Presentations & webinars

Image of an open laptop

OA&FS offers presentations and webinars to a variety of service providers and organizations within our community. Our goal is to help you understand important topics such as options counseling and open adoption, and to better understand the work you do so we can collaborate effectively to support the people in our community. We know that you care deeply about the needs of the people you serve, and we do too. You can also order brochures and service provider guides for you and your clients and patients.

OA&FS is uniquely qualified to provide these trainings and webinars. Here’s a little about us:

  • A program of Boys & Girls Aid as of 2025; committed to all-options pregnancy counseling and openness in adoption since our founding as an independent agency in 1985.
  • Completed more than 1,500 adoptions.
  • Licensed in Oregon and Washington with offices in Eugene, Portland, and Seattle – can also serve clients nationwide.
  • Pro-choice with a reproductive justice lens – not religiously affiliated.

 

Presentations

Image of a room containing a table and chairs, with a TV screen on the wall

In-person and remote presentations

OA&FS offers personalized presentations for your organization. We recognize that counseling with people who are facing an unplanned pregnancy can present unique challenges. We would like to offer the support you need to make this process easier. We can customize presentations for groups of any size, and these can be held in person or via Zoom. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with you and your team.

Presentation request form

We also offer a variety of webinars on a regular basis. Register for any of our webinars below.

Webinars

image of an open laptop

Live virtual webinars

OA&FS offers free one-hour webinars twice a year in the fall and spring, with topics customized for the providers with whom we work. Please see below for additional information about these webinars.

 

For All Service Providers Webinar

Webinar For all Service Providers

An image with a green background and the text Understanding Open Adoption with smaller text below that says Webinar Training for Service Providers. Small text at the bottom left says Open Adoption & Family Services

In this webinar, you’ll learn how to provide support and share accurate information with pregnant individuals and couples considering adoption. Join us as we dive into:

  • Why the era of closed adoption is over and how open adoption is now the norm.
  • What a child-centered open adoption looks like.
  • How openness serves the needs of all adoption constellation members throughout their lives.
  • Best practices in adoption.

Check back for Spring 2026 dates for this webinar

You are also welcome to reach out to schedule an outreach presentation with our staff at any time.

 

Hospital Social Workers Webinar

Webinar For Hospital Social Workers

An image with a blue background and the text Support for Patients Considering Open Adoption. Smaller text below reads Webinar Training for Hospital Social Workers. Small text at the bottom left says Open Adoption & Family Services

In this webinar specifically developed for hospital social workers and medical providers, you’ll learn about how to provide compassionate support and accurate information to patients considering open adoption. We’ll dive into:

  • Current best practices in adoption
  • Common dynamics and experiences of birth and adoptive parents, especially during the hospital time
  • How to support patients encountering CPS intervention
  • Ethical and legal issues
  • Understanding placement timelines and the specifics of the adoption planning process – even when it occurs after a baby is born
    • ­

Check back for Spring 2026 dates for this webinar

You are also welcome to reach out to schedule an outreach presentation with our staff at any time.

 

State Child Welfare Webinar

Webinar For State Child Welfare

An image with a green background and the text Adoption through OA&FS: An option for parents encountering state involvement

In this webinar specifically developed for state child welfare staff, you’ll learn how DHS, DCYF, Family Coaches, Self-Sufficiency and CSO staff can collaborate with OA&FS to support people who wish to explore pregnancy and parenting options, including private agency adoption. We’ll dive into:

  • Current adoption practices
  • Common dynamics and experiences of birth and adoptive parents
  • How to support patients encountering CPS intervention
  • Ethical and legal issues
  • Understanding placement timelines and the specifics of the adoption planning process – even when it occurs after the baby has arrived.
    • ­

Check back for Spring 2026 dates for this webinar

You are also welcome to reach out to schedule an outreach presentation with our staff at any time.

 

Testimonials - For Service Providers

“ We so appreciate the fact that OA&FS is willing to come each year to Birthingway College of Midwifery to share information and connection with our students. OA&FS’ mission and philosophy dovetail beautifully with the way we encourage our students to engage in their own care, emphasizing true shared decision-making. Our students value the relational, whole-person, centered approach OA&FS espouses, and they are grateful to have open adoption as a resource for clients. ” ~ Nichole Reding, MA, CPM, LDM, Academic Coordinator and Instructor, Birthingway College

webinars and trainings FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Are there fees for your services?

There are no fees for our all-options counseling or for parents who are working with us to explore planning an adoption. There are fees associated with becoming a prospective adoptive parent.

Can I refer a client to your program if they have not yet made a decision about their pregnancy?

Absolutely! We always start with all-options counseling to help clients assess all available options and make a decision that feels right for them. We provide unbiased, nonjudgmental counseling to anyone who reaches out. Many clients call us before they have made a decision.

Can I refer someone to OA&FS if they want to plan a closed adoption?

While we believe strongly in the benefits of openness to all members of the adoption constellation, especially adoptees, we understand that this does not feel like the right choice for everyone, and we honor the wishes of those who wish to decline the opportunity to be in relationship. We also know that many people who initially plan more closed adoptions may want contact in the future, which is something we are happy to work to facilitate if and when that happens.

We do expect all prospective adoptive parents to be committed to openness in adoption, whether that includes contact with birth parents, or just living their lives in a manner that honors the role of their child’s birth family. We understand that openness looks different for each adoption.

Do you provide legal advice?

We are happy to discuss the legal aspects of planning an adoption, but we are not attorneys and cannot provide legal advice directly. We will help people connect with their own legal counsel free of charge in instances where they desire to do so.

How can I learn more about open adoption and OA&FS services?

A great place to start is here on our website! You can find detailed information about our services, our values, and how we work with clients. In our Resources section, we also provide recommendations for additional learning materials (for example books and podcasts) that can help individuals and organizations increase their understanding of adoption generally and open adoption specifically.

More FAQs

Learn more

RELATED PAGES

 

 
Adopt Match Approved
 

Select One

Option One: Expectant Parent Form Option Two: Prospective Adoptive Parent Form

Text support is for expectant parents only

Text support is availale Mon-Fri, 9-5 PT

TEXT
CALL TEXT CONTACT FORM