1968
Founded
55+
Years of Experience
15K+
Children Placed
Multiracial children playing with soccer ball.
Who We Are

A Pioneer in Child Welfare Since 1968

Founded in 1968, Spaulding for Children was created to ensure that no child is overlooked — pioneering adoption for older children, children with disabilities, sibling groups, and others long considered “unadoptable.”

“Redefining who is adoptable — and what families need to succeed — for over five decades.”

Today the agency is nationally and internationally recognized for advancing permanency practice through innovative services, training, and consultation — helping redefine who is adoptable and what families need to succeed.

Our Mission

Developing revolutionary programs for permanency

In partnership with diverse communities, Spaulding for Children’s mission is to develop and integrate revolutionary and innovative programs that provide families the support needed to enhance the care of children and youth with the pursuit of permanency.

Our Vision

Every child in a safe, stable, permanent home

Spaulding for Children envisions all children and youth having a sense of belonging while living in safe, stable environments with the help they need to thrive in life — regardless of age, background, or circumstance.

What Guides Us

Our Core Values

These values shape how we work with children, families,
and partner organizations every day.

Compassion

Treat each other and families with compassion and respect, recognizing that different situations demand flexible and varied approaches.

Collaboration

Work with families to build trusting relationships and use teamwork to achieve common goals.

Awareness

Staff should be open and able to view differences, they should not use their own experiences and background as a major guide when working with each other and with families.

Warren Spaulding
Our Legacy

A Farm, a Vision, and a Movement

Spaulding for Children was founded on a legacy of generosity, innovation, and community commitment. c, an 84-year-old bachelor farmer, offered his centennial farm outside Chelsea, Michigan, as the birthplace of an agency dedicated to children without permanent families. Alongside adoption advocates and community leaders, his vision helped create a pioneering organization that challenged long-held assumptions about who was adoptable.

“His vision helped create a pioneering organization that challenged long-held assumptions about who was adoptable.”

That legacy lives on today as Spaulding continues to advance permanency and shape child welfare practice nationwide — building forever families, one child at a time.

Accomplishments

Foundation and Innovation

Laid the groundwork for special needs adoption in Michigan and shared innovative practices nationally.

Focus: Creating access where none existed

  • Pioneered special needs adoption in Michigan through partnerships with developmental disability experts and the Michigan Department of Social Services.

  • Implemented permanency planning with the State Department of Mental Health for children with developmental disabilities.

  • Opened first Detroit office in an African American church; helped launch the Kinship recruitment network and expanded foster care and post‑adoption services.

  • Expanded work in Detroit, adding specialized foster care and post-adoption services for adoptive and kinship families.

  • Awarded a federal grant to establish the National Resource Center for Special Needs Adoption (NRC).

Vintage black-and-white family portrait featuring two parents and their three children, smiling and gathered closely together outdoors.
Accomplishments

Expansion and Impact

Scaled impact through nationwide training, strengthened post-adoption support systems, and built long-term infrastructure through partnerships, accreditation, and continued federal awards.

Focus: Expanding reach through education and systems change

  • NRC trained 72,000+ professionals and parents and developed National Adoption Training Curriculum (NTDC).

  • Launched the Bandele Project in partnership with 14 African American churches to expand foster, adoptive, and kinship families.

  • Achieved full council on Accreditation Status (1999).

  • Established parent help centers in eight African American faith communities with Skillman Foundation support.

  • Trained more than 200,000 adoption and health care professionals through the Spaulding Institute.

Training lecturer speaking in a lecture hall in front of a group of people.
Accomplishments

Sustainability and Leadership

Achieved national recognition, expanded reach, and secured sustained federal investment to grow adoption and support services.

Focus: Strengthening and validating a proven model

  • Received $900,000 federal grant to develop innovative kinship adoption services.

  • Awarded $4.5 million HHS grant to develop Infant Adoption Awareness Training Program.

  • Named Crain’s Detroit Business “Best Managed Nonprofit” and awarded $10,000.

  • Partnered with the state of Michigan to launch I‑CARE 365 through a $2 million Diligent Recruitment Grant.

  • Awarded $1 million federal grant to pilot family group decision‑making model.

  • Selected to run two federally funded Quality Improvement Centers focused on Adoption & Guardianship Support & Preservation and Engaging Youth in Finding Permanency.

  • Developed a federally funded National Training and Development Curriculum for foster and adoptive parents.

  • Implemented a federally funded Nation Center for Enhanced Post-Adoption Support for all states, tribes and territories.

Trainer standing next to a white board in front of a group of people.

The Team Behind Our Work

Meet the professionals who bring our programs to life and support children and families every day.