Child Welfare Programs

Our child welfare programs offer a continuum of support to out-of-home caregivers. Our clinicians use an evidence-based trauma-sensitive behavioral approach to provide training and clinical support to families who support children from hard places.

"What I think is different about Family Initiative is they have taken the whole picture, and they have covered every element, from training to understanding to in-home example setting and then working through that to make sure the foster parent is wrapped around with all of the knowledge they need to take care of that child."

Family Impact Program

Our Family Impact Program supports caregivers as they love and support children from hard places. Due to the challenging history, many of our children come from, we draw upon the Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) model to support families in building resiliency and trust for the children in their care. Our TBRI Practitioners team offers both educational opportunities and in-home services to support caregivers in their parenting approach by creating a holistic environment that supports our children, allowing them to thrive. We are proud to offer this program in partnership with the Safe Children’s Coalition in Sarasota, Manatee, and Desoto counties and with Citrus Family Care Network in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties.

Our Family Impact Program includes:

Caregiver Education

Our education forums support caregivers who may be experiencing ongoing behavioral concerns in their home or may simply need tools to strengthen their parenting techniques. Each family has the opportunity to tailor the recommendations to their specific situation with the support and guidance of our team members. During our education forums, we focus on the core concepts of TBRI to talk further about how we utilize the empowering principles to address the physical needs, connect principles for attachment needs, and correct principles to disarm fear-based behaviors of children.

In-Home Support

Our in-home services provide caregivers an individualized intensive level of care and support. Our clinicians work hand-in-hand with caregivers to assess the family’s needs and create a treatment plan unique to their particular home. We support caregivers by providing training and modeling on evidence-based interventions to strengthen their skills to utilize with children in their home. The ultimate outcome is providing a child a chance for a healthier, more stable environment and a place to grow and thrive.

Child Welfare Partnerships

With a desire and commitment to have a more significant impact with at-risk children, Family Initiative has partnered with Citrus Family Care Network (Citrus FCN) to provide ongoing training and support services for caregivers in the Miami-Dade County child welfare system, the Safe Children Coalition in Sarasota County, and Family Support Services Pasco and Pinellas Counties.

For these community coalitions, Family Initiative provides pre-service and in-service caregiver education and in-home support through its Family Impact Program. The program, which draws upon the Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) model, equips caregivers with practical tools they can use to build connections, learn regulation strategies, and create healing environments for the children in their care so they can thrive.

These partnerships enhance Family Initiative’s ability to deliver high-quality education and support to the many exceptional caregivers and children in foster care across Florida’s Gulf Coast and South Florida.

Citrus Family Care Network
Safe Children Coalition

"Family Initiative never judges. They’ve never judged any of our stories or any of our kids. In the school setting and with doctors, we often felt judged."