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On-Demand Explore Adoption Webinar poster
Webinar
Ongoing
On-Demand Explore Adoption Webinar
Join Liz Joyal, Director of Family Support Services, for a recorded webinar. This engaging presentation that will tell you what you need to know about the adoption from foster care process in MA and direct you on next steps to take to move forward ...
LIVE Explore Adoption Webinars poster
Webinar
Ongoing
LIVE Explore Adoption Webinars
Join Emily Goldberger, Family Support Services Coordinator, for an engaging LIVE presentation that will tell you what you need to know about the adoption from foster care process in MA and direct you on next steps to take to move forward in the ...
Adoptive Families of Color Support Group poster
Training and Support
Ongoing
Adoptive Families of Color Support Group
This support group meets virtually on Zoom every second Tuesday of the month at 6 PM.  This monthly peer support group is created for families of color who have adopted, are in the adoption process, or have received a placement. It offers a ...
Ask Me I Did It  poster
Webinar
Jul 10, 2025, 7:00 PM - Aug 6, 2025, 8:00 PM
Ask Me I Did It
The Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) invites you to a virtual interactive event series, featuring experienced adoptive families who will share personal stories and answer questions about the adoption process from their perspectives.   ...
Roller Kingdom: An Inclusive Meet and Greet poster
Matching
Jul 20, 2025, 10:00 AM - Jul 20, 2025, 12:00 PM
Roller Kingdom: An Inclusive Meet and Greet
The Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange invites you to an in-person adoption meet and greet at Roller Kingdom in Hudson, MA. The event will run from 10am-12pm. Please join us to meet children with varying levels of need from across the state. ...
Falmouth Road Race poster
Community
Aug 17, 2025, 9:00 AM - Aug 17, 2025, 1:00 PM
Falmouth Road Race
The MARE team is thrilled to be an Official Charity for the 2025 ASICS Falmouth Road Race, which takes place on Sunday, August 17, 2025 at 9 AM. This amazing race follows a scenic, 7-mile route along the Cape Cod shoreline and draws over 11,000 ...
Ninja Warrior Meet & Greet poster
Matching
Sep 14, 2025, 10:00 AM - Sep 14, 2025, 12:00 PM
Ninja Warrior Meet & Greet
The Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) and the DCF Central Region Adoption Collaborative invite you to a Ninja Warrior Meet & Greet! Join us to meet waiting children and sibling groups ages 9+ and to speak with their social ...

Caregiver Training

Participation in the Massachusetts Approach to Partnership in Parenting (MAPP) curriculum is required of all prospective foster and adoptive families in Massachusetts. Caregiver Training is offered both by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and contracted adoption agencies. MARE does not offer Caregiver Training. After a prospective family’s application has been submitted to an agency and preliminary screenings are met with approval, families will be invited to attend the ten week training.

The training curriculum prepares adults to adopt a child from foster care who has experienced neglect and abuse. The training covers such topics as communication, building self-esteem, child guidance, understanding behaviors, and working with agencies and courts. The training will also include discussions about the children who are waiting to be adopted and resources and support available to you as an adoptive family.

Learn More
Current Caregiver Training
Children’s Friend MAPP Meetings
Ongoing
Virtual

Children’s Friend Adoption MAPP Training

  Starts  May 22, 2025

 Every Thursday evening for 10 consecutive weeks

 6:00pm-9:00pm  (except June 19)

To register, please contact Veronica Listerud, vlisterud@sevenhills.org

Bright Futures Summer 2025 MAPP
Jul 10, 2025, 8:00 AM - Aug 26, 2025, 8:00 AM

Summer 2025 MAPP

Time: 6:00pm-9:00pm

Dates: July 10th- August 26th 

Tuesdays: July 15th ,22nd, 29th, August 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th

Thursdays: July 10th, 17th, August 21st 

To register, please contact Karen Cheyney at (978) 263-5400 or email kcheyney@rfkchildren.org

CFS Fall 2025 Caregiver Training
Ongoing
Child and Family Services - Fall River

Tuesdays 6-9pm

  • September 9, 2025
  • September 16, 2025
  • September 23, 2025
  • September 30, 2025
  • October 7, 2025
  • October 14, 2025
  • October 21, 2025
  • October 28, 2025
  • November 4, 2025
  • November 11, 2025

To register, please call Melissa Millar at (774) 488 5019 or email mmillar@cfservices.org


Partner Hosted Events

The following informational or training events are hosted by agencies that work in partnership with MARE, listed by region. Contact the host for additional information or registration.

Adoption/Foster Care Information Sessions
Ongoing

This event occurs every third Thursday of the Month. Learn more about the foster care and adoption process through the Department of Children and Families from the comfort of your own home! These meetings will be held virtually through WebEx on the third Thursday of every month from 5:30-7:00 PM

Please RSVP via email to Carolla Sanderson at carolla.sanderson@mass.gov and you will receive the call in details.

For questions, please contactcarolla.sanderson@mass.gov

Bridges Homeward (Cambridge) One-on-One Information Call
Ongoing

If you are within a 45 to 60-minute drive of Cambridge, consider working with Bridges Homeward who licenses families for adoption from foster care and MARE’s Weekend Family Connections Program. You can book a one-on-one info session with a member of their family services team by clicking here.

DCF Information Event
Ongoing

This event occurs every second Wednesday of the Month. The Central Regional ADLU hosts a virtual Informational the second Wednesday of every month from 6:00 -7:00 pm. The Informational requires pre-registration. Once registered, an applicant will be sent the WebEx link to participate.

For registration please email Heather Whitcomb at heather.whitcomb@state.ma.us

Second Nurture Foster Support Group
Ongoing
Multiple Locations

Are you a foster or fost-adopt family looking for support & a sense of belonging in a nurturing environment? Second Nurture is building a community for you and families like yours!

Each month Second Nurture hosts a series of gatherings across Massachusetts, led by a 2N professional. They prepare food and volunteer with childcare at the gatherings but, also, they serve 2N families in a wide range of ways individually, such as tutoring kids, helping with household needs, and even with some professional services. 

Upcoming events:

Easton, MA

  • April 13, 4:00pm-5:15pm
  • May 18, 4:00pm-5:15pm
  • June 8, 4:00pm-5:15pm
  • July 13, 4:00pm-5:15pm

To RSVP, please contact molly@2nurture.org or via Events at 2Nurture.org

 

Andover, MA

  • May 18, 1:30pm
  • June 1, 1:30pm

To RSVP, please contact debbie@2nurture.org or via Events at 2Nurture.org

 

Newton, MA

  • April 6, 3:30pm
  • May 4, 3:30pm
  • June 8, 3:30pm

To RSVP, please contact martha@2nurture.org or via Events at 2Nurture.org

Parenting through Disconnection
Jul 22, 2025, 8:00 PM - Jul 22, 2025, 9:00 PM

KC Craig, LICSW, Executive Director & Clinical Director and Darci Nelsen, PhD, Assistant Clinical Director, of Boston Post Adoption Resources (BPAR) will lead a Zoom session focusing on behavior as communication and exploring trauma-based parenting through an attachment lens.

Credits Provided

Register here: https://www.2nurture.org/event-details/ma-parenting-through-disconnection-credits-provided

Adoptive Parents Together
Ongoing
3313 Washington Street

Adoptive Families Together – MSPCC Jamaica Plain Support Group

 JRI Office, 313 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain

 Free Childcare Provided

 1st Friday of the month, 6:30PM-8:30PM

Due to the 4th of July holiday, July's AFT meeting will be held on 7/11/25 instead. 

 AFT provides education, advocacy, training, and support to families about topics unique to the adoption experience. Our groups include parents who have adopted children of all ages and races, domestically and internationally, children placed with other family members, and children with special needs. We also welcome adopted individuals, birth parents, foster parents, guardians & adults at any stage of the adoption process.

 This is an on-going, FREE group that meet once a month. Feel free to drop in. For more info, contact Sybil Turk at 617.352.8898 or sturk@mspcc.org