“Families and children are not failing the system; the system is failing them” (Dr. Sarah Norris). For too long, traditional foster care has struggled under the weight of growing need. Children in care carry increasingly complex trauma. Sibling groups are too often separated. Parents can find the system more punitive than supportive. Meanwhile, the number of licensed foster homes has steadily declined, leaving professionals and families stretched thin.
At Crossnore Communities for Children, we knew something had to change. That’s why we developed the Bridging Families™ program. This model is built on the belief that children thrive when families are truly held, empowered, and equipped to succeed. Through the Bridging Families Institute (BFI), we are now bringing this work to scale, equipping agencies across North Carolina to reimagine foster care in their own communities.
What is the Bridging Families Institute?
Created by and in partnership with Crossnore, the Bridging Families Institute is the training, implementation, and research arm of the Bridging Families program. Its purpose is simple: to help agencies adopt a professional foster parenting model that changes how families experience foster care. Bridging Families’ parents are professionals. They are salaried, full-time foster parents whose sole responsibility is to support children and birth parents through the reunification process. They are supported by a clinician, case manager, and supervisor. This ensures the foster parents and the families they serve receive intensive support.
The results of this innovative program have been remarkable. Of the 68 children from 21 families served so far, 82% have been discharged to permanence with parents, relatives, or pre-adoptive foster families. The average length of stay in the program is nine months. To date, no families have re-entered the child welfare system. Compared to statewide reunification rates of 20-30%, this is a dramatic shift. It shows us a hopeful glimpse of what’s possible when we allow ourselves to reimagine how families experience foster care.
Our Three Pillars
At the heart of the Bridging Families Institute are three guiding pillars: Innovation, Collaboration, and Advocacy.
Innovation
Bridging Families reimagines foster care by challenging old assumptions and offering new solutions. We no longer presume foster parents must be volunteers. Instead, we view them as professionals and partners in the work of reunification. Through readiness assessments, training, and implementation support, the Bridging Families Institute helps agencies build the capacity to deliver this innovative model with fidelity.
Collaboration
This work cannot happen alone. The Institute walks alongside child welfare agencies, offering coaching, tools, and a framework for success. Our comprehensive readiness process helps agencies assess and strengthen their infrastructure, leadership, and culture so they are truly prepared to launch Bridging Families. Already, we have identified partners who share this vision and are actively building relationships to move this work forward.
Advocacy
The Institute also lifts its voice on behalf of children and families, pushing for systems change that heals rather than harms. As Dr. Sarah Norris, our Chief Program Officer, recently wrote in Fostering Perspectives, “Professional foster parenting is not a luxury. It is a necessity if we are to meet the scale and complexity of today’s challenges.” The Bridging Families Institute exists to advocate for this truth and to amplify the urgent need for a better path forward.
Why Now?
The child welfare system is at a pivotal moment. Children’s needs are more layered than ever, yet resources continue to shrink. Families deserve a system designed to restore and reunify, not punish and fracture. Bridging Families is built to answer this call, and the Institute ensures that answer can reach across the state and beyond.
Looking Ahead
The Bridging Families Institute has already begun the process of supporting external agencies through readiness assessments, information sharing, and training development. We are committed to walking alongside partners from their very first questions to full implementation, ensuring sustainability every step of the way. This is just the beginning. In the months ahead, we will share more updates from our partnerships, outcomes from existing programs, and reflections on what it takes to truly transform foster care.
Finding the Way Home
At the Bridging Families Institute, we hold fast to one simple belief. Siblings and families belong together, and reunification works best when biological parents are central to the process. When removal cannot be avoided, every effort should be made to focus on reunification. Together, we can build bridges. We can create a system that enables families to thrive. They can find their way home.
