Child Hope International started as an orphanage in 2004 and helped hundreds of children by providing meals, a home, education, and other needs. But there was one need the orphanage couldn’t fill - the sense of belonging which is only experienced in a loving family. Today, Child Hope International is doing orphan care differently. In 2017 they shifted their model to family-based care and began reunifying children with families. In 2021 they launched the Transition Support Services program, helping other Haitian orphanages transition to family-based care. Their mission is for there to be no more "orphans" in Haiti.
Where they operate
Contact this organization about:
Organization Size
Headquarters Location
Santa Barbara, CA
United States
Organization Type
Main Areas of Work
Transition Support Services
The TSS program works with orphanages in Haiti to help them transition from institutional care to family-based care. Child Hope International provides coaching, mentoring, and technical know-how to accelerate the reunification processes taking place within orphanages. The TSS staff also host national workshops for orphanage directors & social workers which equip them to begin reunification work. If you are connected to an orphanage in Haiti that is considering transitioning to family-based care but need guidance, please contact CHI at communications@childhope.org
Family Hope
The Family Hope program builds healthy relationships between children in orphanages and their families. Whenever possible, CHI works towards reunification. If reunification is an option, staff identify the specific needs of the family and walk alongside them, empowering them toward the independent care of their children.
Future Hope
The Future Hope Program provides children in orphanages and care leavers with education and vocational opportunities. This mainly includes covering costs associated with attending school, plus guidance and other support. It may also include workshops, field trips, and internships.
Residential Care Service Transition Support
We asked this organization to tell us a little more about their learning and knowledge sharing practices. Here is what they said
We are most proud of the reconciliation that takes place between children and families as a result of our efforts. We take a holistic approach to the reunification process – assessing physical, emotional, spiritual, and other needs and providing support as needed in these areas. One theme that frequently comes up during the reunification process is trauma – for children and their parents. Our psychologist provides counselling and helps heal broken relationships. We are thankful for our small part in God’s redemptive story.
We have learned so much since shifting our vision toward family-based care. The number one thing we have learned is that children desire to be known and belong. That is best accomplished in a loving family environment.
If your organization is considering transitioning to family-based care:
- Find partners who have already made the transition. They can help with raising awareness among key stakeholders, providing relevant referrals, providing technical support through the transition, and much more.
- Be adaptable. There will be a lot of variables you were not expecting, so your approach for each family and child may be different. Individualize your support as much as possible.
We are still developing some of our monitoring and evaluation practices, especially around our newer programs. However, the safety and protection of the children and families we serve is of utmost importance to us. We use case management software and a variety of assessment tools pre- and post-reunification. Our staff meets regularly to discuss cases and work together to find solutions to challenges or roadblocks.
We are members of collaborative groups, meeting with other organizations to learn best practices and how to strengthen the services we provide.
We believe collaboration, partnership, and networking makes everyone stronger and better. We are members of the 1MillionHome Community of Practice as well as other collaborative groups. We meet regularly with other organizations from around the world and in Haiti so that we can learn from one another.