Every tragic story of a child hurt or killed due to abuse breaks our hearts. But for each headline we see, there are countless untold success stories—families who receive support just in time, parents who find stability, and children who are kept safe.
Here are just a few organizations making that difference every day:
Court Appointed Special Advocates
Volunteers serve as guardians ad litem, standing up for children in court cases involving abuse or neglect. They interview caregivers and professionals, review reports, and recommend what’s truly best for each child. Every child is entitled to a volunteer or state-employed guardian ad litem, but currently about 250 children do not have one in our state.
Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery
Provides a safe, temporary place for children to play and sleep (newborn through age six) while parents work through crisis. Parents also receive counseling and home visits. One mom, Callie, was able to escape an abusive relationship and secure permanent housing, knowing her four young children were safe at the nursery.
Children’s Law Center of Minnesota
Volunteer attorneys represent children in foster care, helping them navigate the legal system and access vital resources. With their help, children like Taniya—who was sexually abused and impregnated by her mother’s boyfriend—find safe and stable housing. Few foster children have their own attorneys.
Parent Support Outreach Program
This statewide program offers short-term support—like parenting classes, health care, child care, and transportation—to parents who have common risk factors for child maltreatment. More than half of participating families avoid child welfare involvement in the year following their enrollment.
These programs remind us that change is possible. Safe Passage applauds efforts like these to keep children safe and decrease the potential for abuse. With the right support, families can heal, and children can grow up safe, strong, and hopeful for the future.
I appreciate this sharing of valuable resources that can address the needs of children and their safety .Support and resources can save the lives of children and families members. Currently the needs of children and families are great.
So thanks for sharing this valuable information.
Joan Najbar LICSW