Success for Children & Families

Starts With You

Join our Mission to Empower Children, Youth and Families

Together, we can keep children safe. We can offer them permanent forever families. And whether they live with their birth family, a foster family or a foster-to-adopt family, we can wrap them in a warm blanket of kinship, kindness, and love.

A Better Way is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works in collaboration with Alameda, San Francisco, and Solano Counties to help children and parents thrive.
A mother and daughter laughing and smiling, close-up portrait against a plain background.

“The therapist was phenomenal. I would not be where I am today, and my daughter's mental health would not be where she is today if it was not for the therapist at A Better Way.”
— Client whose daughter received psychotherapy through A Better Way

An older woman with glasses and blonde hair is being kissed on each cheek by a young boy and a young girl in a park with trees in the background.

“When I started this class I had no hope and now I have my kids back. My case is closed. I have my own place. Life is great. Thanks to all of you.”
— Participant in the Parent Leadership Support Group

A smiling man with glasses and gray beard wearing a dark blue shirt stands next to a smiling woman with glasses and earrings, in a kitchen setting.

“We're still in touch with the social workers who we met through A Better Way. They're aunts and uncles to our children."
— Sheila & Andrew, who fostered then adopted five children through A Better Way

A father and son smiling during a therapy or counseling session with a therapist taking notes.

Mental Health

Working in collaboration with counties, our teams of Therapists, Family Partners and Behavioral Intervention Specialists provide Mental Health Services to some of the Bay Area’s most vulnerable children, youth and families.

A man and a young girl sharing a cuddle on a beige couch, the man with his head resting on the armrest and the girl lying on his chest, wrapped in a pink shirt and white pants.

Parent Advocacy

Our Parent Advocacy programs support Child Welfare-involved parents by matching them with members of our staff who’ve had personal, successful experience navigating Child Welfare.

A young girl giving her mother a piggyback ride outdoors in a park, both smiling and enjoying the moment.

Foster Care

We provide free training and certification for new Resource (Foster) parents, and comprehensive benefits when a child or youth is placed with you.

Happy family of four smiling outdoors in a park, holding two children, late afternoon sunlight.

Family Strengthening

Our family strengthening & parent education programs strive to improve outcomes for families at risk and help parents learn to better manage family issues. These programs are operated in partnership with Alameda County DCFS.

  • “You are always so on top of everything, just wanted you to know that this has been noticed and appreciated so much so that A Better Way was called out for excellence and was the only contracted provider who got a shout out.”

    — County Program Manager