When we planned the first simulation lab on transitioning to family care at the 2017 CAFO Summit, we had no idea that 130 people would show up.
Science and scripture affirm that children grow best in families. Yet around the world, millions of children live separated from family care, often in residential programs like orphanages and children’s homes. Many of these programs long to see children in healthy families, but they don’t know how to get there.
Family is possible for these children, and there is a growing trend of residential programs successfully moving toward family care.
And yet, the process of changing care models is not easy.
It requires resources and support. It requires a trustworthy guide to walk alongside you.
For some time, a handful of faithful, experienced transition coaches did all they could to support one orphanage here and one children’s home there as each summoned the courage required to take their program in a different direction. These coaches parachuted in and out of countries around the world, doing what they could to serve programs in need… but the need always exceeded their capacity.
We felt that gap, and we saw it at that first workshop at Summit. With 130 leaders gathered in one room – all needing personalized support – we wondered: could there be a better way?
What if there was a way for qualified leaders in Zimbabwe and Haiti and the Philippines to fill this transition coach role? Coaches who knew the language, culture, government and key contacts of the region, who would be familiar with local laws and standards, and could bring important relationships with them?
We believe the best way to grow the movement from orphanages to family care is to train the next generation of leaders to serve as experts and local guides.
With this, we launched the Care Transition Accelerator Academy (or CTAA) to create a world in which any program can find a well-trained local coach to walk alongside them in the process of moving toward family solutions for the children in their care.
CAFO piloted the two-year program in 2020, consisting of weekly teaching from global experts, a peer-learning cohort and a one-year mentored practicum supporting a real-world program to expand their model of care.
Our first cohort hailed participants from 10 countries around the world: Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Thailand, Uganda and Ukraine. They called in at all hours of the day and night and met diverse and pressing needs in many challenging contexts. They were relentless, training thousands of program staff and advocates, and supporting programs to move hundreds of children into families.
But this is just the beginning. God is moving His people to care for children in families. Organizations are realizing their need to move toward family solutions for children. Millions of children have the potential to be impacted by this movement. If we are to see adequate family care options for children in every nation, we need transition coaches trained in every nation. Maybe He is calling you to be part of this.
Are you ready to join the movement?
– Dr. Nicole Wilke serves as the Director of the Center on Applied Research for Vulnerable Children and Families.
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Applications for the next round of the Care Transition Accelerator Academy are open until November 15. Learn more about the program, qualifications and requirements and prayerfully consider applying here.