To Hear From You!

Have questions about our Birth Parent Support Network? Contact Meg to learn more!

Meg Sterchi - a team member of Adoptions of Indiana

Meg Sterchi | ACSW, LCSW

Executive Director

Meg Sterchi is the founder and Executive Director of Adoptions of Indiana. For the last 28 years, she has focused on working with birth and adoptive families, preparing and supporting them throughout the adoption process. She also has personal experience with adoption, as an adoptive mother. She is guided by her philosophy that a major focus of adoption agencies should be to prepare, support and educate all parties involved in an adoption.

“I've had the honor of working with women considering adoption and birth mothers for over 25 years. I'm always impressed with their grit and desire to put the needs of their children first, whether that is by making an adoption plan or by choosing to parent. Walking by their sides throughout the process and building supportive relationships that have lasted years, sometimes decades, is one of my favorite parts of the adoption process.”

Stay Informed

At Adoptions of Indiana, we believe that it is important to stay informed about adoption issues and be prepared as an adoptive parent to deal with them as they arise.

Education and resources will define your experience throughout the adoption process. We believe the better informed you are, and the more you know about your situation, the more prepared you will be along this journey. Below are resources we think you’ll find invaluable in your search for useful information.

The information listed here is meant to nurture, educate, and empower, however Adoptions of Indiana does not endorse any particular site or their information.

General Adoption Information

Adoption.com provides a clearinghouse for information, products, forums, and many other offerings related to adoption.

Adoption Ethics

Adoptive Families Magazine, the award-winning national adoption magazine, is the leading adoption information source for families before, during, and after adoption.

Adoption Learning Partners provides an array of e-learning classes for adoptive parents.

American Academy of Adoption Attorneys website provides contact information for academy members nationwide as well as other important information.

How to Support Birth Mothers Throughout an Adoption, Baylor University’s Social Work program recently published a detailed toolkit that provides actionable strategies that can help families and friends support birth mothers throughout the pregnancy and the adoption process.

Child Welfare Information Gateway offers resources on all aspects of domestic and intercountry adoption, including adoption from foster care.

Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCA) is a bicameral, bipartisan caucus of members of Congress dedicated to improving adoption policy and practice, and to focusing public attention on the advantages of adoption.

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a non-profit 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to increasing the adoptions of the more than 150,000 children in North America’s foster care system.

The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, founded in 1996, is a national not-for-profit organization devoted to improving adoption policy and practice.

Indiana Adoption Code review specifics of Indiana adoption law.

Indiana General Assembly contact information

Sherrie Eldridge, Sherrie offers online resources for encouragement, coloring projects for children, several years of archived newsletters, and free adoption workbooks.

United States Senate

United States House of Representatives

AdoptUSKids is a national project that supports child welfare systems and connects children in foster care with families. Read more . Find out about adoption from foster care.

Adopting Internationally

Adoption Education

At Adoptions of Indiana, we pride ourselves in providing extensive, quality adoption education courses to all of our home study and placement families. Given the current global health situation, out of an abundance of caution, and with public health recommendations in mind, we have built a comprehensive adoption education curriculum that will allow our families to learn, grow and reflect on adoption issues remotely. There will be no additional cost for your family to complete these trainings.

We are utilizing two respected adoption education platforms (Adoption Learning Partners and Creating A Family) to provide the most complete experience possible. This curriculum is designed to be taken in this particular order and these courses are required and should be completed by both spouses, if adopting as a couple. After each course, you will compile five takeaways or observations from the session and upload them to the online portal. Your family’s social worker will also be discussing these topics with you and address any questions you have. More information about the required classes will be available in the online portal as you move through the homestudy process.

Pre-Adoption Education

Support For Waiting Adoptive Parents And Families

Allison Montgomery, LCSW

This group is open to all waiting prospective adoptive families. Gain support, education, information, and network with other families also experiencing the unique challenges of “the wait.”  This event will be held virtually via Zoom from 6 – 8 pm on January 17, March 20, May 15, July 17, September 18, November 2. Feel free to enjoy a meal at home while we “visit”.

 
Contact Allison Montgomery to RSVP at allison@adoptionsofindiana.org.

Patricia Irwin Johnston

Invite your family members to get on board with your adoption journey! This class will help them identify adoption myths and misconceptions, as well as teach them to be a support system during the adoptive process.

Contact the agency for more information at info@adoptionsofindiana.org

Post-Adoption Education

Seminars

4 consecutive Saturdays beginning February 24- March 16; 10-11:30 a.m.  $150.00

Nearly all adopted children are asked questions about adoption by friends, relatives, neighbors, classmates, and strangers. Children, especially those ages 7-11 need to be prepared to handle these challenging moments. Adoptions of Indiana can help them learn how to respond to these questions through fun adoption related activities designed especially for this age group. One parent session included.  Group meets in person at Adoptions of Indiana.

Click Here to Register

May 6, 2024 6:00-7:30, via Zoom

$35/couple. $25/single. 

As children enter early elementary school, they enter the next phase of development in their understanding of adoption.  This group will discuss the child development that occurs during this time period and how it affects a child’s understanding of adoption.  We will also discuss how this creates the need for more specific and detailed adoption story discussions.  The goal is to provide the parent with a better understanding of how to talk about adoption, as well as what to say to their child even with difficult topics.  

Click Here to Register

September 9, 2024 6:00-7:30, via Zoom. $35/couple. $25/single. 

Pre-school children are curious about the world around them. This class offers the opportunity to develop your skills in talking about adoption with your child and lay the groundwork for future conversations. 

Click Here to Register

Read Adoption Unfiltered:  Revelations from Adoptees, Birth Parents, Adoptive Parents and Allies by Sara Easterly, Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard and Lori Holden and join us for a discussion via Zoom on Monday, March 4, 2024.  No Cost.

Click Here to Register

We try to schedule 2-3 activities each year around the Indianapolis area that are family friendly where you can meet other adoptive families, your children can make new friends, and we get to see you!  Stay tuned for the first opportunity of 2024!

KinderMusik – July 13th 3-4:30pm at Adoptions of Indiana (paid for by AOI)
Click Here to Register

Indianapolis Indians Baseball Game – May 19th 1:35pm Eastern (Gates open 12:30pm Eastern)

Allison Montgomery, LCSW

Network with and discuss living as a transracial adoptive family with others sharing this journey. Gain and offer support and exchange ideas. This is also a forum for parents to expand knowledge and share concerns.

Click Here to Register

Allison Montgomery, LCSW

As part of normal and healthy development, all teens grapple with their identity. Adopted teens face additional challenges in reconciling who they are with the uncertainties in their history. This group is for teens and offers guidance as we empower and equip them to handle the issues and questions that arise from their personal adoption story while they learn who they are as individuals.

Click Here to Register

Meg Sterchi, ACSW, LCSW

A workshop for adult adoptees to discuss how to emotionally prepare for search, find resources to start the process, and learn to navigate potential pitfalls along the way. This workshop will include information on Indiana adoption, petitioning, and the confidential intermediary process.

Click Here to Register

Meg Sterchi, ACSW, LCSW 

Developed by an experienced educator, “Adoption Conversations” educates teens about infant adoption.  Presented by a trained educator and adoption specialist, the curriculum is flexible and can be modified to fit your school’s needs.  Students will learn about and discuss the history of adoption, respectful adoption language, Indiana law, and modern adoption practices.  Students will hear the first hand account of a woman’s journey through adoption as she lovingly made a plan for her child.

Contact the agency for more information at info@adoptionsofindiana.org

Professional Education

Seminars

Meg Sterchi, ACSW, LCSW | Madison Smith, MSW, LSW 

Adoptions of Indiana’s seminar for social workers and nurses will emphasize best practice when navigating an adoption plan in the hospital setting.  Our educator will provide a historical perspective of adoption, will teach the importance of respectful adoption language, and will identify modern adoption practices.  In addition, she will explore how social workers and nurses can support all members of the adoption triad in the hospital setting. We are pleased to be able to offer 1-2.5 CEHs from NASW for social workers who participate.


Contact the agency for more information at info@adoptionsofindiana.org

Meg Sterchi, ACSW, LCSW | Madison Smith, MSW, LSW 

“Students’ ability to learn depends not just on the quality of their textbooks and teachers, but also on the comfort and safety they feel at school and the strength of their relationships with adults and peers there.” (Sarah Sparks, Education Week, 2016)  Adoptions of Indiana’s seminar for educators will explore how teacher curricular decisions, language, and media choices impact students who joined their family through adoption in their classroom.  Professional development can be offered at your school and programming is flexible.


Contact the agency for more information at info@adoptionsofindiana.org