What is the Institute for Family-Centered Healing & Health? Rationale
Purpose
For the past two decades, Christians around the world have labored with remarkable unity in welcoming orphans and vulnerable children. Together, the entire Christian Alliance for Orphans community works to see “the people of God overflowing with the love of God so that every child will experience God’s unfailing love in a thriving family.”
In response to the deeply felt needs of Christian foster and adoptive parents, CAFO has begun a new initiative, the Institute for Family-Centered Healing & Health (also called the Family Institute).
Yet, to be a thriving family is no easy task in our day. Reports on the status of mental health reveal a steep decline in wellbeing, especially among young people. Divorce, absent fathers, perpetually over-scheduled and worn-out families, and broken or distant relationships - these and other signs of family fracturing are everywhere. Parenting in this era feels complex and challenging. In recent years, many foster and adoptive parents have expressed that they are struggling to help their children heal in mind, body, and relationships and to flourish as disciples of Christ. They’re trying their best but feel as though they have very little to offer other than transporting their child to other experts, often many times a week. This can leave them feeling exhausted and disheartened.
We want to curate and create excellent resources for parents, organizations, and churches that serve foster and adoptive families. These tools will be grounded in the wisdom of scripture and the best of contemporary research. The Institute will serve as a dynamic hub for experts, practitioners, and parents that can nurture fresh insights and practices across the field.
Vision God’s tenacious purpose is for parents and children to grow and thrive together. Healing within families is central to God’s restorative action in the world. Despite all our frailties, He invites foster and adoptive parents to participate with Him in this work. Parents can play the most central, indispensable role in their children’s healing and health over time. Indeed, no other figure can match the time, effort, influence, or love of parents expressed across childhood.