Special Events
Foster Hope Day
Foster Hope Day is the Coalition’s signature day of online giving and celebration of what matters most: family!
Junior Board Trivia Night
The annual Junior Board Trivia Night is a special evening themed trivia, food, and fun for the St. Louis community, hosted by the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition’s Junior Board. All proceeds go directly toward supporting children impacted by foster care!
Hope in a Handbag 2026
Hope in a Handbag is the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition’s signature fundraising event to support children impacted by foster care. Guests enjoy an elevated experienced featuring a curated silent auction of handbags and accessories, small bites, sips, and socializing. Join us on April 16, 2026!
Give STL Day
Give STL Day is a 24-hour online annual giving event benefitting St. Louis and Illinois communities. The Coalition is proud to participate each year. Give STL Day returns May 7, 2026.
Upcoming Events & Trainings
Monthly Weekly Daily List
January 2026
Teens: Understanding & Managing Challenging Behaviors (3 sessions)
Parenting teens who have experienced trauma can bring additional challenges. This training will focus on topics such as rejection, aggression, social media, sex, and self-harming. You will learn techniques and build skills to navigate difficult situations and create safety plans for your youth. 7.5 hours training credit
Collaborate & Connect—Parents as Teachers: Strengthening Families Everywhere
This training for child welfare professionals features Parents as Teachers (PAT) in Missouri: a free, voluntary early childhood education and family support program offered through local school districts. It serves families who are expecting a child or have children from prenatal stages through kindergarten entry. Trained parent educators provide regular home visits and support to […]
Maintaining Connections for Youth
The child welfare team traditionally focuses on the immediate needs of youth and not the lifelong connections that are so important throughout life. This training will help you understand the importance of having key people in the lives of youth to support them with the everyday issues every person faces as they get older. You’ll […]
February 2026
Spaulding Adoption Training: Making the Commitment to Adoption (4 sessions)
Forming a family through adoption is different than forming one biologically or being a foster family. While adoption brings great joy and happiness to families, children who have experienced the trauma of abuse, neglect, and/or the loss of their family of origin may also bring unique challenges to the parenting experience. This training is designed […]
Mental Health Considerations
This training provides a basic understanding of mental health disorders and conditions that commonly occur in childhood. Content is shared to illustrate that not all ‘survival’ behaviors or symptoms of grief relate to mental health disorders. This training will describe commonly administered psychotropic medications, how to obtain consent, and how to ensure the child(ren) in […]
Know Your Rights, Know Your Role
Understanding the foster care system can be challenging and overwhelming, especially while you’re also providing care to children who have experienced trauma. Parents are often given incorrect or contradictory information, leaving them feeling unsupported and frustrated. This training will address common questions and situations for caregivers such as: 2.5 hours training credit
Spaulding Adoption Training: Making the Commitment to Adoption (4 sessions)
Forming a family through adoption is different than forming one biologically or being a foster family. While adoption brings great joy and happiness to families, children who have experienced the trauma of abuse, neglect, and/or the loss of their family of origin may also bring unique challenges to the parenting experience. This training is designed […]
The Importance of Sibling Bonds
Sibling relationships are emotionally powerful and critically important not only in childhood, but over the course of a lifetime. The sibling relationship is one of the longest relationships anyone will have, preparing individuals for peer relationships, teaching social skills, conflict resolution, and navigating relationship issues. They provide a sense of connection, continuity, and belonging. Children […]
Spaulding Adoption Training: Making the Commitment to Adoption (4 sessions)
Forming a family through adoption is different than forming one biologically or being a foster family. While adoption brings great joy and happiness to families, children who have experienced the trauma of abuse, neglect, and/or the loss of their family of origin may also bring unique challenges to the parenting experience. This training is designed […]
Separation, Loss & Grief
This training will help you understand the impact of separation and ambiguous loss; the different ways children grieve; lifelong grieving; and the importance of providing opportunities for grieving. You will have a greater understanding of loss and fractured attachments with birth family members and previous placements; recognize the importance of establishing and maintaining essential relationships […]
New! Youth Suicide Prevention with Compass Health
Join Compass Health Education and Outreach Specialists in Youth Suicide Prevention for this training featuring two suicide awareness and prevention programs: Missouri Ask. Listen. Refer Missouri is ranked 15th in the country for suicide deaths. This program is designed to reach Missouri residents interested in suicide prevention within their communities. After attending, you will know […]
Spaulding Adoption Training: Making the Commitment to Adoption (4 sessions)
Forming a family through adoption is different than forming one biologically or being a foster family. While adoption brings great joy and happiness to families, children who have experienced the trauma of abuse, neglect, and/or the loss of their family of origin may also bring unique challenges to the parenting experience. This training is designed […]
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