EDUCATION FAQS

1. Why does Beginnings have education as part of their services?

Beginnings views education as the cornerstone for building strong families. Since many of the families who come to Beginnings are created through adoption, embryo donation and single parenting, there is a need to provide support and education to families who have special needs. It is one thing to adopt, donate or receive embryos, or parent on your own, but all parties need to find ways to help their children growing up in unique situations. Beginnings programs offer insight and understanding in how to meet their childrens’needs.

2. What kinds of programs are offered through Beginnings?

We offer the following programs:

• Information sessions for adoption and embryo donation
• Parenting
• Pre natal & post natal support groups
• Life skills  
• School programs – “Baby Smarts” 
• Open adoption seminars
• Open embryo donation seminars
• Speaker nights and special topic seminars
• PRIDE training*

* PRIDE training is a mandatory provincial requirement in Ontario for adoptive parents. Beginnings does not run this program as it is managed by Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Socieites (OACAS) but can refer to practitioners who do offer this program.

3. Are different programs offered at different sites?

Yes,  Beginnings Hamilton, Beginnings Guelph, Beginnings Woodstock and Beginnings Cobourg offer a variety of programs:

• The Hamilton location primarily focuses on adoption and embryo donation related programs, but also offers parenting and prenatal support off site
• Guelph, Woodstock and Cobourg focus on programs for single parents
• School based healthy relationship programs are available in most locations

4. Who can attend these education programs?

Birth parents and Embryo Donor parents can attend all programs at no cost to themselves. Adoptive parents and Embryo Recipients can attend for a fee for service.

5. Why is training and education needed for to be an adoptive parent?

Adoptive parents will learn how adoptive parenting  differs from biological parenting. Our programs address ways to talk to children about being adopted, and how to naviagate open adoption relationships.

6. Why is training and education needed for to be a birth parent?

Birth parents come to Beginnings to resolve a dilemma. With education and links with other birth parents, they come to understand the importance of providing comprehensive information about themselves, about the importance of including birth fathers in the process, and, how to navigate an open relationship with the adoptive couple and with their child.

7. Why is education and training needed to be an Embryo Donor?

Embryo donors will learn through Beginnings education programs will learn about  the life long issues for their genetic children growing in other families, and  about how to navigate open relationships.

8. Why is education and training needed to be an Embryo Recipient?

Beginnings education programs will address Embryo Recipients unique issues related to how their family is created,  the importance of open relationships, how to navigate ongoing contact, and questions children created from third party reproduction will have over their life time.

9. What is PRIDE training ?  Where can I get this?

Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education (PRIDE) is a comprehensive 27 hour training program that is now recognized as essential preparation for all prospective adoptive and foster parents. It is offered in several provinces but is mandatory in Ontario. It is completed in tandem with the home study process before adoptive applicants can adopt. It is offered at various times and locations in Ontario.