Support Volunteer Families as They Host Children in Need - Join Safe Families for Children as a Visiting Coach

Founded in 2003, Safe Families for Children (SFFC) surrounds families facing a crisis with caring, compassionate community. We are a volunteer-driven nonprofit that provides hope and support to families in our local communities. Located in over 120 cities across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Hong Kong and beyond, we are motivated by faith to keep children safe and families together.

In many situations, parents or guardians may be challenged in providing a safe and caring environment for their children, putting them at risk of abuse and neglect. In the past, extended family or neighbors stepped in to help families in crisis by caring for their children for short periods of time. Today, however, many families are socially isolated, and their extended family is nonexistent, or unavailable or unable to help.

Safe Families for Children steps into this gap. Safe Families hosts vulnerable children and creates extended family–like supports for families through a community of devoted volunteers who are motivated by compassion to keep children safe and families together. In doing so, our volunteers help strengthen and support families, prevent child abuse and neglect, and deflect children from the foster care system. 96% of children hosted through Safe Families are reunified with their parents after hosting.

Can you help strengthen a family today by signing up as a Volunteer Visiting Coach?

Volunteer Duties & Responsibilities

All children who are being hosted by Safe Families are visited weekly by either a staff Family Coach or a Volunteer Visiting Coach. The purpose of these visits is to ensure the child is safe and well, verify the hosts are following all safety measures in their home, and provide an opportunity for hosts and hosted children alike to honestly process how the hosting is going. Responsibilities include:

• Conduct an in-person home visit within 24 hours of a hosting placement beginning, and once per week until the child returns home
• Observe the child and host home to verify that the child is well-cared for, that the home is appropriately safe, and that all state-mandated sleeping arrangement requirements are being followed
• Bring resources to the host (e.g. diapers, wipes, formula, clothing); resources will be provided by Safe Families
• Connect with the staff family coach about any concerns with the hosting or needs for either child or host
• Log notes about the visit in the Safe Families database system within 72 hours

Supervision and Support

• This volunteer position reports to and is supported by a staff Family Coach

Time Commitment

• 1-2 hours per week when actively supporting a hosting

Skills & Qualifications

• Commitment to the mission, vision, and values of Safe Families for Children
• Passionate about the well-being of children and committed to keeping families together
• Awareness of the various causes of poverty and a willingness to meet families in crisis with compassion and understanding
• Ability to interact with cultural sensitivity among diverse populations
• Experience understanding family life, parenting, and/or children and their needs; real-life experience as a parent or grandparent preferred
• Must be 18 years of age or older, as well as stable, mature, and law-abiding
• Must be free from the abuse of drugs and alcohol. If an individual has a history of drug/alcohol abuse, they must have a period of sobriety five (5) years before the application
• No prior abuse/neglect founded allegations or felonies. If there is a felony, the conviction must not have occurred within 5 years of the application and did not involve violence or a weapon.

Application Requirements

• Application form with three (3) references
• 718c Background Check
• Fingerprinting

Orientation & Training

• Volunteer training with Safe Families (approximately 4 hours, including both Family Friend and Visiting Coach training; webinar, in-person, and self-paced virtual options exist)
• Mandated reporter training (approximately 45 minutes; online)
• Volunteer interview (approximately 45 minutes)

Volunteer Benefits

• Access to 24/7 on-call support
• Liability insurance coverage to cover volunteer relationships

How to Apply

Please visit https://safe-families.org/involvement/be-a-family-coach/ to learn more about visiting coaching and https://www.sfcms.net/apply/ to apply today! Please note: Visiting Coaches will use the “Family Coach” application form. Questions? Contact Safe Families Staff at churchengagement@safefamilies.net to set up a time to connect.