WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY “FAMILY SUPPORT”?

Our programs adhere to some core beliefs about families and how they can best meet the needs of their children. Family support programs affiliated with PFSA follow some general principles in their approach to working with families. A few of these are:

• The program listens to the concerns of the family and treats each family member with respect. The program designs its services with consideration for the expressed needs of the families.
• Staff and family members work together to access resources, find solutions, and build community for the family members to grow and develop.
• Family support programs are respectful of the cultural, racial and linguistic identities of the community in which they operate
• Families are encouraged to reach out to other families, and to communities in order to be part of the community building process.
• The program is flexible and responds to newly identified needs of families. Staff of family support programs advocate for services and systems which are accountable to the families served.
• The family support program provides ongoing services to families, and designs services that create both formal and informal networks of support for families. Examples of such services are support groups, parenting classes, parent/child play sessions, home visits to support parents and early childhood learning programs.

CAN PARENTS COME TO YOUR OFFICE FOR HELP?

When parents call our toll-free line we refer them to a program in their community, and we often mail parents copies of our parenting brochures (if they choose to give a name and address). Groups or classes are not held at our office. We provide training, materials and technical assistance to organizations working with parents, and mandated reporters, who help parents directly.

DO FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS REALLY HELP PREVENT CHILD ABUSE?

Yes! The most frequently cited factors in cases of child abuse ( as listed in the Department of Public Welfare's annual report) are given below. By attending a PFSA Family Support Program, the likelihood of these factors leading to abuse decreases.

• Vulnerability of the child (7%) - The Family Support Program helps to combat social isolation of parents by getting them out and socializing with other parents. This makes their children less vulnerable to abuse.
• Marginal parenting skills or knowledge (11%) - The Family Support Program assists parents in gaining better parenting skills as well as knowledge about the development of their children.
• Impaired judgment of perpetrator (20%) - Parents who attend groups get input and different perspectives from other parents in the group.
• Stress (32%) - The parents who attend the program have the opportunity to discuss their stress with other parents and get feedback from them so they know they are not the only ones who are struggling.
• Substance abuse (4%) - Parents are less likely to abuse alcohol or drugs while they are participating in a family support program. Parenting programs are a vital link to substance abuse treatment programs.
• Insufficient social or family support (4%) - The Family Support Program becomes a vital support system for parents.
• Abuse between parental figures (7%) -The group facilitator helps the family gain access to resources in the community to help combat the abuse. The support of the group is essential in helping them.
• Perpetrator abused as a child (3%) - This issue may come up during group discussions and parents have the opportunity to talk with each other about how this could affect their parenting. Family Support Programs provide referrals for counseling when needed.

(Source: 2004 Annual Report on Child Abuse, PA Department of Public Welfare)

IS “FAMILY SUPPORT” THE SAME AS “CHILD SUPPORT”?

No, when people refer to “child support” they are usually talking about financial payments made by a non-custodial parent to a custodial parent or other caretaker of a child. PFSA does not handle any type of child support issues, other than providing general information to parents, as we do on a variety of topics. For information about paying or collecting child support in Pennsylvania, contact your county Domestic Relations office or the State Child Support website at www.childsupport.state.pa.us.

WHAT SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE FOR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS?

We customize our services to meet the needs of the affiliated organization; these organizations then provide family support programs in their communities. Here are some services that our affiliates enjoy:

• Current information on issues facing the child welfare and abuse prevention community; an organized presence in state government to educate legislators about the needs of the families they serve.
• Organization of special events and awareness campaigns like the Blue Ribbon campaign for Child Abuse Prevention Month.
• A video lending library and book lending library of over 100 titles each is available to supplement the local family support program meetings and enhance learning.
• When parents are looking for help, they can access a local group by calling the state office toll-free number, where we will refer them to the program.
• Training to increase the skills of staff as group facilitators; this is provided near your office at no charge. Training for childcare staff ensures the best possible program for the whole family. Plus- special sessions of our acclaimed training for mandated reporters are scheduled “for affiliates only.”
• Technical assistance -and a variety of marketing materials to help local programs recruit new families. Monthly mailings provide meeting ideas, legislative alerts, and other resources to make the job easier.
• High quality publications- like the "Parenting Primers" and our parenting series on special topics such as parents in recovery and parents with mental illness - at reduced cost to the affiliated agency.

HOW CAN OUR ORGANIZATION JOIN PFSA?

Affiliates of PFSA are organizations that work with families in an ongoing way - for example, family centers and family preservation programs, counseling offices, and mental health programs. Child care centers, Head Start programs and early intervention services are also good affiliates for our program and specialized groups for homeless families, incarcerated parents and parents in recovery are also held in many locations. For details on affiliating, see the section of our website called “Starting a Program” in the “How to Find a Program” menu.

WHO SUPPORTS THE WORK OF PFSA?

PFSA has a number of partners in our work with local organizations - over 50 affiliates currently belong to our network. Providing financial support to the state office are: Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, Pennsylvania Children's Trust Fund, and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. We also receive program support from the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, Pennsylvania Children and Youth Administrator's Association, Sovereign Bank and Highmark. Support for our supplies and technical needs comes from T.D. Mills Promotional Products, EL Messner Print Solutions and Design Agency, Partnership of Packer, Oesterling and Smith, and Schell's Web Design.

We are also active members of several national organizations, such as the Child Welfare League of America, Family Support America, American Humane Association and the National Parent Education Network.

WHAT TRAINING DO YOU PROVIDE MANDATED REPORTERS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT?

Training is provided on how to recognize, respond to, and report child abuse and neglect. Free on-site presentations are available for education, childcare, community services and religious professionals. The training is generally offered in 3 and 6 hour workshops for groups of 20 to 50 participants. For details, check the mandated reporter section of this website or call our office and speak to the Director of Training.

HOW CAN I APPLY FOR AN INTERNSHIP OR EMPLOYMENT WITH PFSA?

We are a relatively small staff, so hiring doesn't happen on frequently. To find out about available openings, check the employment section of our website in the drop down menu “What is PFSA?” There is always a need for college and graduate level interns for special projects. Check the website or call our office for details of what we currently have to offer interns.

HOW CAN I ORDER BROCHURES, TRAINING MATERIALS OR CURRICULUM FROM PFSA?

It's easy to order our parenting brochures, “Building Your Family” curriculum and resources for mandated reporters. Affiliates should use the special order form on the affiliate page (it reflects your discounted prices); all others use the online order form. You can also call our office at 1-800-448-4906 for information. We accept checks and credit cards. Purchase orders are required for any materials requiring an invoice. All sales are final.