Family Support
The Family Support program helps parents/caregivers become better equipped to move their children on a path toward a brighter future. The process of building a healthy home environment so that children will thrive is key to reducing or eliminating the damaging effects of poverty on children and families.
Family Support services include:
-Parenting skills training
-Education support (i.e., tutoring, mentoring)
-Financial literacy education and counseling
-Job readiness support (i.e., interview skills)
Safe Families
Mission Statement:
Safe families for children (SFFC) is a national family preservation movement committed to keeping children safe and families together. We desire to prevent child abuse and decrease the numbers of children unnecessarily entering the foster care system. SFFC seeks to reframe how families are served and supported when facing challenging and unimaginable circumstances. The goal is to provide a safe alternative for parents and help build a strong, resilient families in the communities.
When crisis strikes, many of us rely on relatives and friends for support. But for some families, poverty and social isolation mean that they have no support when they need it. Children in these situations often suffer neglect or abuse; some eventually are removed from their home and placed in state custody. *Safe Families for Children provides a chance for parents to get back on their feet before abuse and neglect occur. Parents experiencing a temporary crisis can arrange for their children to stay with families while they address the issues that led to their situation.
Safe families for children temporarily host children and provides family like support to parents through a community of vetted volunteers. Parents voluntary request a hosting and maintain full custody of children. Volunteers are motivated by their compassion, not financial compensation. We want to stand in the gap and provide a safety net for those families facing a crisis in a vacuum and in isolation. Our volunteers are fully vetted and trained to provide support and resources to parents while they get back on their feet. What makes SFFC unique is there are many rules in our circle of support so that everyone can do something!
Host families are screened and approved by SFFC to host children for short periods of time (average length is six weeks, can range from two days to a year). Family friends provide friendship and support to parents or host families through getting together, encouragement, transportation, hot meals, babysitting, Etc. Resource friends give tangible items to family such as groceries or cleaning goods as needed. Family coaches walk alongside parents to help reach their goals and support volunteers while in service.
Who do we serve?
- Families affected by unemployment, homelessness, substance abuse, mental illness, domestic violence, medical crises
- Young moms
- Families in need of extended family support
How do we host?
- Children, newborns through teens (0-18 years)
- About 70% of children, we serve are less than 6 years old
- Sometimes, hosting arrangements have been made for teenage mothers and their children
Safe families for children help to build social support systems around families experiencing isolation, loss of employment, homelessness, hospitalization, addiction, illness or depression, domestic violence, aging out of foster care, and many other concerns.
Founded in 2003 in Chicago, safe families for children SFFC has partnered with hundreds of churches, local community agencies, and volunteer families, as well as government organizations to help with the parents facing crisis to keep children safe and families together. Built on establishing relationships, not a program. Volunteer driven and professional supported. Faith-motivated and family-focused.
