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EnglishWhat Support Services Does the Belonging Network Provide for Families and Youth?
Updated
The Belonging Network (formerly the Adoptive Families Association of BC) provides support, learning, and connection for adoptive and permanency families and for youth from government care in British Columbia. Its services fall into three broad areas: one-to-one and group support for caregivers, permanency support and community resources, and a dedicated youth stream covering rights, life skills, and bursaries. The right entry point depends on who you are — a new caregiver, a waiting family, a relative raising a relative, or a young person in or from care.
Support for Caregivers and Families
The site's "Get support" section is the main doorway for adults. It lists:
- One-to-one family support — individual help for families navigating adoption or permanency.
- Online support groups — group connection offered online.
- Permanency Support — support tied to the site's own definition of permanency (see below).
- Community groups and resources — local groups and further resources.
Who each option fits
| If you are… | Start with |
|---|---|
| A new caregiver | One-to-one family support, then online support groups |
| A waiting family | Online support groups and the adoption step-by-step resources |
| A relative raising a relative | Kinship care and guardianship pages, plus one-to-one support |
| An Indigenous family | Indigenous customary care resources and community groups |
| An adoptive family | Permanency Support and community groups |
The homepage names these audiences directly — new caregivers, youth in and from care, people considering adoption, Indigenous families, waiting families, relatives raising relatives, adoptive families, and guardianship families — so you can pick the label closest to your situation and follow the matching link.
Permanency Support and Community Resources
The site treats permanency as a concept in its own right, with a "What is permanency?" section, and pairs it with a "Permanency Support" service. In practice this means help for families whose children have joined them through adoption, guardianship, kinship care, Indigenous customary care, or foster care — the arrangements listed under the site's Adoption & Permanency menu. Community groups and resources extend this beyond formal services, connecting families to local networks.
Youth Services
The "For youth" section covers four things:
- Know your rights — rights information for youth in and from government care.
- AgedOut.com — a linked site for youth who have aged out of care.
- Life skills — practical skill-building.
- Bursaries — financial support for education.
A young person leaving care can therefore use the rights information to understand their situation, AgedOut.com for peer-oriented content, life skills for day-to-day readiness, and bursaries for post-secondary costs.
Learning and Education
Beyond direct support, the site offers Resources by topic, News, Toolkits, an Introduction to Adoption and Permanency, LEAP – Learning for Everyone in Adoption and Permanency, and general Learning opportunities. Families who want background before contacting anyone can start with the introduction and toolkits; those who prefer structured learning can look at LEAP.
How to Choose Your Entry Point
- Identify your role from the homepage audience list (new caregiver, waiting family, relative raising a relative, youth, etc.).
- For hands-on help, go to "Get support" and choose one-to-one support or a group.
- For background and self-study, use Resources & Education.
- For youth-specific needs, go straight to "For youth."
- If you are unsure, the Contact page and the FAQ/Glossary under Adoption & Permanency answer common questions first.
The site does not publish prices or login requirements for these services in the material available, so confirm eligibility and access details directly through the contact page before relying on any particular service.