Roots & Wings: Preparing Children for the Adoption Journey

Join the Heart Galleries of Texas for 2026 Spring’s Learning Series, Adoption Conversations Across Childhood!  The Heart Gallery Learning Series is designed to build statewide consistency, create shared language, and strengthen practice skills across the child welfare community. Our professional trainings strengthen skills, build confidence, and equip professionals to support children and families throughout their permanency journey.

This 1-hour training aims to provide knowledge and skills in identifying common emotional and behavioral responses to adoption-related transitions and strategies to support children during the adoption process. This training is open to professionals supporting youth and families in foster care and adoption. This may include DFPS/SSCC staff, child placing agencies, post-permanency professionals, CASA volunteers, mental health providers, and community partners.

We hope you can join us! CEUs will be provided.

This webinar aims to provide knowledge on navigating and responding to difficult questions in adoption conversations. Our trainers will explore strategies and develop skills to guide families and caregivers with these conversations.

Learning objectives:

1. Identify at least three common emotional and behavioral responses children and youth may experience during adoption-related transitions.
2. Describe developmentally appropriate ways to respond to children’s questions about their story, birth family, and family circumstances.
3. Demonstrate at least two practical strategies to support children’s emotional regulation and sense of safety during the adoption process.

Meet our trainer:

Earley Barnes-Ullrich, LCSW-S, Hopeful Waters Wellness, PLLC

EEarley is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker- Supervisor and owner of Hopeful Waters Wellness, PLLC. Earley has over 16 years of experience working in community mental health centers, foster care, and crisis centers. Earley works with children, adolescents, adults and families. Earley is an adoption-competent therapist who brings both professional and personal insight to her work as an adoptee and adoptive parent of two siblings from foster care.