Authentic Conversations: Supporting Youth in Adoption Discussions

Join the Heart Galleries of Texas for our monthly webinar!

Heart Galleries of Texas monthly webinars are provided to the child welfare community with the purpose to inform and bring awareness to current child welfare practices and efforts related to adoption and post permanency. These webinars are one way we stay connected and foster collaboration across communities working to support children and families.

This webinar aims to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills to engage youth in meaningful, developmentally appropriate conversations about adoption. Participants will learn how to center youth voice, build trust, and navigate complex emotions while supporting permanency outcomes.

Learning objectives:

• Understand the role of authentic engagement in adoption conversations
• Initiate and sustain honest, youth-centered discussions
• Apply trauma-informed and developmentally appropriate communication strategies
• Support youth in expressing preferences, boundaries, and expectations
• Guide families in maintaining open, ongoing dialogue

Meet our trainers:

Lakya Lewis, Youth Impact Specialist, TACFS
Lakya’s focus is on transition-aged youth with lived experience in foster care. Lakya has over 19 years of experience on improving outcomes for youth in the foster care system by developing educational programs, providing direct support and mentorship, and leading workshops for caregivers, professionals, and young people transitioning out of care.

Chelsey Castro, Senior Permanency Specialist, TACFS
Chelsey leads statewide efforts to strengthen permanency for youth in foster care and works closely with providers, partners, and stakeholders to advance adoption and long-term connections. Chelsey has several years of experience in adoption recruitment, with a focus on youth who are often overlooked.

David Daniels, Transition-Age Youth Programs Specialist, TACFS
David brings a deep commitment to seeing young adults succeed and is actively involved in his community through advocacy. He’s worked directly with college students and young adults with lived experience as a motivational consultant and champion for foster care, helping them to navigate their emotional and academic journeys with the skills and resources they need.chin and is passionate about her work preparing adoptive families.