As the new school year begins, technology is at the center of how youth learn, connect, and communicate. Social media, gaming, messaging apps, artificial intelligence, and online communities create opportunities for connection and self-expression. They can also present challenges that caregivers and professionals may not always feel prepared to navigate.
To help families and professionals better understand today's digital landscape, SAFY is hosting Teaching Digital Safety, Empathy & Mindfulness with Richard Guerry.
If you've thought about becoming a foster parent, you've probably had a lot of questions. What is foster care? Who are the children who need foster homes? How long will they stay? What kind of support will I have?
Those questions are a normal part of deciding whether fostering is right for you and your family.
Family is about connection, belonging, and support. Learn how kinship caregivers help children maintain important family relationships, stability, and a sense of belonging during life's most challenging transitions.
You do not have to become a foster parent to make a difference in the lives of children and families involved in foster care. Learn how respite care, mentorship, donations, advocacy, and community support can help strengthen the village around children who need it most.
Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth of Ohio, Inc. (SAFY) is proud to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of its Youth Drop-In Center (YDC) in Lima with a ribbon cutting event in partnership with the Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce. The event will commemorate a decade of connection, growth, and support for youth in the community.
I spent years knocking on doors, talking to strangers at community events, and making phone calls I wasn't sure someone would return. My job was to recruit foster parents, finding those willing to open their homes to children who needed a safe place to land. What I didn't expect was how much those families would teach me about what it means to live in a community.
In twenty-plus years as a social worker, I’ve accompanied many people on some difficult journeys. Whether it was assisting a family to tell their children about the death of a beloved family member or helping young children express their worries after a SWAT team removed them from their family, I know firsthand that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common.
Strong families are built with intention through supportive relationships, practical skills, and access to resources that help caregivers navigate everyday challenges. In child welfare, these strengths are known as protective factors which are the conditions that reduce stress and support healthy development.
Contact us today to begin your foster parent journey.
