Every Child Oregon empowers individuals and families to create stronger communities by addressing the needs of children and families with child welfare involvement.
Every Child’s long-term goals and related outcomes are to: 1) offer a safe, loving, and strategic foster home for every child, 2) ensure that vulnerable children experience less trauma, and 3) see every child thrive equitably. Progress toward those long-term goals is measured against short-term and intermediate outcomes like: the number of certified foster homes in participating states, higher (than average) retention of foster families, number of community members engaged, foster homes that are better equipped to care for children’s needs, more strategic foster homes (culturally and demographically), and a more aware and trauma-informed community.
The Every Child model utilizes strengths-based storytelling, technology and data analytics to recruit new foster families that match the demographics of children entering foster care within a specific geographic area. Inevitably, these recruitment efforts yield volunteers and community members who may not be ready to welcome a child into their home, but are seeking other opportunities to engage. Every Child’s menu of volunteer opportunities leverages individual interests and abilities to fill gaps in the foster care system. Over time, many of these volunteers are moved to become certified foster parents.
The initiative works hand in hand with state child welfare agencies, local community organizations and leaders, businesses and individuals.
