Sisters Launch “Every Child Supported” to Offer In-Home Family Coaching in Santa Barbara

Recognizing a critical gap in local services, sisters Valerie Edelheit and Sonia Rifkind have launched Every Child Supported, a new consulting service offering in-home, practical support for Santa Barbara families and educators. 

The business aims to provide tailored strategies for a variety of family stages: those navigating a new neurodivergence diagnosis, feeling challenged by a particular season of parenting, or finding themselves aged out of county services.

The venture was inspired by a combination of professional insight and personal experience. Sonia Rifkind, a Child Development Specialist, saw the need consistently in her work, while Valerie Edelheit experienced it firsthand as a parent of a child requiring additional support.

“We recognized a significant gap in the support available to families,” Edelheit stated. “Santa Barbara has many talented practitioners, but we saw almost no professionals who go into families’ homes and daily environments to truly understand their family systems.”

Every Child Supported directly addresses this by bringing expert guidance into the home, a setting where they believe the most meaningful change can occur. “Children often present differently in a clinic than they do at home,” Rifkind explained. “Our goal is to support families where it matters most: in their everyday environments.”

The sister-duo brings a complementary blend of expertise to the company. Rifkind holds a Master of Science in Education and has over 15 years of experience in educational and developmental settings, including special education and early intervention. She leads the in-home consultations, drawing from evidence-based frameworks like Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and attachment theory.

Edelheit, who holds a Master of Science in Public Health, manages program design and operations. Her background in administration and systems development ensures that the company’s services are high-quality, research-informed, and structured to deliver compassionate, effective support.

A typical family engagement begins with a phone intake to establish goals, followed by an in-home observation where Rifkind assesses family routines, interactions, and environmental factors. She provides immediate strategies, followed by a separate, in-depth meeting with parents to discuss recommendations. The initial package also includes a month of email support for troubleshooting.

“Many families begin feeling overwhelmed,” Rifkind stated. “We start by focusing on regulation and co-regulation… families consistently report reduced stress, smoother routines, and a sense of relief once challenges are broken into manageable steps.”

In addition to family coaching, Every Child Supported offers tailored workshops for educators. These trainings focus on practical, relationship-based classroom management, communication strategies, and creating neurodiversity-affirming environments to help teachers support an increasingly diverse student population.

What ultimately sets the service apart is its dual perspective. “We’ve been on both sides of the support relationship—professionally and personally. We know firsthand how transformative it can be when families feel understood and guided,” said Edelheit.

Every Child Supported offers a variety of packages and a needs-based sliding scale to ensure their services are accessible. The company is currently serving the Santa Barbara area. Quick tips and strategies are also available on their Instagram page @everychildsupported.

For more information, visit www.everychildsupported.com.