Wide Horizons for Children (WHFC)

Wide Horizons For Children is dedicated to the well-being and security of vulnerable and orphaned children worldwide. To accomplish their mission, they: Strengthen families to improve their ability to care for their children Improve outcomes for children living outside of parental care Place children with loving, adoptive families Support birth parents, adoptive parents and children throughout their lives Values and Beliefs A passion for helping disadvantaged children has driven their work for nearly 40 years. It all began in the 1970s with a few compassionate individuals working on behalf of starving and abandoned babies in war-torn Saigon. Since that time WHFC has worked in nearly 60 countries, always committed to doing what is in the best interests of vulnerable children, even under the most challenging circumstances. While there are hundreds, if not thousands, of non-profits working with orphan populations, WHFC is one of only a handful of organizations focusing on solutions that address how the lack of a stable or permanent family affects a child’s development and prospects for a fulfilling future. As a child welfare agency, understanding the long-term implications of any decision they make on a child’s security and well-being is essential. When possible, they work with birth families in their communities to improve their ability to care for their children. However, for tens of thousands of children, the sad reality is that orphanage care is the only available option. They offer critical support and interventions to help improve physical, emotional and developmental outcomes for these children, preparing them for life after institutionalization. To date, they have provided more than $15 million to stabilize vulnerable families and support orphan care programs. In other cases, family permanency is achieved through adoption, a transformational solution for an orphaned or abandoned child. They have had the privilege of helping to unite close to 13,000 children with permanent, loving families since their founding, and they continue to work with families to support all members of the adoption triad long after an adoption is completed. Guiding Principles WHFC is dedicated to high ethical practices in all that they do. They collaborate with trusted partners both here and abroad, conform to the laws and regulations of each country and aim for best practices in their outcomes for children. In fact, their expertise is often sought after by child welfare officials and others working on behalf of children around the world. With respect to the adoption work, they fully disclose a child’s history, known medical conditions and any other information they learn about the child to the adoptive parents. WHFC was one of the first agencies in the US to receive accreditation from the Hague Convention, whose goals are to protect children, birth parents and adoptive parents from illegal and unethical adoption practices. In addition, they maintain up-to-date accreditations with child welfare officials in the countries where they work. WHFC is a founding and current member of the Joint Council on International Children’s Services (JCICS), and a member of the Council on Accreditation (COA), National Association of Social Workers (NASW), and the National Council For Adoption (NCFA). They are also recognized as an International Organization in Ethiopia, a status granted only to a select number of NGOs in that country.