Guatemalan Secretary of Social Welfare partners with Kids Alive Guatemala to strengthen foster care across the national system and expand family-based care for children
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 (MOU), signed on 12th August 2025, establishes a collaborative framework to place children in safe, nurturing foster families and to strengthen 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.
This partnership builds on Kids Alive Guatemala’s longstanding experience supporting foster families nationwide. The organisation currently provides a monthly online training programme 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.
Kids Alive Guatemala also 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 up to 7 years.
Based on this hands-on experience, the Guatemalan government has invited Kids Alive Guatemala to review and strengthen the national foster care methodology, contributing to continuous improvement at the national level.
This partnership comes at a critical time for Guatemala’s child-protection landscape. Currently, only two nongovernmental organisations support 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 to family-based or Kids Alive residential environments that 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 personalised 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 work alongside caregivers, children, and government partners, strengthening family-based care and creating pathways for children to experience safety, connection, and hope.
Reference Links
Access the local Guatemala Secretary of Social Welfare news release about this partnership by clicking here.
Posted on February 9th 2026
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