Greater Rockford Chapter

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About Our Chapter

About Our Program

Safe Families for Children helps parents who are facing difficult circumstances and isolation. We recognize that social support is a very important resource when it comes to raising children. We provide social support to families by organizing and training volunteers to host children in their home, be a family-friend, or a family-coach. Our program is different from many other child-welfare programs because parents remain in control when working with us. 

Host families will take children into their home for a short period of time while parents establish and accomplish goals to ensure the child is returning to a healthy and stable home environment. 

Family Friends provide emotional support and help with small tasks for both hosts and participating families. 

Family Coaches provide community referrals and offer support to help parents achieve their established goals.

Intake Process

Intake determines the families eligibility to participate in SFFC Program. This process takes about 2 hours and is started by contacting our office. If the family’s situation does not include any exclusions (listed below), then SFFC will gather parent info via in person meeting,  phone call, or google form to further determine eligibility. SFFC’s main goal is to provide support which leads to sustainable change in the family’s stability. Parents must show capabilities to establish and accomplish goals while children are in hosting. It can take anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks to place a child after intake.

Exclusions

Unfortunately we cannot provide support for families experiencing the following circumstances:

  • Excessive substance abuse history and multiple treatment attempts without success. Exceptions can be made.
  • Excessive violent behavior on the part of the parent or paramour that may jeopardize the safety of the volunteers. 
  • A pattern of unwillingness to comply with treatment suggestions/interventions.
  • Significant concerns about the parent’s ability to parent in the future, in which services would delay a permanent plan being made for the child. 
  • If the services and activities will allow the parent to continue irresponsible behavior. For example, if the parent places their child so they can use alcohol and drugs over a weekend and then want their child returned home. 
  • Parents who have been given the choice by CPS that they enter Safe Families support or their children will be placed in state’s custody.
  • The child/adolescent’s behavior is severe enough that he/she cannot be safely managed by a host family or family friend.
  • The child/adolescent has active suicidal or homicidal behavior or other significant mental health difficulties that are not responding to medication.
  • The child/adolescent has a history of sexual aggression. 
  • Active gang involvement. 
  • The child/adolescent has a fire-setting history, violent behavior, or activities that involve a weapon. 
  • The child/adolescent has significant health/medical problems that require special training. However, if appropriate Safe Families staff determine a match can be made with a volunteer who can safely manage the medical need.

See the Forms page for associated paperwork.