Care Transition Accelerator Academy
Training Leaders to Transition from Residential to Family-Based Care
Call for Applications Now Open for CTAA
Moving children into safe, loving families is possible — and complex. CTAA equips leaders with the tools, coaching and community to lead sustainable transition toward family-based care.
Scripture and science are clear: children need families to thrive.
Yet millions of children around the world are separated from family care, often living in residential care centers such as orphanages and children’s homes.
Around the world, we are seeing a global movement of programs transitioning their services from residential to family-based solutions. Thousands of children have been moved from residential to family care, and thousands more individuals, communities and churches have been impacted as programs now engage with entire families, rather than individual children.
Transitioning to family care is both possible and complex.
Programs in transition need personalized support and guidance.
Transitioning to family-based care is possible — but it’s not simple.
Residential care providers aren’t meant to navigate this shift on their own. While continuing to run their existing programs, they’re also being asked to expand into new, family-centered models. That raises a lot of important questions: Where do we start? How do we build a plan? What should it include? How much will it cost? And how do we bring government leaders along in the process? It can quickly feel overwhelming.
At the same time, meaningful change rarely happens in isolation. Programs are much more likely to succeed when they have trusted guidance and support along the way. Coaching relationships can make a significant difference — but today, there simply aren’t enough trained and experienced coaches to meet the need across every country and language.
That’s why there’s a growing need for practical, scalable support to help organizations confidently move toward family-based care. And that’s why the CAFO Research Center is stepping in through the Care Transition Accelerator Academy (CTAA).
What is the Care Transition Accelerator Academy?
The Care Transition Accelerator Academy (CTAA) is a highly competitive, first-of-its-kind, two-year program designed to equip leaders in care reform. Selected participants become CTAA Fellows, gaining expert-led training, curated resources and hands-on experience through a mentored practicum. Graduates are certified as Transition Coaches, prepared to support programs in their region as they move from residential to family-based care.
Real outcomes in care transition and family-based care
Recent graduates from the Care Transition Accelerator Academy are already seeing meaningful, measurable change.
13 out of 20
13 out of 20 institutions are actively transitioning to family-based care.
861 children
861 children have been placed in families.
13 nations
Leaders trained across 13 nations.
589
589 donors shifted their support toward family-based care.
Who is this program for?
Ideal candidates for this program...
What You’ll Learn about Care Transition
CTAA participants gain practical knowledge in areas such as:
Program readiness and transition planning
Coaching and leadership development
Family identification and support
Stakeholder engagement and fundraising
Preventing unnecessary separation
Case management and child protection in care transition
Global standards of care
Facilitating the reintegration process
History and trends in care reform
Supporting the development of alternative family care
Family care for children with disabilities
Catalyzing systems change
Graduates leave equipped with the tools and support needed to guide programs through the transition from residential care to family-based care
How to get started
A simple path to getting started with CTAA
Learn More
Explore the CTAA program and determine it it's the right fit for your work.
Apply
Complete the application for the upcoming cohort. Applications open until June 9, 2026.
Hear back from us
Applicants will be notified by July 14, 2026. The cohort will begin in October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Take your next step in care transition.
If you're ready to take the next step toward family-based care, the Care Transition Accelerator Academy will equip and support you as you help children move into safe, loving families.
