Navigate Life’s Challenges With Care You Can Trust
At Christian Family Services, we believe that families need to be together. Our ConnectCare program embodies our commitment to servanthood by providing temporary, loving care for children while supporting families through challenging times.
- Feeling overwhelmed and trying to figure out where to turn?
- Need hospital care but lack extended family for child care support?
- Unsure where you will sleep tonight and searching for a safe place for your child?
Let Us Serve Your Family With Security and Peace of Mind
ConnectCare offers a lifeline when you need it most. Our voluntary, temporary foster care program provides:
- Safe, loving homes: Your child stays with thoroughly vetted Care Families, giving you peace of mind during difficult times.
- Comprehensive support: We connect you with vital resources and advocate for your family’s needs.
- Path to reunification: Our goal is to empower you to overcome challenges and reunite with your child.
With ConnectCare, you’re not alone. We provide a secure haven for your child while supporting you through your crisis, ensuring a brighter future for your entire family.
Get the support your family deserves. Contact our Connect Care worker by email or phone at (314) 968-2216.
Looking for Support?
Call text, or email our team. Get support now.
How It Works
- Family Crisis: When a parent faces a crisis – financial, emotional, physical, or otherwise – and needs temporary care for their children, they contact Christian Family Services.
- Assessment: Our social workers assess the situation and determine if we have a Care Family available.
- Placement: If appropriate, we place the child with one of our licensed Care Families.
- Support: While the child is in care, we work closely with the parent to connect them with resources and help them find stability.
- Reunification: We work towards reuniting the parent and child as soon as possible.
Why Choose ConnectCare?
- Voluntary Program: You retain legal custody and can request your child’s return anytime.
- Short-Term Support: The average length of stay is one month.
- Resource Connection: We help connect you with resources to address your crisis.
- Advocacy: We act as your advocate during this challenging time.
- Safe Environment: All Care Families are thoroughly vetted and licensed.
- Reunification Focus: Our goal is always to reunite families as soon as possible.
Occasionally, we may consider referrals from partner agencies.
Who Are Care Families?
Care Families are the heart of our ConnectCare program. They are:
- Licensed foster families in the state of Missouri
- Ordinary families with extraordinary hearts
- Willing to open their homes to a child temporarily
- Committed to loving and caring for children while preparing them to return to their families
Make a Difference, One Child at a Time
- Contact us to express interest
- Work with a CFS social worker through the licensing process
- Complete required training
- Once licensed, you’ll be added to our call list for temporary placements
- You always have the right to decline a placement if the timing doesn’t work for your family
Support families in need. Contact a licensing worker at CFS by email or phone at (314) 968-2216.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the ConnectCare Family adopt the child?
The goal of ConnectCare is to reunite children with their parents. Our hope is that their home will be more healthy and stable than before the child came into care. Regardless, we make it clear that under no circumstances will parents lose custody of their child while in ConnectCare. This means the children we serve in our ConnectCare program are not available for adoption.
How long does a child usually stay with a Care Family?
The average length of stay for a child is about 2-4 weeks. There are times when placements may need to be extended, but priority is given to the Care Family. An extension would only be allowed if it was in the best interest of both the Care Family and the child.
What ages of children does the ConnectCare program serve?
ConnectCare generally serves children ages birth through 5 years of age.
What type of situations do the children come from?
The children come from families in the midst of a wide range of crises. It could be the parent is struggling with unemployment or homelessness, emotional distress or financial difficulties. There are times when a parent is suffering from poor physical health and need time to heal and gain strength. No matter the circumstance surrounding the crisis, the child(ren) involved need stability, safety, and love. Acceptance of the child into the ConnectCare program is based on the availability of a Care Family when placement is being requested.
What type of contact will the Care Family have with the biological parent?
We encourage contact between the parent and the Care Family. The biological parent maintains full custody at all times and therefore we feel it is important to encourage the parent to stay connected to their child through visits or phone calls. However, even if contact between the biological parent and the Care Family is minimal, the parent is required to check in with his/her CFS social worker at least twice a week.
Testimonials
Kimberly's Journey to Reunification
I first had the pleasure to meet Kimberly Cahill over the phone, as she called to request ConnectCare services at the beginning of August. She was polite and energized to hear about what the CC program made available to her family, specifically in regards to care for her two year old son and 14 month old daughter. Kimberly went on to describe that she has 7 children and recently delivered an infant prematurely—so she had been making visits to see her newborn daughter daily in the NICU—while balancing care to her six other children. She called to ask for help with her two little ones so that she could move from her current apt, to a new home. Through further discussion, it was clear that Kim used her community resources well and described the detailed schedule for care of family needs, while juggling moving details. She had a case worker complete the walk through of her new place, in order to comply with requirements of housing voucher so she could then solidify moving plans.
Kim enrolled her older kids into new school, obtaining the right uniforms and securing school supplies. As Kimberly executed the regular agenda for family needs, she presented a firm and satisfied spirit throughout interactions with her children. Her older children were active helpers in care of the little ones, acknowledging and communicating each person’s needs at the end of a school day.
What always stands out about Kim amidst the various daily activities unfolding, is her grateful and kind attitude. I often shared my amazement for how well Kim manages her responsibilities from day to day but also; the impressive respectful attitude that she uses in connections. Kimberly was able to achieve her goals at the close of CC placement and the two youngest children returned home to her within a couple weeks. She was so very grateful to have the support of ConnectCare; both through the foster families loving care and resources offered during the kids’ placement (furniture and pantry items given). I also learned some lessons from Kimberly, and I often do with the mighty mom’s we serve through ConnectCare. I’ll appreciate my own supports a little more in the future and remember what a brave mom’s resiliency looks like, in the midst of great adversity.
