FOSTER CHURCH

Sonrise has partnered with Safe Families For Children, a ministry of Olive Crest. Today, as resource limitations and legal constraints of the government restrict society’s ability to meet these needs, the church is reemerging as a champion for vulnerable families. Historically, extended family often stepped in to support parents by taking care of children for short periods of time, and churches and neighbors came alongside families in crisis. Today, many urban families are socially isolated and their extended family is non-existent or not available. The children in a family traumatized by crisis become especially at risk for neglect or abuse as their parents struggle to cope with crushing circumstances and emotions.

Sadly, with the changing economy, many more families are experiencing financial crisis, unemployment or homelessness. Others are dealing with family violence, parental drug and/or alcohol abuse, illness, or incarceration. During such crises, many parents are not capable of providing a safe and caring environment for their children. Today, many urban families are socially isolated and their extended family is non-existent or not available. The children in a family traumatized by crisis become especially at risk for neglect or abuse as their parents struggle to cope with crushing circumstances and emotions.

Parents experiencing a temporary crisis can arrange for their children (newborn through 18 years old) to stay with Safe Families for Children volunteers while they address the issues that led to the instability in their lives.  Safe Families for Children volunteers are supervised by their area church, which in turn is supported by professional child care specialists. 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 for Children caseworkers are available to provide volunteers with support and answer any questions they might have.
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 for Children 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 children.
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 for Children intervention.

Early Intervention: Olive Crest provides a safe alternative to child welfare custody. Families are given time to address risk factors in their lives that, if left unattended, could result in substantiated abuse or neglect of children.
Child Abuse Prevention: Safe Families for Children provides an overwhelmed and resource-limited parent with a safe, temporary place for their child without threat of losing custody, which can avert potential abuse/neglect episodes.
Family Support and Stabilization: Many parents struggle because of limited informal social supports and unavailable extended family. Many Safe Families for Children become the extended family that a parent never had.

Your home can be a refuge to a child whose family is in crisis. Open your home to provide a safe, loving place for a child to stay while the parents address the issues that have brought instability to their lives.

Provide opportunity to give a rest to host families by providing a safe, loving place for a child to stay. Host families often need help for various reasons in an overnight or babysitting situation.