AdoptUSKids Professional Leadership Development (APLD) is a 12-month program designed for emerging leaders working in child welfare. The structured program includes hands-on experience, exposure to national experts, and mentorship opportunities.
Made possible through grant funding from AdoptUSKids, APLD was launched in 2018 and has graduated seven cohorts of leaders. Cohort Eight began their fellowship in 2025.
Applications for Cohort Nine will be open January 9 through April 3, 2026.
Program components
- A kick-off celebration and meeting in Washington, DC, that includes three days of intensive skill-building and networking.
- Action research projects (ARPs) that program fellows design and implement in their place of work to address issues related to adoption, guardianship, or kinship. Fellows will receive expert, individualized guidance to help them complete their projects.
- Structured online courses addressing transformational leadership, policy, practice, and research.
- Mentoring from program alumni and leaders within the fellow’s agency.
- An in-person meeting at the program’s mid-point to review the fellow’s ARP progress, findings, and intervention implementation.
- Coaching (in both group and individual settings) that supplements the online course material.
- A graduation ceremony in Washington, DC, where fellows present their ARPs.
- An alumni network that provides long-term career support, resource-sharing, and leadership opportunities with future cohorts.
Who should apply
This program is for child welfare professionals who:
- Want to make lasting improvements for children, youth, and families involved in adoption or guardianship
- Are interested in building skills in foster care, adoption, guardianship, and kinship
- Are ready to become transformational leaders
- Have at least five years of professional child welfare experience
- Have an undergraduate degree
Time commitment
The number of hours each fellow dedicates to the program will vary by person and by their selected ARP. In general, each fellow can anticipate devoting an average of 24 hours to the program each month.
A greater time commitment during the first and final months of the fellowship is likely, due to the in-person kick-off and closing events in Washington, DC.
Learn more
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Have questions? Email us: apld@adoptuskids.org.