What Children's Bureau does

Children's Bureau, now operating as Firefly Children and Family Alliance, is a private nonprofit social services organization headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, founded in 1851. The organization delivers a comprehensive portfolio of child welfare and family support programs across multiple Indiana locations, organized into four service categories: Strengthening Families (child abuse prevention, family preservation, adoption, and Family Resource Centers), Empowering Youth & Young Adults (foster care, older youth services, and a children's shelter), Promoting Well-Being (domestic violence services, sexual assault counseling, substance use treatment, and mental health counseling), and Child Care Development Fund administration. Services are delivered through direct in-person engagement, a centralized phone contact center, website self-service, and a community partner referral network that includes healthcare providers, schools, and other social services agencies. The organization offers multilingual support in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Burmese, Swahili, and Kinyarwanda.

The organization's revenue model is that of a traditional human-services nonprofit: services are funded primarily through government contracts (notably the Child Care Development Fund), grants, and charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations via its 'Ways to Give' program. No fees are charged for most core client services, though training and certification programs may carry fees. The legal entity is Firefly Children's Bureau / Firefly Children and Family Alliance, and the organization is independently governed with no parent company or institutional investor identified.

Operationally, Firefly serves Indiana families and children exclusively — there is no geographic expansion beyond the state. The organization employs between 101 and 250 people and is led by President and CEO Tina Cloer, CFO Mark Kern, and VP of Quality and Innovation Ericka Stiles. The technology stack is not publicly disclosed; there is no proprietary software product, mobile application, API, or AI/ML capability referenced in available materials. The organization's primary technical assets are its service-delivery infrastructure, the trainwithfirefly.org training platform, and its website/donation systems. A formal 2025-2027 Strategic Plan has been published, signaling a phase of structured organizational planning.

Name

Children's Bureau

Legal name

Firefly Children and Family Alliance

Website

https://childrensbureau.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1851

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Children's Bureau, operating as Firefly Children and Family Alliance, is an Indianapolis-based private nonprofit founded in 1851 that delivers foster care, adoption, family preservation, child abuse prevention, and behavioral health services to Indiana families and children across multiple statewide locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Welfare and Family Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Child Care Services (6244), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG), Family & Child Benefits Administration (Child Allowance, Parental Leave) (BPAIAKAD), Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH), Co-Parenting, Father Engagement & Caregiver Inclusion Programs (EDACALAI)

Keywords

• Child welfare services
• Foster care placement
• Family preservation services
• Adoption services
• Community mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Private nonprofit organization funded primarily through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization accepts donations through its 'Ways to Give' program.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Children's Bureau, operating as Firefly Children and Family Alliance, is a private nonprofit social services organization that provides child abuse prevention, family preservation, foster care placement, adoption services, and recovery-oriented counseling (domestic violence, sexual assault, substance use, mental health) to Indiana families and children. Services are delivered free of charge through multiple Indiana locations, funded primarily by charitable donations, government contracts, and grants, with multilingual support across several languages.

Product overview

Firefly Children and Family Alliance is a private nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of social service programs serving Indiana families and children. The organization operates as a multi-service agency with programs organized into four primary service categories: Strengthening Families (child abuse prevention, family preservation, adoption services), Empowering Youth & Young Adults (foster care, older youth services, children's shelter), Promoting Well-Being (domestic violence services, sexual assault counseling, substance use treatment, mental health counseling), and Child Care Development Fund support. The organization also provides community-based training programs for foster and adoptive parents and safe sleep education. Programs are delivered through multiple Indiana locations with interpretation services available in multiple languages including Spanish, Haitian Creole, Burmese, Swahili, and Kinyarwanda.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) Provides child care assistance to eligible Indiana families, helping parents maintain employment while ensuring children receive quality care. Administered under a government contract through the Child Care Development Fund.
• Community Partners for Child Safety (CPCS) Collaborative community-based program that connects Indiana families with resources and support services to ensure child safety and well-being, serving as a community entry point into Firefly's services.
• Family Preservation and Reunification Home-based services designed to keep children safely with their families, supporting parents in overcoming challenges and maintaining stable homes. Delivered as short-term, family-focused interventions.
• Adoption Services Comprehensive adoption services for Indiana families, including private adoption options, supporting prospective adoptive families through the adoption process and helping children find permanent homes.
• Family Resource Centers Community-based hubs providing Indiana families with access to resources, support groups, educational programs, and connections to local services.
• Foster Care Connects Indiana youth with safe, nurturing foster care environments and provides ongoing support to foster families throughout the placement.
• Older Youth Services Transitional services for young adults aging out of foster care in Indiana, including independent living support, housing assistance, and life skills training.
• Children's Shelter Emergency shelter services providing safe, supportive care for children and youth in crisis situations in Indiana.
• Domestic Violence Services Support services for Indiana individuals and families affected by domestic violence, including counseling, advocacy, safety planning, and shelter referrals.
• Sexual Assault Counseling and Advocacy Trauma-informed counseling and advocacy services for Indiana survivors of sexual assault, including crisis intervention and ongoing support.
• Substance Use Treatment Treatment services for Indiana individuals struggling with substance use disorders, providing counseling, therapy, and recovery support.
• Mental Health Counseling Professional counseling services for Indiana residents addressing mental health needs including trauma, anxiety, depression, and other behavioral health concerns.
• Foster and Adoptive Parent Training Community training program providing education and preparation for prospective foster and adoptive parents in Indiana, delivered through the trainwithfirefly.org platform.
• Safe Sleep Training Educational training program teaching safe sleep practices for infants to prevent sleep-related infant deaths in Indiana communities.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Community Partners for Child Safety (CPCS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity Partners for Child Safety is a key referral and delivery partner for child abuse prevention services. CPCS serves as a community-based entry point connecting families with Firefly's comprehensive services including family resource centers and child welfare programs.
• Child Care Development Fund (CCDF)coreOthersFirefly Children and Family Alliance administers Child Care Development Fund programs, which provide subsidized child care assistance to eligible Indiana families. This is a government contract relationship for service delivery.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Childhelp: Childhelp is a national nonprofit focused on child abuse prevention, treatment, and advocacy, operating residential treatment centers and the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline. Comparable to Firefly's child abuse prevention and recovery services portfolio.
• JCCA (Jewish Child Care Association): JCCA provides foster care, residential, mental health, and family support services in the New York region. Directly comparable multi-service nonprofit model combining child welfare placement with clinical and recovery services.
• KVC Health Systems: KVC Health Systems is a private nonprofit that delivers foster care, adoption, family preservation, and behavioral health services across multiple states. Like Firefly, it combines child welfare placement with in-house mental health and family stabilization programs.
• National Children's Alliance: National Children's Alliance accredits and supports Children's Advocacy Centers that coordinate multidisciplinary responses to child abuse. Operates in the same child welfare ecosystem as Firefly and shares a focus on coordinated community-based services.
• Buckner Children and Family Services: Buckner Children and Family Services operates foster care, adoption, family support, and community programs across Texas. Operates a similarly broad portfolio of child welfare and family preservation services anchored in a faith-based nonprofit structure.
• Maryvale: Maryvale is a California-based private nonprofit providing residential, mental health, and child welfare services including foster care and adoption support. Comparable multi-service nonprofit model with similar mix of child placement and behavioral health.
• Prevent Child Abuse America: Prevent Child America is the leading national nonprofit dedicated to child abuse prevention through state chapters, parent education, and advocacy. Closely aligned with Firefly's Community Partners for Child Safety and family preservation programs.
• Children's Home Society of California: Children's Home Society of California (now part of Crittenton Services) is a long-standing private nonprofit delivering adoption, foster care, and family preservation services. Closely mirrors Firefly's home-based services and adoption portfolio.

Regional players

• Aspire Indiana: Aspire Indiana is an Indiana-based nonprofit providing behavioral health, addiction, and primary care services. Geographic and service-line overlap with Firefly's mental health, substance use, and domestic violence programs in the Indiana market.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Boys & Girls Clubs of America is a national nonprofit operating youth development and after-school programs through local affiliates. Overlaps with Firefly's youth placement and family resource center work but at much larger national scale and broader youth-development focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrEmFlY1c4izh8ZG293KrPg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChildrensBureauInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fireflyindiana
• Instagraminstagram.com/fireflyindiana
• Xx.com/cb_inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Children's Bureau