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All Children - All Families: Field Forward Webinars
HRC Foundation's All Children - All Families (ACAF) program hosts an annual live webinar series from January to August each year. Registration is open to ALL at no cost, we hope to see you there! The 2023 Field Forward Webinar Series is now live! Use the links below to register or download the PDF of the 2023 Webinar Series.
All webinars are recorded and added to ACAF's Webinar Archive for on-demand access; there are currently over 40 recorded webinars to choose from.
January
Introduction to LGBTQ+ Inclusion
Tuesday, 1/17 at 1 PM ET
This webinar covers foundational information related to serving LGBTQ+ youth and families. Topics include key terminology and concepts, an overview of barriers faced by LGBTQ+ youth and families in child welfare, and the steps all service providers can take to overcome these barriers in order to create a welcoming environment
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Core Curriculum
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ+ Youth
Wednesday, 1/18 at 1 PM ET
This webinar takes a closer look at the information and resources needed to achieve safety, permanency and well-being for LGBTQ+ youth in out-of-home care. Topics include research on LGBTQ+ youth experiences, the rights of LGBTQ+ youth, finding LGBTQ+ affirming placements, and tools for advocacy.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Core Curriculum
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals Serving Youth
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
February
Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ+ Parents
Tuesday, 2/7 at 1 PM ET
This webinar provides an in-depth look at role-specific best practices for serving LGBTQ+ foster and adoptive parents. Topics include facts and myths around LGBTQ+ parenting, law and policy, LGBTQ+ parent recruitment, home studies, and matching/placement.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Core Curriculum
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals Serving Parents
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
Putting Intersectionality into Practice
Monday, 2/13 at 2 PM ET
This webinar will introduce participants to intersectionality--a theory that calls on us to recognize that oppressions are linked and cannot be resolved alone--and how it informs our efforts to achieve safety, permanency and well-being for all young people. Case scenarios focused on serving LGBTQ+ youth and adults in child welfare will illustrate what intersectionality can look like in practice.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Core Curriculum
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
March
Using a Racial Equity Lens 2.0: Best Practices for Black & Brown LGBTQ2S+ Youth Care
Wednesday, 3/1 at 1 PM ET
Research shows that Black & Brown youth account for the largest percentage of LGBTQIA2S+ youth in foster care and juvenile justice. The overrepresentation can be largely attributed to patterns of racial bias and discrimination found at various levels in the child welfare system, including service delivery and policy implementation. To disrupt these patterns, child welfare providers need to use a racial equity lens, a set of questions we must ask ourselves throughout the decision-making process, to ensure we consider the perspectives and lived experiences of the diverse racial & ethnic communities we intend to serve. In this webinar, we will review emerging data, policy recommendations, and best and "next" practices to more effectively meet the needs of these underserved youth and families.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Non-core
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
Native & Indigenous LGBTQIA2S+ Youth in Child Welfare
Friday, 3/24 at 1 PM ET
Cultural connection is a protective factor for Indigenous and native LGBTQIA2S+ youth impacted by the child welfare system. This webinar is designed for child welfare professionals looking to develop a deeper understanding of providing culturally responsive and culturally relevant resources and supports for Indigenous and Native LGBTQIA2S+ youth. Topics include an overview of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, best practices for providing holistic support to youth impacted by generational and historical trauma, and resources specific to working with Indigenous and Native LGBTQIA2S+ youth and tribal child welfare agencies.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Non-core
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals Serving Youth
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
April
Introduction to LGBTQ+ Inclusion
Wednesday, 4/19 at 1 PM ET
This webinar covers foundational information related to serving LGBTQ+ youth and families. Topics include key terminology and concepts, an overview of the barriers faced by LGBTQ+ youth and families child welfare, and the steps all service providers can take to overcome these barriers in order to create a welcoming environment.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Core Curriculum
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
Allyship and Accessibility- Understanding the Intersection of Autism and LGBTQ+ Identity
Wednesday, 4/26 at 2 PM ET
There is growing research highlighting the intersectional experience of LGBTQ+ identity and Neurodivergence. This webinar will help participants understand affirming practices for supporting autistic LGBTQ+ individuals, including up-to-date and inclusive terminology, primary experiences/accounts of what it means to be autistic and LGBTQ+, as well as ways that your organization can be inclusive and accessible.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Core Curriculum
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
May
Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ+ Youth
Monday, 5/8 at 1 PM ET
This webinar takes a closer look at the information and resources needed to achieve safety, permanency and well-being for LGBTQ+ youth in out-of-home care. Topics include research on LGBTQ+ youth experiences, the LGBTQ+ youth, finding LGBTQ+ affirming placements, and tools for advocacy.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Core Curriculum
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals Serving Youth
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
June
Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ+ Parents
Tuesday, 6/6 at 1 PM ET
This webinar provides an in-depth look at role-specific best practices for serving LGBTQ+ foster and adoptive parents. Topics include facts and myths around LGBTQ+ parenting, law and policy, LGBTQ+ parent recruitment, home studies, and matching/placement.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Core Curriculum
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals Serving Parents
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
Putting Intersectionality into Practice
Monday, 6/26 at 2 PM ET
This webinar will introduce participants to intersectionality--a theory that calls on us to recognize that oppressions are linked and cannot be resolved alone--and how it informs our efforts to achieve safety, permanency and well-being for all young people. Case scenarios focused on serving LGBTQ+ youth and adults in child welfare will illustrate what intersectionality can look like in practice.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Core Curriculum
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
July
Best Practices at the Intersection of Child Welfare, Faith, and LGBTQ+ Youth and Families
Thursday, 7/13 at 3 PM ET
This webinar will prepare child welfare professionals to simultaneously and effectively engage faith and LGBTQ+ experiences in youth and families, whether the faith is that of the worker, youth, resource family, and/or family of origin.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Non-Core
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
Optimizing Your Engagement with LGBTQ+ Foster and Adoptive Parents
Wednesday, 7/19 at 2 PM ET
Join ACAF for a panel discussion featuring LGBTQ+ foster and adoptive parents sharing their experiences engaging with child welfare. Learn tips on recruiting and supporting LGBTQ+ families and listen to phenomenal stories of new family formations.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Non-core
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals Serving Parents
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
August
Best Practices and Considerations When Placing Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Expansive Youth in Congregate Care Settings
Wednesday, 8/9 at 1:30 PM ET
This session aims to highlight best practices and considerations focused on what is best for Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Expansive youth that affirms their identity and keeps them safe in congregate care.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Non-Core
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals Serving Youth
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
Building an Organizational Framework for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Monday, 8/14 at 2 PM ET
Are your diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts siloed? Do you find that some initiatives are advancing faster than others? Join HRC’s All Children-All Families(ACAF) program for a panel discussion with program participants that have integrated ACAF’s organizational framework for LGBTQ+ inclusion with their other DEI efforts. We’ll discuss how this has helped in streamlining goals, maximizing resources, and putting intersectionality into practice. HRC’s DEI team will also join the session to share the importance of advancing organization-wide change that is seen in policies, practices, staff training, and the workplace culture.
Length: 90 minutes
Track: Non-Core
Audience: All Child Welfare Professionals
The recording of this webinar will be available on ACAF's webinar archive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to participate in ACAF's online learning offerings and what is the cost?
Our webinars are free and available to all who are interested.
Do I need to register in advance?
Everyone intending on participating in a webinar should register in advance using the registration link that corresponds with their selected webinar session.
Do I need to be at a computer of my own, or can I participate with a team (e.g. in a conference room together)?
As ACAF webinars are designed to be interactive with polls throughout and an evaluation at the end, we encourage attendees to log in at individual computers rather than viewing the webinars as a group.
What are the technical requirements to participate in ACAF's online learning offerings?
The confirmation email you receive after registering for a webinar will include easy step-by-step directions on how to join the webinar. Click here to view system requirements.
Do the ACAF online learning offerings offer Continuing Education Credits?
At this time, each of ACAF's Core Curriculum webinars are eligible for 1.5 continuing education credits from the National Association of Social Workers (Introduction to LGBTQ+ Inclusion, Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ+ Parents & Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ+ Youth). Learn more here.
What if I missed the webinar?
ACAF has an archive of our online learning offerings available.
What if my question is not listed?
You can send inquiries and feedback to acaf@hrc.org.