Safe Families for Children is an opportunity for volunteers to have a powerful
impact in the lives of others while practicing biblical hospitality, extending
the love of Christ to people in need — all from their own home!
Volunteers open their homes to children whose parents are experiencing a
short-term emergency, such as hospitalization, or a longer-term crisis, such as
drug abuse. Designed to extend and strengthen the community safety net for
at-risk families, Safe Families is a positive alternative to the state child
welfare system, allowing parents to work out their problems without having to
worry about losing custody of their kids. The program's goal is to reunite
children with their biological parent(s) in a home that is more stable and
healthy, in part because of the contribution of the Safe Families intervention.
Parents experiencing a temporary crisis can arrange for their children (newborn
through 16 years old) to stay with Safe Families volunteers while they address
the issues that led to the instability in their lives. Children are matched with
families in their own community whenever possible, and placements average from
one day to three months. During that time, Safe Families caseworkers are
available to provide volunteers with support and answer any questions they might
have.
Biological parents maintain custody during the placement and are encouraged to
be actively involved in their children's lives, as well as develop a
relationship with the volunteer family. Safe Families caseworkers keep in close
contact with the parents and the referring organization to determine when
families can be reunited.
Contact
Olive Crest or email us
for more information on becoming a Safe Family For Children.
