Suburban agency places children in short-term foster care

They've already raised three sons and have six grandchildren, so the last thing Jim and Kathleen needed in the house was a colicky, 8-week-old baby waking them up at night.

But the Libertyville couple, who asked their last names not be used for security reasons, say caring for little Jason was a privilege.

Jason's mom was in serious depression earlier this year after being abused by Jason's father. On the edge of suicide, caring for a newborn was out of the question for the young mother. But instead of giving her baby to the state system, she sought out an organization that promised to place the child with a loving family until she completed treatment.

Safe Families for Children is a faith-based, nonprofit agency, offering short-term placement for children whose parents are in crisis. Volunteers take the children into their homes until the birthparents can get back on their feet. The average stay is 44 days, but could be as short as a day or as long as a year.

Jim and Kathleen see their efforts as a divine invitation.

"It's a call from God," Kathleen said. "God has blessed us and so we want to bless these little ones by keeping them loved and safe. They add joy to our lives too."

Safe Families is a ministry of LYDIA Home Association, a Chicago-based Christian social service organization founded in 1916. David Anderson, a clinical psychologist, is the executive director of LYDIA Home and started Safe Families in 2003.

Anderson said the beauty of the ministry is it gives parents an alternative to placing their children into the state welfare system. When a short-term crisis happens, mothers don't have to give up custody of their kids while they get their lives back on track.

"Our clients lack a support system. They often don't have other family members to turn to or even neighbors," Anderson said. "We provide a kind of extended family for them. We try as much as possible to normalize the situations for these kids."

Safe Families works closely with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Anderson said.

"The DCFS is our biggest fan," he said. "It's obviously very expensive every time you place another child in the state system. Each child we place saves the state money."

Every situation is different, but Anderson said homelessness, substance abuse, job loss, hospitalization, incarceration and domestic violence are common reasons parents seek help from Safe Families. The word gets out through hospitals, the police, churches and other social service agencies, he said.

Most of the kids are younger than age 5, but can be as old as 18. Host parents are given background checks and screened in the same way as foster parents. Safe Families officials conduct home studies before placement. Host parents must complete a six-hour training course.

The program has grown significantly since it began in 2003. Anderson said 600 host families are on board. Neary 1,000 children have been placed this year.

Besides Chicago and the suburbs, Safe Families operates in Rockford, the Quad Cities, Indianapolis and 10 other Midwestern cities. Partnering with other social service agencies, Safe Families expects to add 15 more cities across the county in 2010.

Miriam is a mom who said Safe Families was a godsend for her when she found herself homeless recently.

"Just knowing my children were in such good hands with such good people was a big relief for me," she said. "This has been a huge blessing for me. I don't know what I would have done without their help."

Katie and Clark Cashman of Libertyville have been a part of Safe Families for the past couple of years. They've had five placements in that time and consider it a privilege to provide a refuge for the little ones.

Having four girls of their own, the Cashmans said it's especially fun to have a boy in the house.

"My girls have really embraced this," Katie Cashman said. "It's really brought out the best in them. They are always wanting to help, whether changing a diaper or whatever. And as soon as one child leaves, they are asking when the next one might be coming."

Letting them go can be hard, Katie Cashman said. Whether they are there for a few days or a few months, saying goodbye is tough.

"I cry each time," she said. "I love them with my whole heart, just like I would if they were my own. But we see this as a ministry and feel honored that God allows us to help in this way."

<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>About Safe Families</b></p> <p class="factboxtext12col">To become a host parent or refer someone in crisis, call (773) 653-2200 or visit safe-families.org.</p> <p class="factboxtext12col"> <b>What type of child can I expect?</b></p> <p class="factboxtext12col">These are normal children coming from sometimes very difficult circumstances. Each child will respond to the situation differently, depending on their personality and coping skills. Some may show little response to the circumstances in their lives, while others may be deeply affected. ... The children placed by Safe Families are not believed to be victims of abuse and neglect. If they were, they would instead have become wards of the state and not eligible for this program.</p> <p class="factboxtext12col"> <b>Will the child have a lot of behavior problems?</b></p> <p class="factboxtext12col">Possibly, but not necessarily. Trauma can influence a normally well-behaved child to behave poorly, and can influence a child with behavior problems to behave better. Some children may display behavioral problems as a result of the chaos in their lives, while others may astound us with their calm and composure. It's impossible to predict how the child will behave.</p> <p class="factboxtext12col"><b> Who can serve as Safe Families volunteers?</b></p> <p class="factboxtext12col">Safe Families volunteers include singles, married couples with children of any age and empty nesters, all of whom simply decided to make room in their hearts and homes for children in need.</p> <p class="factboxtext12col"><b> Will I be reimbursed for expenses incurred in caring for the child?</b></p> <p class="factboxtext12col">No. We ask that people serve as Safe Families volunteers only if they can afford the added expense of another child in their home.</p> <p class="factboxtext12col"><b> How can I apply to be a Safe Families volunteer?</b></p> <p class="factboxtext12col">Prospective Safe Family volunteers can get the process started by downloading our application packet. Contact your local Safe Families office by phone or e-mail.</p> <p class="factboxtext12col"><b> What type of contact will I have with the biological parent?</b></p> <p class="factboxtext12col">Biological parents maintain full custody of their child, and are encouraged to participate in decisions regarding their child's care while they address whatever issues led to the instability in their lives.</p> <p class="factboxtext12col"><b> Can I adopt the child?</b></p> <p class="factboxtext12col">The goal of the Safe Families program is to reunite children with their biological parent in a home that is more stable and healthy, in part, because of the contribution of the Safe Families intervention. Currently, 85 percent of all families in the program come back together, often in the most stable environment they've ever known. If, however, the biological parent loses legal custody of their child(ren), we urge you to contact an agency other than Safe Families about the possibility of adopting.</p> <p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Source:</b> Safe Families for Children</p>