Educational Materials
The Family Connections Project produced teaching materials designed to communicate the importance of youth achieving permanency while maintaining connections to the important people in their lives. Adoptions Unlimited, Inc. believes that no child should exit the foster care system without having at least one connection to a caring, responsible adult.
Training Curricula
Curriculum for Training Foster/Adoptive Families download 
This material outlines a three-hour training session designed to educate foster and adoptive families on the importance of openness in adoption and the need for youth to maintain connections with the significant people from their past. The session can also include a showing of the "Family Connections" DVD (see below to order).
Curriculum for Training Court and Legal Personnel download
This material outlines a two-hour training session designed to educate court and legal personnel on the importance of openness in adoption and the need for youth to maintain connections with significant people from their past. The session can also include a showing of the "Family Connections" DVD (see below to order).
Curriculum for Training Youth download version A (for youth with a goal of adoption or guardianship) download version B (for youth with a goal of guardianship)
This material outlines a two-part training session designed to educate foster youth on the importance of openness in adoption and the need to maintain connections with significant people from their past. Each part is two hours in length. The session can also include a showing of the "Family Connections" DVD (see below to order).
Educational DVDs
"Family Connections" DVD
- This DVD features interviews with foster care alumni and adoptive parents who describe the importance of youth maintaining contact with significant people from their past. It also highlights the impact of lost connections. This video was used for training during the five years of the project (2005-2010).
- DVDs are available for $7.50. They may be ordered through Adoptions Unlimited Inc., 120 W. Madison, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60602. For further information, please call our office at 312-346-1516 or send us an e-mail.
- Please print a Family Connections DVD Order Form to place an order.
"Strong Connections" DVD
- The Strong Connections Theatre Ensemble is a group of young adults who are alumni of the Illinois child welfare system. From 2008 to 2010, they performed a 45-minute play based on their experiences. The play related the personal impact of their journey through foster care and emphasized their struggle to find and maintain meaningful personal connections along the way. The ensemble was guided in its work by the accomplished Still Point Theatre Collective.
- DVDs of the performance are available for $10.00. They may be ordered through Adoptions Unlimited Inc., 120 W. Madison, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60602. For further information, please call our office at 312-346-1516 or send us an e-mail.
- Please print a Strong Connections DVD Order Form to place an order.
