Family Education & Support Grant

The Family Education & Support program, led by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, aims to enhance the well-being of families through educational initiatives. These programs focus on fostering healthy relationships, child development, and emotional support. Key services include a 16-week class cycle to promote positive family interactions, supervised family visits, and workshops aimed at preventing child abuse by teaching effective parenting skills. Ultimately, the program seeks to strengthen family bonds and community support.

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) promotes the well-being of children, youth, and families by responding to reports of potential abuse and neglect and, when needed providing family-centered care and connection to resources.
Short Description
The Family Education and Support program provides families with a variety of options that nurture both the parent and family through educational programs that focus on healthy family relationships, child development, support systems, social connections, family emotional support and family stability. Services will include:
An ongoing cycle of 16 week/48 hour classes to encourage/reinforce positive family interactions, strengthen families, support family reunification Supervised Family Visits, One-on-One Sessions and home visits provided before, during and after supervised visits. One-on-One sessions provided before and/or after supervised visits to encourage appropriate activities, communication, meal suggestions, etc.  Additional Family Support Workshops are held throughout the fiscal year to aid in child abuse prevention through teaching positive parenting skills to those in our community.
Objective
Services promote child safety through providing parents with child development education to assist in developing appropriate expectations for their children which reduces the risk of frustration and anger attributed to unrealistic expectations, which may also lead to child abuse or neglect. Participating parents learn to nurture themselves as well as their families by making healthy lifestyle choices in who they befriend, how they communicate, and what they put into their bodies. Clients are taught to develop support networks throughout the community and receive referrals and resources to utilize when feeling isolated, stressed, enraged or overwhelmed.

Eligibility

Government Organizations; Education Organizations; Nonprofit Organizations; Small Businesses