SIBLING CONNECTIONS INC
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Mission Statement
Sibling Connections' mission is to support the creation of enduring family relationships and community connections for sisters and brothers separated by the foster care system in Massachusetts.
About This Cause
Over our 20-year history, Sibling Connections’ mission has remained steadfast in supporting the creation of enduring family relationships and community connections for siblings experiencing foster care or other out-of-home placements in Massachusetts by creating opportunities for them to spend quality time with each other. Siblings are often the only permanent relationship that a child has once birth parents have been lost as a result of foster care placement. Too often, siblings are placed into separate foster care or group homes with few opportunities to see one another. We implement our mission through year-round programming, in close coordination with Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) social workers, foster parents, and 150 dedicated volunteers. We have received national recognition for our work including The Federal Government Child Welfare Information Gateway and National Center for Youth Law. Recent thinking in the adoption and foster care field have placed a greater focus on permanency of relationships which provide a stronger sense of identity and belonging. In 2016 Massachusetts passed a law mandating sibling visitation for the 9,000+ children in MA foster care when at all possible, in recognition that children in foster care with access to siblings and/or other extended family show improved outcomes including improved social integration/fewer behavioral challenges, higher graduation rates, increased chances of starting college or stable employment, and more. Sibling Connections is the only MA organization devoted solely to this mission. Our programs have grown over the years, and we currently have waitlists for many of our events as the number of children entering foster care is continuing to increase, in part, due to the current opioid crisis. Our goal is to expand our programs in order to serve more children in foster care in Massachusetts. Our programs, currently serving close to 200 youth throughout Massachusetts, consist of: 1) Camp, a week-long residential camp for over 100 children. Approximately 50 sibling groups are transported to a beautiful camp in Maine for a week of traditional camp activities including boating, swimming, horseback riding, ropes courses, culinary arts, and arts and crafts along with family repair activities including belated birthday parties, family scrapbook making and more. This program is run through the dedication over 60 volunteers who take a week off from work to serve as camp/family counselors and wellness team members (Dr., psychologist, and social workers). 2) The Youth Leadership Program that runs as a part of Camp for teens aging out of foster care and the camp experience. The participants undergo intensive leadership training and then transition into peer leaders, supporting the adult counselors in camper groups and putting their training into practice with the goal of transitioning into adult counselors at the age of 21. 3) Sibling Socials, monthly outings which run from October through May in three geographic locations including Greater Boston, Lowell, and Springfield. Groups of up to 30 children enjoy a Sunday afternoon activity and lunch together. Our volunteers transport and chaperone the children during the event. 4) Weekend Retreats which allow up to 30 siblings to spend a full weekend together enjoying typical activities such as making breakfast, playing outside, and an off-site trip such as snow tubing at Nashoba Valley. Evaluations of our programs consistently provide evidence that participation has a positive impact on campers’ sense of identity and belonging. We also know from observation and anecdotal stories that Sibling Connections is a positive part of our clients’ lives, and those who participate have positive outcomes including graduating from high school, enrolling in college, and coming back to volunteer with our youth. We have very high retention rates for children enrolled in our programs, and they participate in our programs year after year until they either return to their homes or are adopted together.