With the changing economy and limited access to many social services, many families are experiencing financial crises, unemployment, and homelessness. Others are dealing with substance abuse, mental health issues, medical illness or incarceration. Many parents cannot provide their children with a safe and caring environment during such emergencies.

Historically, extended families or neighbours would step in to help parents by caring for their children temporarily. However, many urban families today are socially isolated, with no extended family nearby, especially for newcomers to Canada. In times of crisis, this leaves children vulnerable to neglect or abuse, as parents struggle to cope with overwhelming emotions and circumstances.

Safe Families provides a model in which parents can voluntarily place their child(ren) with a Host Family while retaining custody during the temporary placement. The families that Safe Families supports come from a wide variety of backgrounds and are referred by a school, hospital, church, pregnancy centre, homeless shelter, child welfare agency, or neighbour. A parent may also contact Safe Families themselves when in a time of crisis.

Safe Families Canada’s volunteers serve without compensation and are motivated by the compassion and grace they first received from Jesus Christ.

In the United States, our sister organization Safe Families for Children (SFFC) (www.safe-families.org), was founded in 2003 by Dr. Dave Anderson of the LYDIA Home Association, a Chicago-based Christian social service agency. Since its inception, SFFC has spread to over 30 states and facilitated more than 50,000 placements of children.

In 2010, Jennifer Francis heard about SFFC while on a mission trip in South America. When she returned to Canada, she was compelled to research more about SFFC, connect with its leaders and plan for the possibility of launching the Safe Families movement in her home country. The Safe Families model was piloted in Canada in 2011. In 2012, Safe Families Canada (SFC) was incorporated as a federal faith-based charity. In the fall of 2014, SFC fully launched in the Greater Toronto Area.

Today, Safe Families Canada has 18 Chapters across our country: Toronto ON, London ON, Winnipeg MB, KW & Cambridge ON, Ottawa ON, Niagara ON, Windsor-Essex ON, Chatham-Kent ON, Hamilton-Halton ON, Brantford ON, Guelph-Wellington ON, Lethbridge AB, Lower Mainland BC, Steinbach MB, Edmonton AB, Battlefords SK, Calgary AB, Barrie-Orillia ON and 4 Developing Chapters with interest still growing to see the work of the Safe Families movement in communities across Canada.

Our long-term vision is to reach more of the 300,000 children and youth across Canada that are in vulnerable families and at risk of abuse and neglect. To do this, the desire is to establish Chapters and Safe Families Canada Churches in many more cities and communities across Canada.