Iowa post-adoption support

Below are post-adoption and guardianship support services available to families who live in Iowa. Services may not be available in all areas and/or may be dependent upon the circumstances of the placement. Please check with your post-adoption services provider about the availability of specific post-adoption or guardianship support services for your family. You can also visit Child Welfare Information Gateway for information on Adoption and Guardianship Assistance, as well as additional information on post-adoption support.

On this page:

Post-adoption/guardianship support services

In Iowa, adoptive and guardianship families have access to the following services:

  • Child/youth assessment 
  • Information (websites, fact sheets, articles, etc.) 
  • Referral to services
  • Training/other development 
  • Case management
  • Peer support for parents
  • Community-based therapeutic services 
  • Crisis intervention

The following services may be available as part of an adoption/guardianship subsidy agreement based on the needs of the individual child: 

  • Educational support
  • Respite care

Who is eligible for these services?

  • Families who have adopted from the state’s foster care system
  • Families who took guardianship of a child from the state’s foster care system 

Parent support groups

Below are support groups for adoptive, kinship, and foster families. Support groups may be offered as part of a state’s post-adoption/guardianship support program, through a statewide or regional foster or adoptive parent association, through specific agencies, or may be run independently. If we have additional information about the group’s purpose or the community served, it’s provided under the group’s contact information.

To add a group or make a suggestion, email the AdoptUSKids family support team

Statewide associations

Four Oaks Foster & Adoptive Family Connection
foster-adopt@fouroaks.org, 877-364-1113113

 

Parent groups (open to foster, adoptive, and kinship families)

Sioux City Iowa Virtual Connection Group
Ranessa.Chase@lsiowa.org
Location: Sioux City (virtual)

We Are the Village Adoption Connection
ncadwallader@fouroaks.org
Location: Waterloo and Cedar Falls

Northern Adoption Connection
thagar@fouroaks.org
Location: Virtual

Carroll Area Connection Group 
712-210-3518
Location: Carroll

Cedar Rapids Area Connection Group
lkelsey@fouroaks.org
Location: Cedar Rapids

Newton Connection Group
sutoft@fouroaks.org
Location: Newton

Ottumwa Connection Group
sutoft@fouroaks.org
Location: Ottumwa

Des Moines Area Connection Group
mijohnson@fouroaks.org
Location: West Des Moines

Foster Parent, Adoptive, and Kinship Family Connection Group
bsweragen@fouroaks.orgsutoft@fouroaks.org
Location: Fremont and/or Oskaloosa

Supper With Shannon
sutoft@fouroaks.org
Location: Virtual, open to the counties of Washington, Keokuk, Mahaska, Monroe, Wappelo, Jefferson, Van Buren, Davis, Appanoose, Poweshiek, and Jasper

Southern Service Area 3 Connection Group
kmiller@fouroaks.org
Location: Virtual, open to the counties of Muscatine, Louisa, Des Moines, Henry, and Lee

Eastern Area Connection Group
ccarr@fouroaks.org
Location: Virtual

Council Bluffs and Surrounding Communities Connection Group
alopez@fouroaks.org
Location: Virtual