Photo by Joshua Oluwagbemiga on Unsplash

Understanding the Safe and Sound Protocol: A Path to Healing and Connection

By Alternative Family Services | December 1, 2024

At Alternative Family Services (AFS), we are dedicated to providing the most effective, evidence-based practices (EBPs) to support the children, youth, and families in our care. One such innovative approach is the Safe and Sound…

Meet Mia* and Lily*, twin sisters with a bond as unbreakable as their resilience. After facing significant challenges in their early years, they were placed in kinship care with their grandparents through Alternative Family Services (AFS).

Impact Story: Bringing Hope and Joy to Two Sisters in Kinship Care

By Alternative Family Services | November 26, 2024

Meet Mia* and Lily*, twin sisters with a bond as unbreakable as their resilience. After facing significant challenges in their early years, they were placed in kinship care with their grandparents through Alternative Family Services…

Photo by Eye for Ebony on Unsplash

What is a Family Resource Center?

By Alternative Family Services | November 2, 2024

Alternative Family Resources (AFS) is now part of the California Family Resource Association (CFRA), as part of our wider goal and aspiration to be a full-service Family Resource Center. In this blog post, we’ll explore…

AFS Staff in Action: Averie Ramirez

AFS Staff in Action: Averie Ramirez

By Alternative Family Services | October 22, 2024

Averie Ramirez, MSW, became the Assistant Program Director for East Bay Foster Care in September 2024. Get to know Averie and her work at AFS. What are your main responsibilities at AFS? I got hired…

EBPs represent a pathway to better outcomes for children in foster care. By ensuring that decisions are driven by evidence, child welfare systems can create more stable, nurturing environments where children can heal, grow and succeed.

Evidence-Based Practices: A Pathway to Better Outcomes for Children, Teens and Families

By Alternative Family Services | October 10, 2024

In the realm of family welfare and human services, the challenges children, teens and families face are profound. Child welfare agencies, like Alternative Family Services (AFS), are committed to improving outcomes by embracing evidence-based practices…

Their journey reminds me why we do what we do at The Gathering Place—to create a space where healing, hope, and reunification are possible.

A Journey of Healing: A Family Reunited at The Gathering Place

By Alternative Family Services | September 20, 2024

I first met a young client, Charlie*, and his mother Annie*, in December 2023 at The Gathering Place (TGP). They were hesitant, quiet, and burdened heavily when they arrived. In those early weeks, the tension…

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