Each April, organizations, families, and communities around the country recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The month is a time for us to come together and renew our commitment to working together to support children and families in order to prevent child abuse before it occurs.
At MSPCC, we know that strengthening families is the best approach to preventing child abuse. To that end, we are proud to provide services like Healthy Families, a voluntary and free home-based family coaching program that supports, first-time parents who are under age 23, and helps them create stable, nurturing environments for their children. The program matches parents with Home Visitors, trained professionals who provide support during pregnancy and the child’s first three years of life. Home visitors teach parents about proper baby care, promote nurturing and effective parenting skills, and offer parents a solid understanding of healthy child development. They also counsel parents on achieving personal goals related to schooling, work, and housing. By providing these key supports, help to set young families up for success and ensure these first-time parents have the tools they need to be the best parents they can be.
We’ve heard countless stories of young parents who have come to Healthy Families for assistance and are now thriving. Below are just a couple of examples of Healthy Families’ amazing impact this year.
When Diana* came to Healthy Families, she was a young mother who had been the victim of domestic violence. She did not speak English and did not have any social supports. Over the course of the year, the program helped Diana find a shelter in which she could live with her son and enroll at a high school where she learned English and earned her diploma. Diana is now in the process of moving to her own apartment and will graduate from Healthy Families next month, when her son turns three.
At 14 years old, Laura*, a first-generation immigrant, came to Healthy Families upon learning she was pregnant. Determined to do what was best for her child, she met consistently with her Home Visitor, who praised her receptiveness and commitment to learning about her son’s developmental growth. In addition to supporting her through her pregnancy and the early stages of her son’s life, Healthy Families provided her with assistance in obtaining driving lessons and a driver’s license. Now a senior in high school, Laura is a star on the soccer team, has received high honors throughout her high school career, and looks forward to enrolling in college this fall.
*Names have been changed for confidentiality purposes.
Click here to learn more about Healthy Families.