Slide In U.S. child welfare Weekend Miracles is used once case mining and reunification have failed to find the child permanency. The model uses other commonly used techniques to place children, including outreach, support, child preparation, training and tracking. The unique elements of the model are child-specific advocacy, events, hosting and mentoring.

Why Does It Work?

  • It opens the door wider – families do not have to have a home study to spend time with youth.
  • Hosts only have to commit to weekend visits – a smaller commitment so  not as intimidating for everyone involved.
  • It allows kids and adults to get to know each other in a non-threatening environment.
  • Youth ambivalent about adoption can participate without having to commit. Kids only need to be open to a connection.
  • It provides support to families throughout the process.
  • It creates more avenues for child specific advocacy.

Best Team

The best combination is a government (county/city/state) who is the guardian of the children and a nonprofit/advocacy group who can support networking, child-specific outreach and weekend events. Most governments have all these skills to conduct a hosting program themselves, however outside help of passionate citizens can add extra power to a program’s impact.

Going the Extra Mile

A hosting program involves weekend work. Once a month a community event is held to give people the opportunity to meet the kids.  They engage in fun activities together.  Kids and adults meet and then make decisions about who they would like to spend more time with.  Kidsave also advocates for all kids in our programs on our website – in community forums and in the media.  We encourage broad networking to attract people to the children.

The Kidsave Model

Learn how you can implement The Kidsave Family Visit Model in your agency or organization.

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Kidsave events have given my youth opportunities to seek supports within the community. The Kidsave hosts who have connected with my teens have provided support to teens who feel they have very little.

—
Fawnda Sandoval, Child Social Worker III

Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services Adoption and Permanency Resource Division

Kidsave Weekend Miracles brings in a whole group of adults who weren’t ready to foster or adopt but want to make a difference in a child’s lives…
There are a slew of families interested in making a difference.

—
Sari Grant

Los Angeles County Recruitment Administrator

Eight years into hosting I can truly say Tawanesha is my family. The Kidsave experience has changed both of our lives for the better. Watching Tawanesha persevere through obstacles has been the most fulfilling experience ever.

—
Jesseca Ryan

Kidsave Host

Phone: 310-642-7283
Fax: 310-641-7283
100 Corporate Pointe Suite 380
Culver City, CA 90230
Kidsave International is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.