For the last half-century, Safe & Sound has supported children and families—committed to our mission to prevent and reduce the impact of childhood abuse, neglect, and trauma. We do this by strengthening families, building communities, and advancing healing, equity, and justice.
Safe & Sound’s story began in 1973, when we were founded as the San Francisco Child Abuse Council by Dr. Moses Grossman—a bold response to a growing need for child protection in our city. What started as a small but determined council of advocates has grown into a leading organization committed to preventing and healing childhood trauma. Over the past five decades, we’ve expanded our services, deepened our expertise, and strengthened our resolve to ensure that every child grows up safe, supported, and loved.
Safe & Sound’s programming has achieved remarkable results—reaching over 200,000 individuals in the last 20 years alone, and creating systems-change, contributing to a 64% reduction in the rate of child abuse and a 51% reduction in entries into foster care in San Francisco.
Reaching over 12,000 caregivers and children annually, Safe & Sound is unique in its coordinated, multi-generational approach that spans the entire spectrum of prevention.
Through a combination of direct service, cross-sector partnership, research, and advocacy, Safe & Sound is leading a transformation toward a future where every family has the support they need to thrive, long before crises occur.
We continue to make an impact, locally, state-wide and nationally year-on-year. You can read more about our latest impact statistics and our reflections on the past year in our Annual Report.
Safe & Sound has a proven track record of strengthening family wellness and preventing childhood trauma. Typically among families receiving direct services, over 90% report reduced stress and increased capacity to meet their children’s needs—two key Protective Factors against child maltreatment. On average, 80% of families receiving our integrated family services report improvement in Protective Factors critical to child wellness, including social connections, concrete supports, and parental resilience.
Independent evaluations have affirmed our impact. A 2022 evaluation of our Prevention & Diversion program found that 85% of families referred to services through our community response system were able to avoid entry into the formal child welfare system, demonstrating the power of early, voluntary support to keep families safely together. These outcomes reflect not just numbers, but real lives changed—families who feel more supported, children who experience fewer disruptions, and communities that are safer and stronger.
We share stories of our impact via our blog so that our community can understand more about the programs and services we offer and the children and families that participate in them.
Since 2010, Safe & Sound has engaged almost 120,000 SFUSD teachers, students, and caregivers, to build families’ resiliency. In a typical year, after receiving community education trainings, 95% of teachers will report that students were given tools to keep themselves safe, and 90% of adults will report they are more likely to act if abuse is suspected.
Safe & Sound is part of a national movement to advance the reinvention of our nation’s child welfare system into one that supports and uplifts families. Safe & Sound works to advance local and state policy solutions—informed by our practice and expertise—that positively impact outcomes for children, families, and communities. Safe & Sound harnesses the power of collaboration through key coalitions and partnerships including the City and County of San Francisco, the Child Welfare Council, and the US Department of Health and Human Services. Through these collaborations, we bring together key stakeholders and create linkages between public systems and family support organizations that foster policy and practice change related to the reduction of childhood abuse, neglect, and trauma.
“I wish every struggling parent could have an advocate—to elevate their voice and connect them to supports and services—before the system takes over.”
Family Advisory Board Member for Toxic Stress Network Improvement Collaborative (TONIC)
In September 2024, Safe & Sound concluded our three-year Trauma-Informed ACEs Screening & Intervention Evaluation project, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration, to support ACEs screening and interventions in primary care settings across the country. This work was built upon our recognized leadership in childhood trauma prevention, and engaged 384 providers in 46 diverse pediatric practices to implement a scalable model for integrating ACEs screening and strengths-based, trauma-informed services into primary care practices. Screening 7,555 patients nationwide, TASIE ensured families receive the support they need to prevent and mitigate the long-term impacts of childhood trauma and toxic stress.