Safe Families for Children Central Indiana

Safe Families for Children seeks to bring the church and community together to keep children safe and families together. Safe Families for Children is rooted in faith, fueled by radical hospitality, disruptive generosity, and intentional compassion, to build a network of caring and compassionate volunteers to support families facing social isolation. Our goal is to support and strengthen families, prevent child abuse and neglect, and reduce the number of children unnecessarily entering the child welfare system.

Through Safe Families for Children, volunteers provide extended family-like care for a family in crisis.

Parents in crisis are connected with a host family who cares for their child until they get back on their feet. Loss of housing, hospitalization, unemployment, and lack of family support are among the many reasons parents decide to use Safe Families.

The average length of stay is 21 days and the average age of a child is 5 years old, though children 0-18 are eligible. Stays can be as short as a couple days to as long as a few months. We are committed to reuniting families as soon as possible.

We have various volunteer roles you can take part in.

Host Families:  Host Families voluntarily take in children for short periods of time and aim to develop a relationship with the partnering parents to provide ongoing support for the family even after children return home.

Family Coaches:  The Family Coach facilitates the relationship between the partnering parent(s) and the Host Family/Family Friend. They support the host family and ensure the well-being of the children in care as well as provide support, resources, and a mentorship to the partnering parent(s).

Family Friends:  Family Friends come alongside the host family and/or partnering parent(s) to provide encouragement and prayer during the time of hosting which could include, but is not limited to childcare, transportation, meals, and support.

Resource Friends:  Resource Friends help provide material needs like diapers, children's items, meals, professional services/skills (i.e. plumbing, resume or interview training, etc.) to the team of volunteers as well as partnering parent(s). Monetary support to chapter is also appreciated.