Eight million kids are in care. Brazil found a way to keep them out

It’s now common for youth to remain in foster care or residential treatment for years. For troubled or victimized children in need, assistance at home is often more effective than foster placement.

In Brooklyn, along with 2 other locations in New York, new mothers are receiving free lactation consultations, helping them to learn how to breastfeed their babies - but also building a sense of community for these mothers. While the ultimate goal of the so-called Baby Cafes is to lessen the barriers to breastfeeding, the community and support they provide are also essential to encouraging the practice.

The Mason County Housing Options for Students in Transition (HOST) program is filling the county's gap of youth shelters, helping almost 200 homeless youth graduate from high school through personal relationships and screened host families. The program has show particular success in helping homeless youth from marginalized identities, including youth of color and LGBTQ+ identifying youth.

Miami is home to a special type of child welfare program called CHANCE (Citrus Helping Adolescents Negatively Impacted by Commercial Exploitation) that is designed specifically for youth in foster care that have been trafficked. CHANCE has an intensive curriculum that educates foster parents and clinicians about child sex trafficking and child trauma, and families are only allowed to take in one child at a time so that they are prepared for the child's unique health needs. Studies done on the program have found that the youth have significant improvement in many emotional and mental categories.

Project ACT provides support services to 1,000 Cleveland public school students experiencing homelessness or living with guardians other than their parents. Students are set up with a life skills coach who provides emotional and academic support to cope with traumatic life experiences. To ensure stability during COVID-19, Project ACT distributed hotspots and Chromebooks to all 1,000 children they work with. Life coach sessions transitioned to Zoom, where weekly online tutoring sessions were also hosted. Students could also receive gift cards, enrichment packets, school supplies, and hygiene items if needed.

Chess in Slums Africa uses chess to provide education and enrichment for marginalized children. The program typically lasts for about two weeks and consists of chess sessions, mental math, and discussions to get to know the children intimately. Then, some of the children are placed in shelters or reconnected with their families. The organization then pays scheduled visits to ensure the child’s needs are met. So far, the organization has helped 976 children across the state.

The Elevate program is a free, eight-week course that helps guides couples to reconnect with each other and develop their parenting skills. The program helps between 30 and 40 couples each year, in-person and virtually. Since its start in 2021, the program has reached more than 470 couples, 96% of which have said they leave the program feeling happier with their partners.

Mr. Dad’s Father’s Club mentors local youth to nurture their social and emotional well-being, making them better equipped to handle the world around them. The Club also provides mentorships for fathers, helping them learn how to be more present in their children’s lives as research indicates the presence of positive role models can make youth more resilient when exposed to violent or negative environments. There are currently over 150 fathers who volunteer for events with the Club.

Thorn’s Spotlight tool uses text and facial recognition technology to scrub the web, helping investigators find underage sex-trafficking victims. Spotlight has been used by law enforcement on nearly 40,000 cases in North America, helping investigators find more than 9,000 children and 10,000 traffickers.

The Kids with a Vision Foundation (K-WAVF) provides care and shelter, particularly to vulnerable youth displaced by conflicts. K-WAVF’s team of community representatives also partners with local schools to take youth on educational field trips and provide vocational training. Since its inception in 2013, K-WAVF has extended its reach across five local government areas in the state.