CARE Program
Welcome to CARE at ChildSafe: Empowering children.
Strengthening families. Having fun healing together.
"We really enjoy all the activities ChildSafe gives our family the privilege of participating in. Who would have thought that from an adverse experience so much good could follow?"
-CARE Parent Participant
What is CARE at Childsafe?
CARE stands for Child Abuse Resource Enhancement and is a service of ChildSafe which links families with community based programs designed to strengthen family relationships and support the healthy emotional and physical development of children and adolescents. CARE is unique to ChildSafe as no other Children’s Advocacy Center in Texas (and there are 65 of them) has a program like CARE.
CARE was based on national and local studies which found that without meaningful intervention, abused children have high risk behavior such as re-victimization, alcohol and drug abuse, suicidal ideation, depression, teen pregnancy.
We believe the children and families of ChildSafe are strong and capable. We recognize they are also faced with some pretty significant challenges related to overcoming the effects of abuse. CARE aims to bridge family and child strengths and interests to their unique goals in overcoming these challenges.
Eligibility
Children living in the Bexar County area between 0-18 years of age who have experienced abuse or neglect are eligible for CARE services.
Supportive family members may also be eligible. A ChildSafe Family Support Specialist meets with children and their families to determine eligibility for CARE, assess family strengths and needs, then, explore opportunities for family involvement in community based activities.
One of our main goals through CARE is to provide families access to activities at little to no cost. We are grateful to donors who make this all happen. In return, we depend on families and caregivers to stay in touch with us about their experiences in CARE and let us know how we can serve families at the highest level. Therefore, as CARE participants, families complete surveys and assessments periodically to help us track our progress and ensure we are working to meet client goals as CARE participants.
Building Healthy Assets
CARE aims to help children and families build healthy assets researched by the Search Institute which have shown effective in reducing risky behaviors, enhancing relationships, and contributing to a person’s ability to thrive. Some examples of the assets we endorse are peaceful conflict resolution, personal power, safety, and family support. One of the most important goals of CARE is to connect families with agencies and community organizations that strive for excellence in providing services to children and families. Our CARE partner agencies understand the value in providing activities that build healthy assets in families and do so in engaging ways.
Services offered through CARE:
Counseling
ChildSafe connects families with a range of mental health professionals to help families reach their goals. We offer counseling on-site and have partnerships with other mental health providers throughout Bexar County.
Family Enrichment Adventure Therapy
ChildSafe provides adventure therapy services to clients in CARE. Through this program, families are able to camp, kayak, rock climb, and participate in other adventure based activities designed to promote empowerment, communication, and trust in families.
Mentoring
CARE helps strengthen the support system of children and teens by connecting them with mentors. Our CARE partners providing mentoring services to our clients are reputable and respect unique concerns often reported by parents and caregivers of the children we serve.
Peer Activities
Is your child interested in music, sports, horseback riding, drama, or art? If not, could they be? CARE connects your family with various peer activities which aim to develop positive self-esteem, community appreciation, and healthy social skills.
Parent & Caregiver Support
We recognize parents and caregivers often face their own unique challenges and have their own concerns after the discovery of child abuse. We have resources for family enrichment, parent asset building, and caregiver support groups.
It costs ChildSafe more than $100,000 year to provide CARE services to children who have been sexually abused and their supportive family members.
Who can participate as a partner?
Partners provide activities or services such as peer activities, mentoring, and parent support. Partners providing activities and services must complete background checks on all of their employees as thoroughly as ChildSafe does, and agree to a cost that is feasible for us relative to the other programs. We are committed to work with organizations that provide services which build healthy assets in children, adolescents, and families. Organizations should demonstrate an awareness and appreciation for helping our clients strengthen family communication, recognize the importance of service to others, enhance achievement motivation, and reinforce qualities such as integrity and responsibility. If you are interested in becoming a CARE service partner, please contact Monica Vela.
What can donors do?
If you are interested in providing gift certificates for goods or services for families in need, please contact ChildSafe’s Director of Development at 210-208-5769. Below are some ways people can directly impact CARE families:
• Sponsor the monthly rental of a musical instrument for a child or donate a musical instrument in excellent condition
• Provide gas cards for families to participate in community activities
• Purchase a kayak for a client’s use in CARE’s adventure therapy program
• Provide funds needed to purchase assessments used to track clients’ progress in the program
• Sponsor a child’s or family’s monthly fee for activities like horseback riding or voice lessons
