As part of our comprehensive 9-Point model, House Parents are carefully selected couples who live full-time in our residential homes. They are rigorously vetted through background checks, deeply trained, and crucially, trauma-informed. This isn't short-term care; this is a commitment to providing long-term family permanency. They offer not just supervision but a genuine family experience, sharing meals, laughter, learning, and life's everyday moments – the very fabric of a stable and nurturing upbringing.
This commitment echoes the profound truth of 1 John 3:1, which beautifully states: "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" Our House Parents strive to reflect this very love, lavishing it upon each girl, reflecting God's own heart for family and belonging. As the cornerstone of our direct care for each girl, they model healthy relationships, teach essential life skills, and provide the unwavering presence that wounded hearts desperately need to begin to trust and heal.
The importance of family permanency, especially for children who have experienced trauma, is powerfully underscored by faith-based Christian professionals. Dr. John Townsend, a respected Christian psychologist and leadership consultant, emphasizes the foundational need for secure attachment and long-term, reliable relationships, particularly after trauma. He states, “Children thrive in environments where there is consistent love and structure, and where they feel safe and known. For children who have experienced trauma, this need for security and attachment is amplified.” Long-term family care, as provided by PHIGS House Parents, directly addresses this vital need for security and predictable love.
Furthermore, organizations like Focus on the Family consistently highlight the biblical mandate for caring for vulnerable children within a family context. They cite scriptures throughout the Old and New Testament that emphasize God's heart for the fatherless and His call for believers to reflect that same compassion. As they articulate, "The family unit is not just a social structure; it is divinely designed. Within a loving, stable family, children find the optimal environment for holistic development – physically, emotionally, and spiritually." PHIGS House Parents intentionally create this divinely inspired environment, rooted in Christian love and principles.
For unaccompanied non-citizen girls who require care extending beyond initial crisis stabilization, PHIGS offers a vital pathway: specialized long-term residential family care through our dedicated House Parents. Recognizing the essential role of organizations providing initial support – such as shelters, assessment centers, and legal aid services – PHIGS focuses on the critical next step: offering enduring family homes for girls who need sustained healing and integration. To complement models designed for shorter-term interventions or emergency assistance, our commitment is to long-term family permanency, understanding that deep healing, particularly after the complex traumas experienced by unaccompanied children, often demands consistent, loving relationships lasting years, not just weeks or months. We are continuously and actively seeking to partner with organizations who are on the front lines of assisting unaccompanied non-citizen children, especially those providing initial intake, legal support, and emergency placement. Our aim is to create a seamless transition pathway for these vulnerable girls, from initial care settings into the stable, long-term family environment we provide. This permanency allows for the deep roots of trust and attachment to grow, creating a secure base from which they can process trauma, build healthy identities, and step confidently into their futures.
Our House Parents are more than just a component of our model; they are the living embodiment of our mission. They are the everyday heroes, tirelessly and lovingly creating homes where healing takes root, where belonging is discovered, and where young survivors begin to understand the profound truth: they are cherished, they are valuable, and they are children of God.
