Gladney Center for Adoption

The Gladney Center for Adoption caters to all members of the adoption triad and those seeking to get involved in supporting the adoption process. For expectant and birth mothers, Gladney offers parenting programs, medical care, financial support, legal services, and a lifetime of counseling. Hopeful adoptive parents seeking to expand their forever families can also benefit from Gladney’s services pertaining to domestic, international, and foster-to-adopt options. The last, and arguably most important member of the triad, is also tended to through Gladney’s work and mission. Adult adoptees can find support and answers with Gladney’s services and their team of professionals. Gladney is active in educating the world about the adoption process and gathering an ever-growing support system of professionals, volunteers, and storytellers. 

Adoption Services 

Gladney has been working with expectant mothers, hopeful adoptive parents, and children in need of a forever home for over 130 years. All this time, Gladney has gathered experience, friends of adoption, and information that has brought numerous forever families together in a healthy union. No matter where someone might find oneself in the adoption process, Gladney is prepared to assist with legal support and guidance, as well as with post-adoption services.  

There are many benefits of the hands-on help that Gladney offers throughout the adoption process. But something that Gladney values is their ability to envelope those they serve in a community of supporters who understand what it is like to be a birth mother facing a pregnancy, a couple who has endured years of fertility treatments, and an adoptee needing a loving home in the world. 

Gladney Home: A New Beginning

Since their beginning, Gladney has literally opened their doors to expectant mothers in crisis situations. As times have changed and different needs have been brought to the program’s attention, Gladney has decided to specify their housing services even more. The Gladney Home has been opening their doors to young foster girls who are facing an unplanned pregnancy. Located in Fort Worth, Texas, the Gladney home is equipped to house 15 teenage girls. This safe space is meant to assist girls in fulfilling their adoption plans, preparing for life beyond the foster care system, and healing from past trauma. 

The purpose of the Gladney Home is to provide an environment where young women can feel the support of a family environment when facing an unplanned pregnancy. Gladney’s mission has always been “Creating Bright Futures Through Adoption.” CEO and President, Mark Nelson, announced the opening of Gladney Home saying, “Adoption is the ultimate goal, but in the event we can’t find a forever family for each youth, providing teenage normalcy, preparation for life after foster care, and support for healing from their past trauma will be key areas of focus.”

Rest & Respite Program

Mothers who are already parenting, but still considering adoption, have options too. The Gladney team understands better than anyone that sometimes your plans and expectations do not completely align. Mothers who are reconsidering an adoption plan for their child may speak with an options counselor who will explain the adoption process and whether or not it is the right choice for that mother and child. During this time, mothers have the option of temporarily placing their child in a rest and respite program where an infant will stay with a safe and qualified family for up to two weeks. If a mother does choose to continue with an adoption plan, Gladney counselors will happily continue to assist her in moving forward with that process. Counseling and post-adoption services will continue to be available to the birth mother. 

If you are or you know a mother who is considering adoption, you can call or text an options counselor at 800-452-3639.

Voluntary Registry

Adoption registries can be found in every state. The purpose of a registry is to be a source of central information for those directly affected by adoption. Individuals who are ready to freely release their information to their counterparts and have direct contact will use a registry to initiate a reunion. Gladney is one source for adoptees, birth parents, and siblings to participate in the registry. 

If both parties have taken advantage of the adoption registry and a match is made, there are a few extra steps taken before any identifying information is released. Per registry policy, a Consent to Release Identifying Information document must be submitted, a one-hour counseling session must be completed by both parties to educate and prepare everyone for the reunion, and a written life story of each participant must be submitted for the registry to release to the other participant with the exchange of identifying information. 

Gladney’s Superkids Program & Asia Waiting Child Blog

The Superkids program began nearly a decade ago and has helped almost 200 children find their forever families. This program sends pediatric therapy teams to China and Taiwan to visit orphanages and learn more about the children in need of forever families. Recently, the program expanded from sending professionals overseas, to bringing children to the states for a short period to live with a prospective family, interact with other children, and prepare both parties for the potential adoption.

In 2019, Gladney expanded the Superkids program further from sending professionals and prospective adoptees back and forth overseas, to hopeful adoptive parents traveling overseas as well. On a guided visitation trip, prospective adoptive parents can meet children in the social welfare institutions and learn about their individual needs more specifically. During this time, prospective parents can determine whether or not they are prepared to begin the adoption process based on this initial meeting and the educational experience they’ve had. 

Gladney welcomes volunteers to contribute to the Superkids program as advocates for adoption. Individuals with video, web, copywriting, and photography skills are all needed for this cause. Click here to learn more about the Superkids program. 

Humanitarian Aid

Gladney believes that every child deserves a loving and caring family; so, they pour every effort into every resource they need to fulfill that mission. Some of the aid that Gladney is associated with is support for expectant mothers, new beginnings for waiting children in foster care, post-adoption services, community outreach and adoption education, and the Superkids program in China and Taiwan. The Gladney team puts their best foot forward for children all over the world despite race, class, medical needs, or circumstance. 

One of the causes that Gladney is currently invested in supporting is the support of an orphanage in Ethiopia. Even without an existing adoption program in the country, Gladney has stepped up to provide vital care for six children with special needs. Fulfilling the basic needs of clothing, shelter, medical treatments, and special care, Gladney advocates for the children who would not have proper care otherwise. 

Post-Adoption

Adoptive parents (of domestic infant adoptions, international adoptions, and foster care adoptions), adoptees, and birth parents are all beneficiaries of Gladney’s post-adoption services. Gladney’s post-adoption team is called Family for Life. Focused on uniting families with support before, during, and after the adoption process is the goal of Family for Life. Through parent training, clinical support, and support resources, no one in the adoption triad is overlooked. 

Gladney’s webpage for adult adoptees includes resources for the Texas Voluntary Registry, information on adoption record requests, first-hand stories from Gladney adoptees, and book reviews and recommendations for adoptees. For birth parents and adoptive parents, Gladney’s post-adoption services include counseling, training, support groups, and other educational resources. 

Professional CEU Trainings

Gladney University is the platform created for adoptive parents, medical professionals, counselors, social service advocates, and community members to expand their understanding of the adoption process. Offering both web-based and in-person educational opportunities, Gladney University offers support before, during, and after an adoption. 

Gladney University supports the promise of a “family for life” by opening a conversation about experiences and training within the world of adoption. Having served over a century’s-worth of families and children, the Gladney staff is equipped with the mental, emotional, and even physical tools to uplift those touched by adoption. Their programs are dynamic and ever-growing. 

Adoption advocates who are interested in participating in Gladney University as a presenter are given the option to share their knowledge and experiences. To learn more about presenter eligibility and how to apply, check out the Gladney University webpage. Here, you will also find links to upcoming training opportunities. 

RX | AdoptED

Gladney knows that medical professionals, social workers, and counselors are an essential part of the adoption world. Sometimes, these professionals are faced with the unique circumstances of a client who has or is creating an adoption plan.  With appreciation and the desire to support these professionals, Gladney offers their experiences and best practices through CEU and CNE training. 

Some of the best practices that Gladney offers training on is connecting clients and patients with adoption resources, starting a conversation about adoption, respecting privacy, adhering to HIPAA, and understanding a patient’s needs as they experience grief. Gladney also provides information on adoption services, the adoption process, and accurate adoption language and questions. Between monthly training meetings, the Gladney University Podcast, and all the online sources available to medical professionals, Gladney welcomes them into the family as a key player.   

reFRAMED Podcast

Emily Morehead is the host of Gladney’s podcast, reFRAMED. She invites a special guest each episode to discuss parenting skills, expectations, and “practices from traditional parenting into mindful parenting.” Airing every two weeks, reFRAMED is rated 5 stars on Apple Podcasts. It is a great way for parents, professionals, and other members of the adoption community to expand their vision of parenting in a world where more and more children experience harsh realities at a young age. The podcast can be heard on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify Podcasts, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or RSS Feed. 

Child Advocacy Blog

The Gladney Center for Adoption holds a firm belief in advocating for pro-child laws and regulations. With their platform, Gladney plays an active role in strengthening their community in alignment with their beliefs. One way that Gladney keeps families and child advocates informed is through the Child Advocacy Blog. As issues arise in the world pertaining to their cause, Gladney uses this specific blog to inform their followers about the issues and what they can do to be a part of the conversation. This is another resource that child advocates can use for information on important topics, pending legislation, and calls to action. Always offering a new way to get involved, Gladney chooses to use their platform for good. 

Gladney Blog

The Gladney Blog is an all-around great resource for anyone involved in or wanting to learn more about adoption. Gladney’s blog has hundreds of articles on current events, personal accounts, children waiting to be adopted, adoption events, advocacy experiences, and everything in between. 

The Gladney Blog features authors from all walks of adoption. Birth parents, adoptive parents, adoptees, foster parents, and volunteers working on the front lines of adoption are all featured. Their experiences and perspectives are informative, entertaining, and high-quality for everyone.  

Although Gladney is based out of Texas, it has multiple offices throughout the country: Fort Worth, Texas; Amarillo, Texas; Austin, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; Lubbock, Texas; Midland, Texas; Brandon, Florida; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and New York, New York. 

If you are an expectant mother or father considering your options with your pregnancy or adoption plan, you can call Gladney’s pregnancy hotline at 1-888-954-0576, or visit their site to get in contact with a counselor. Hopeful adoptive parents who want to learn more about what Gladney Center for Adoption can offer them can start collecting more information and discovering their adoption path with Gladney here. 

No matter who you are, where you came from, or where you are planning on going, the Gladney Center for Adoption has a place in their family for you as a friend, a parent, a child, and an advocate.

Are you and your partner ready to start the adoption process? Visit Adoption.org or call 1-800-ADOPT-98 to begin your adoption journey. We have 130+ years of adoption experience and would love to help you.