New Partnership with Guatemalan Secretary of Social Welfare

Guatemala City, Guatemala — August 12, 2025 — Kids Alive Guatemala has entered into a new five-year partnership with the Guatemalan Secretary of Social Welfare to strengthen the country’s foster care system and expand family-based care for children.

The memorandum of understanding, signed on August 12, establishes a collaborative framework focused on placing children in safe, nurturing foster families and strengthening national foster care practices. Through this partnership, Kids Alive Guatemala will work alongside the government to support foster families, equip caregivers, and help ensure children experience stability, connection, and belonging while long-term solutions are pursued.

As part of the agreement, Kids Alive Guatemala will work alongside the Secretary of Social Welfare to strengthen foster care across the national system. Through this partnership, Kids Alive Guatemala provides online training to 100% of the families registered in Guatemala’s foster care system and offers close, ongoing accompaniment to a core group of foster families—expanding that group each year. This hands-on casework experience allows Kids Alive Guatemala to walk alongside families throughout the entire foster care process, from awareness and recruitment to placement and long-term support, helping promote stability, continuity, and quality care nationwide.

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Strengthening Foster Care Through Training and Support

This partnership builds on Kids Alive Guatemala’s longstanding experience supporting foster families across the country. The organization currently provides a monthly online training program for 70 foster families registered in the national system, covering topics such as Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®), caregiver-child connection, health, parenting, and practical strategies for supporting children who have experienced difficult circumstances.

In addition to training, Kids Alive Guatemala offers ongoing accompaniment through social work and psychology services, supporting families before, during, and after placements—even when a child originates from another care setting. Some families have received continuous support for as long as seven years.

Based on this hands-on experience, the Guatemalan government has invited Kids Alive Guatemala to help review and strengthen the national foster care methodology, contributing to continuous improvement at a countrywide level.

A Significant Step for Guatemala’s Child-Protection System

This partnership comes at a critical time for Guatemala’s child-protection landscape. Currently, there are only two nongovernmental organizations supporting the national foster care system, and just 70 foster families are registered nationwide. Of those, 50 currently have children placed with them, with Kids Alive Guatemala directly supporting 13 families.

By equipping caregivers with practical tools and ongoing guidance, Kids Alive Guatemala has helped foster families remain engaged and provide consistent care—strengthening confidence in the foster care model and reducing unnecessary movement for children.

The agreement also reflects growing trust and collaboration between the government and Kids Alive Guatemala, including plans to transition adolescents from state care into family-based or Kids Alive residential environments designed to support healing, education, and community belonging.

A Shared Vision for Children and Families

“Being part of a foster family provides children with a safe and nurturing environment where they can develop emotional stability, receive personalized attention, and form positive bonds,” said Rosalva Alvarado, Kids Alive Guatemala Country Director. “Through this partnership, we are helping ensure children continue their education, remain connected to their communities, and experience meaningful care while long-term solutions are pursued.”

First-Year Goals and Outcomes

During the first year of the agreement, Kids Alive Guatemala and the Secretary of Social Welfare will focus on key outcomes, including:

Providing ongoing support to 20 temporary foster families, increasing from the current 13 families by 2026
Delivering TBRI® training to all 70 foster families currently part of Guatemala’s national foster care system
Providing training and ongoing accompaniment to 100% of the foster families registered in Guatemala’s national foster care system, while expanding direct, hands-on support to additional families each year to strengthen stability and quality of care.
Developing a support network with 15 local churches to help identify potential foster families and mentors

Through this partnership, Kids Alive Guatemala will continue to walk alongside caregivers, children, and government partners—strengthening family-based care and helping create pathways where children can experience safety, connection, and hope.

Reference Links

Access the local Guatemala Secretary of Social Welfare news release around this partnership here.

About Kids Alive International

Kids Alive International is a global non-profit dedicated to protecting children, strengthening families, and advocating for justice. With a presence in seven countries, Kids Alive provides holistic care that addresses not only immediate needs like safety, education, and health, but also the deeper wounds of trauma and sexual abuse.

In Guatemala, the ministry operates under the name Vida Para Niños and is recognized for its leadership in trauma-informed care, restorative justice, and advocacy for children who have suffered sexual abuse or other forms of violence. Through safe homes, foster family programs, counseling, and legal accompaniment, Kids Alive ensures that children are not revictimized by the systems meant to protect them.

The organization is committed to advancing systemic change by working with courts, governments, and local partners to embed “Justice that Heals” into legal processes. This includes creating safe spaces within court systems, training judicial personnel in child-sensitive practices, and walking with families as they pursue reconciliation and restoration.

Every child deserves to be seen, heard, and treated with dignity. Kids Alive International is devoted to making that a reality, combining compassionate care with courageous advocacy to defend the most vulnerable and restore hope for future generations.

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