Current Programs- Parent Aide Program
- Right From the Start
- Teen Voices – Teen Choices
- Parenting Classes
- Parenting Seminars
- Clothing Closet
- Garage—Home Furnishings
- Diapers, Formula
The Parent Aide Program is a volunteer driven service that had its beginnings in Washington County in 1983. It is providing parent aides who interact in the homes of at risk of abuse, or where abuse has already occurred. The supportive relationship between the volunteer parent aide and the client families helps to break the abusive cycle. They provide appropriate mentoring along with role modeling of safe, nurturing parenting that most abusive parents have not experienced. This intervention helps clients cope more constructively with the pressures, stresses and frustrations of parenting. Parent aides are recruited, trained and supervised by the professional staff at the Parent-Child Center. They receive intensive training and receive ongoing supervision by the professional staff via individual conferences and monthly group meetings. Parent Aides are expected to make a minimum of four visits to client families in any given month to establish an effective relationship for affecting change and observing that abusive behavior does not occur. They are a valuable supplement to the various professional services addressing child abuse such as; medical, psychiatric, social service and mental health. The health professionals in these fields are limited to the amount of time they can devote to any given family. On the other hand parent aides are able to offer extended hours supporting the family in the very setting they have the greatest need—their home.
The Right From the Start Program specifically targets teen parents with the support they need to develop healthier family lives so that both they and their children may become successful and productive members of the community. Volunteer parent aides meet with teen parents at least four hours per week providing mentoring and guidance to the family from the baby’s birth till their first birthday. They assist the teens in developing safe and appropriate parenting skills, communication and decisions making.
The Teen Voices – Teen Choices Program enlist the services of teenage parents trained by the center staff in community outreach.
They take the message to the youth in Washington County of how an unplanned pregnancy has changed every aspect of their lives.
Parenting Classes are held every Tuesday from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Registration is not required to attend and admission is free.
Active Parenting Now (8 weeks long) addressing the following topics:
- Parenting in the Twenty-First Century: What’s your style and how does it influence your child?
- Communication and cooperation
- Effective discipline—how to raise a responsible child
- Sidestepping the power struggle—redirecting your child’s misbehavior
- Building character, courage and self-esteem in your child
- The magic of family meetings—teaching problem-solving and positive values
- First years last forever
- Child care
I Am Your Child (6 weeks long) focusing on parents of children ages 0 to 5 years with the following topics:
- First years last forever
- Discipline—teaching limits with love
- Your healthy baby
- Safe from the start
- Ready to learn
- Quality child care—making the right choice for you and your child
Parenting Seminars covering the following topics
- Anger management
- Stress management
- Conflict management
- Take time out to be a better parent
- Parents of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Solutions for parents of teenagers
- Single parent families
- Children’s Domestic Violence program
- Workshop for divorcing parents
- Nutrition and cooking classes
- Personal and family goals
- Trust
- Money and budgets
- Shaken Baby Syndrome
The Clothing Closet is a handy resource for a variety of serviceable clothing available to meet the needs of Parent-Child Center clients and the general public.
The Garage—Home Furnishings program provides a convenient storage space for donated furnishings making available household items needed to setup housekeeping on a limited family budget.
The Diapers, Formula program provides these items to families on limited budgets so that they are not forced to do without these critical baby care items in order to meet other household expenses. Contented babies are less likely to add stress to the challenges of parenting to an infant.