Local Children's Coalition to hold national Empowered to Connect Conference simulcast April 8-9 in Cape

Local Children’s Coalition to hold simulcast of National Conference

Cape Girardeau, MO. - The local Children’s Coalition, a group of organizations and individuals working on behalf of adoption and foster care in our area, is making plans to host a live simulcast of the Empowered to Connect Conference on April 8-9, 2016.

Empowered to Connect is a two-day annual conference designed to help adoptive and foster parents, ministry leaders, and professionals better understand how to connect with “children from hard places,” including children with emotional and behavioral difficulties, those who have been abused or neglected, or experienced prenatal trauma such as exposure to alcohol or drugs.

The conference features Dr. Karyn Purvis, researcher, former foster parent, and director of the Institute of Child Development at Texas Christian University. Dr. Purvis is the author of "The Connected Child" and has devoted the past decade to developing research-based interventions for adopted, foster, and other at-risk children. Presentations over the 2 day conference, which will be simulcast from Nashville TN, will feature Dr. Purvis, her colleagues from the TCU Child Development Team, as well as adoptive and foster parents. The conference is ideal for adoptive and foster parents, those considering adoption or foster care, and those who are serving and supporting others, including social workers, agency professionals, church staff and ministry leaders, counselors, and therapists.

Children's Coalition

The conference will be held from 8:30am to 5pm on Friday and Saturday, April 8th and 9th, at The Porch at LaCroix Church, 3102 Lexington Avenue in Cape Girardeau. Doors will open at 8am both days. The registration fee, which covers both days, is $10 per person, or $15 per couple. Included in the registration fee is a 45 page take-home conference guide with information on each of the conference sessions. Lunch will be on-site, and a box lunch is available for $7.50 per person per day, or participants may bring their own lunch. Registrants may choose to come one or both days of the conference.

Up to 7.5 hours of continuing education hours per day will be provided for child care providers, adoptive and foster parents, and professionals. Certificates will be distributed at the end of each day.

For more information or to register go to www.forthechildren.yolasite.com. You can also learn more at the Children’s Coalition Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/capechildrenscoalition. Other sponsors of the event include LaCroix Church, Room for One More, and the Parent and Community Education Committee.

Children’s Coalition Mission:

Raising community awareness and support of Foster Care, Orphan Support and Adoption.