What happens when the system that claims to protect children tears families apart?

HERE FOR THE KIDS is an independent feature documentary film for anyone who assumed child protection was simple and benevolent, or that families in crisis must be broken apart to protect the children.

Every year in America, nearly two million families are investigated by Child Protective Services – investigations that disproportionately impact low income, Black and Indigenous families – and most investigations find no evidence of abuse. While there are clearly cases where intervention and separation are necessary to protect children in dangerous situations, 2/3 of cases are actually about neglect, which can be a code word for poverty, while funding from the system is focused on separation, rather than supporting families in need. Even for families who are not separated, the impact of being investigated – home inspections, court visits and meetings that require time off work – put an extra burden and stress on families that are already struggling, and can inflict lasting trauma.

The film follows director Josh Sabey and his family’s harrowing interactions with Child Protective Services, and explores the history and current state of Child Welfare and Foster Care in the United States. This film ignites a conversation that includes everyone – and urges the audience to imagine something better together.

We are currently building our community of supporters and partners, and fundraising for our scheduled production period this year.

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