For Families

Welcome to Hopecam.

We know this is a difficult time for you and your child. Hopecam’s goal is to help alleviate the stress that isolation and illness can place on a homebound child. Socializing has a huge impact on the well being and spirit of a child who is sick. We hope that Hopecam will help your child during this unpredictable time, as we have helped hundreds of other children stay connected to their friends, family and classmates.

Below are helpful instructions for getting your child connected with Hopecam. You will also find a list of Frequently Asked Questions and tips for an easy connection.

Submit a Referral

To begin, you, or your child’s social worker, guidance counselor or Child Life specialist, will need to fill out a referral form. You can find a link here to submit an electronic sheet or email program@hopecam.org for a PDF version.

Once your referral form has been received, we will contact you within one week. If you are not contacted after a week, please email program@hopecam.org or call 703-620-2555 x101.

Initial Contact

We will contact you to discuss your child’s technology needs and talk about the Hopecam program. We’ll go over basic questions, such as: Do you have high-speed internet in the home? Does your child have access to a computer on a regular basis? How long will your child be homebound?

We will get your child set up with the right equipment and technology. You will have to create a Skype account (which requires an email address). Our computers come installed with Skype. Skype is free, easy to use and available for download here.

Connecting with School

Once your child is all set with their equipment, we work with the school to introduce them to Hopecam and get them on board. It is often helpful if you have given the guidance counselor, principal or teacher a heads up about Hopecam.

Generally, schools can use their own computers for Hopecam and we provide the webcam. In special circumstances, we lend the school a laptop, which they must return at the end of the school year.

We work with administrators, teachers, guidance counselors and tech staff to set up Hopecam in your child’s classroom. This process takes anywhere from one week to two months, depending on circumstances.

The Connection

Once the school is set up with a web camera and Skype, we let the family and the teacher agree on a schedule and style of a connection (SEE BELOW FOR TIPS FOR A GOOD CONNECTION). We always recommend a test call be done first between the teacher and the child before inviting the rest of the class in on the call.

Teachers have a lot going on in their classrooms, and Hopecam is one more thing that we ask teachers to take on. We ask that you remember that the teacher, or staff member, is doing Hopecam voluntarily because they understand the impact it can have on a homebound child.

Hopecam staff is happy to help with setting up equipment, supplying equipment and figuring out a schedule.

Keep in touch with your child’s teacher using email and let them know ahead of time if you have to cancel a connection.

Keep us Posted

We love to get pictures of our Hopecam kids! Send us photos of your child with their laptop and send us updates on their progress. We’ll post it on our website or Facebook page. Your child is an inspiration to others!

After Homebound

Once your child returns to school full-time, we ask that you return the equipment to Hopecam, so that other homebound children can use it. This keeps our costs low and increases the number of kids we can help.

Help us spread the word! Share your story with the media, Facebook, our newsletter and blogs to help us get the word out about Hopecam. Tell your school board, school nurses and homebound coordinators about the impact Hopecam had on your child.

Tips for a Successful Connection

1. The teacher must initiate the call.

2. Arrange the call so it is during a convenient time for both you and the teacher. We have some suggestions for times that work for others: 

• For elementary schools, we recommend connecting during the morning meeting or morning announcements.
• Pick your child's favorite subject and connect during that class time, so your child can watch the class in action.
• Set up the web camera in a classroom/counselor's office/library/etc., where students can go at designated times for individual connections.
• Connect during recess or study hall in a supervised environment.
• Some classrooms set the webcam up as a station and friends can visit during specified times.
• A teacher or administrator hosts a “Skype lunch,” with students lining up to talk with the child individually or in small groups.

3. Please understand that this is a voluntary program for schools and they participate because of the joy and benefits it brings your child. We have to respect their boundaries, schedules and classroom rules.

4. Start small. We ask schools to connect at least once a week. Many connect more than this, and some connect once a day. Start small, with a few short calls, and slowly add more time and more connections.

5. Always do a test call with the school first.

6. Use email to communicate with a teacher, and give them ample warning if you will or will not be connecting on a specific day.

7. Use the mute button if you are in a noisy space, so you can hear the class but they don’t hear the background noise.

Meet a Hopecam Child!

Niki Harizi

During the long months when Niki was homebound, he used his laptop to write letters back and forth to his friends.