You long for children to experience hope in areas of deep and complex pain, and you want the families you serve to be a place where healing and growth take root.
But you’re watching parents burn out as they seek to help their children overcome relational, emotional or behavioral struggles.
You’re trying to support them the best you can, but you don’t have the resources, expertise or time to create new tools from scratch. And what you do have to offer often feels insufficient.
So uncertainty and exhaustion set in.
I want these families to thrive — but I don’t have what I need to help them, and I’m already stretched too thin. Is flourishing even possible for these kids and families? Or am I setting them up for disappointment?
Trusted Resources from the Family Institute at CAFO
At the Institute for Family-Centered Healing and Health (the Family Institute), we’re here to equip you with family practices rooted in Scripture and science.
We can help you care for families effectively, prevent burnout and support their long-term growth — without you having to reinvent the wheel.
We provide trusted tools that acknowledge the deep challenges of trauma or adversity but also emphasize the power of daily habits and Christian practices to help families experience healing and connectedness over time.
When There Is Crisis
Equip families with a handbook for facing the most intense and overwhelming challenges of foster and adoptive parenting.
Gen Z Mental Health & Well-Being Report
Explore a report from Barna offering practical strategies for supporting young people facing anxiety, loneliness and identity struggles — all grounded in research and Scripture.
Forgiveness as a Path to Healing
Discover the benefits of practicing forgiveness and tangible ways of guiding children toward forgiveness where they have experienced hurt.
A Community Committed to Families
With over 300 member organizations and a global network of churches, CAFO unites a trusted, collaborative community committed to the healing of vulnerable children and families. Grounded in Scripture and informed by sound research, the Family Institute at CAFO integrates Christian faith and practical insight to equip you with simple, effective tools that can help the families you serve experience growth as healing steadily takes root in their children’s lives.
Learn more about Rachel Medefind, the Director of the Family Institute.
Connect with the Family Institute
From tight budgets to low foster family retention rates to the weight of walking with weary families, we understand what you’re facing as you serve foster and adoptive homes. Sign up for our emails to let us come alongside you with practical tools and connect you to a like-minded community.
