About CFC

Who We Are

Founded in 1999 by Kate Cleary, Consortium for Children (CFC) was created to fill identified gaps in the child welfare system. Our programs take a unique approach to meeting the needs of children, families and professionals in this realm. CFC created Permanency Planning Mediation (PPM) to assist in the development of post adoption/legal guardianship agreements between families of origin and prospective permanent families in California with the goal of preventing further loss for children by maintaining important connections, and potentially expediting their exit from foster care. CFC identified qualified mediators, developed a structured training program, and acquired a state contract to support this important piece of the child welfare mosaic throughout the state.

CFC expanded with the Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) program, which was created to train and support child welfare professionals who conduct home studies for foster and adoptive families. Using a previously developed research-based evaluation tool, Kate’s vision was to standardize the methodology, develop a training platform and make it widely available to public and private child welfare agencies in order to promote safety, permanence and well-being for children and youth. Translated into three languages and currently used throughout the United States and Canada, SAFE provides a uniform home study tool which also facilitates inter-state and inter-country placements. Today, the Consortium for Children has achieved international recognition for its unique contribution to child welfare and adoption. PPM and SAFE have led the way in helping children move to permanence while maintaining their important connections, as well as ensuring the quality and safety of their homes.

Mission

Consortium for Children’s mission is to help children and families flourish by training and supporting the child welfare professionals who serve them. We believe the best outcomes for children are advanced through the use of researched-based best practices to assist families in planning for and supporting the healthy development of children and youth.

Vision

Consortium for Children will be recognized as a trusted resource for field and research-based knowledge and best practices for child welfare professionals in critical areas of evaluating resource families and maintaining important connections for children and youth. We envision a compassionate and equitable child welfare system where professionals are well supported to provide family-focused services that help children and youth thrive in secure, connected and nurturing homes.

Guiding Principles

• We believe in placing the best interests of children and youth first.
• We approach every interaction with integrity and transparency.
• We believe in creating a shared sense of purpose with our partners to ensure best outcomes.
• We believe in research-based techniques and data-driven best practices as the foundation to assist professionals and families in making informed decisions.
• We treat everyone with respect and dignity, both within our company and with our partners.
• We firmly believe in and value inclusion and equity. We are committed to taking meaningful and sustainable action to dismantle systemic racism and discrimination.