Keeping at-risk children with disabilities safe

Families with children with disabilities face enormous challenges daily, often under harsh conditions, and with a painful sense of loneliness. Parents of children with disabilities struggle daily to maintain their role as nurturers, providing their children with a warm and supportive home. Alongside emotional challenges, these families often face significant financial pressures, cultural and language barriers, and additional complex life challenges.

The Families in Growth program was born out of a deep understanding of the complex needs of at-risk families of young children with disabilities. This program, which began a few years ago in our rehabilitative early childhood centers in Ashkelon, was designed to address the needs of at-risk children by providing family parenting and disability support. Through the program, they received, for the first time, professional and supportive guidance that provided them with the tools to cope, grow, and create a better future for their children.

In response to field-identified needs, the recent efforts covered our early childhood families in Ashkelon and Holon, and we are now expanding it to those parent who need it in our other eight early childhood centers.

During the program's home-based sessions, Chimes Israel's teams – parent coaches and healthcare professionals – provide the parents with guidance and practical tools. The sessions focus on empowering parents, improving daily functionality, and strengthening their sense of capability. Each family also receives a special game kit and tailored equipment to support them after the session’s conclusion.

In the recent session, Chimes Israel professionals had to sensitively deal with the challenges of the families’ cultural and linguistic gaps and harsh living conditions. For the parents, the sessions were a source of practical guidance and a healing experience that restored their confidence in themselves and their parenting abilities.

The success of this program is not just a professional achievement, it is a true collaboration between the Chimes teams and the parents. While the process requires significant resources, the results speak for themselves: transformed lives, renewed parental self-perception, and the creation of new hope for entire families.

With your support, we will be able expand this activity to reach more families, create real change in our community, and build a better future for the families who need us most.