First part of the preparatory adoption course that is mandatory for all applicants. The course is for people who are taking the first steps in the adoption process and is designed to help decide whether adopting a child is a commitment people can take. The course is not about processes in adoption matters and does not discuss individual countries, but the spotlight is cast on the challenges that parents may have to face with adopted children. In this part of the course the aim is to answer important questions such as, is adoption for me, how is it different being a adoptive parent, what responsibility does that mean to be an adoptive parent?
On the course questions are raised and the participants have to work on issues like; will I be able to love and accept a child whom I have not known as a baby? How much will it mean that the child does not necessarily look like me? Will I inform my family and friends about my adoption plans? How will my family and friends react to an adopted child? Will I be prepared to love to a child who has experienced violent events in its short life? How do adopted children manage compared to their contemporaries? Will I let my child know that he is adopted? How does an adopted child look upon itself, and how does it look upon me as a parent?
The confirmation fee for the course is ISK 20.000, but the course costs a total of ISK 82.000 per person. In order to be enrolled in a course, the confirmation fee must be paid. Confirmation fee is non-refundable.
The course is in two parts and will next be held on September 2nd - 3rd, and the second part of the course will be on September 23rd - 24th, 2023.
(dates are presented with caveat that changes may need to be made)
The course takes about 28 hours and is over two weekends.
First part is in September.
Second part is in September.
It takes place at hotel Miðgarður by Center hotels, Laugavegur 120.
Instructors:
Þórgunnur Reykjalín Vigfúsdóttir
Þórgunnur is a primary school teacher with a B.ed. Shen then completed her master´s degree of Cultural and Human Resources at the University of Bifröst in 2011. Þórgunnur has worked for years as a teacher at primary and secondary schools, but since 2000 she has worked as a principal, first at Ólafsfjörður primary school and from 2010 at Borgarhól school in Húsavík. Þórgunnur is a mother of two children, one adopted from Colombia. She therefore has personal experience with adoptions.
Rut Sigurðardóttir
Rut is a social worker and family therapist. Rut completed her studies in social work with professional qualifications in 2006 and completed her studies in family therapy in the spring of 2020. Rut worked for the longest time at Reykjavík Child Protection Services, but also has experience in the field of social services. She first started working as a contractor at Icelandic Adoption Society in 2013 and was then in charge of making follow-up reports. In April 2017, she started as a full-time employee and her role is to provide counseling/treatment, support and education as well as teaching the course. Rut is a mother of two children.
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