Family Support and Preservation
Parent Support and Education
Good Parent U
CFS presents popular parenting groups throughout NH
When they’re born, children don’t typically come with a “How to Avoid the Challenges of Raising Your Child” guide. And as of yet, we haven’t found the definitive tome on “How to Be a SuperMom or Dad,” “How to Raise the Perfect Human Being” or “How to Know How to Do Everything and Always Be Loved, Respected and Above Reproach.”
That’s why Child and Family Services of NH presents several popular parent education and support series throughout our communities. Some series focus on parenting a pre-teen, others focus on parenting your grandchildren, while others focus on the unique parenting challenges of nontraditional families. While each group may target a different population, they also serve different needs…some providing parenting skills education and others providing peer support.
Currently CFS plans to present Circle of Parents™ groups in Concord, Franklin, Goffstown, Gorham/Berlin, Keene, Nashua and Warren; Parent Education Support Groups in the North Country; and Strengthening Families groups in the Upper Valley, Lakes and Franklin regions.
Part of a national model of “sharing ideas, sharing support,” Circle of Parents™ is a series of parent-led support groups in which parents decide the topics, exchange experiences and provide emotional support to one another in a nonjudgmental atmosphere. Discussions may include anything from understanding the culture of today’s youth generation to new and effective parenting techniques. Parents are also given the opportunity to build leadership skills and be a part of a national parenting network that can carry over into their work, community and even be applied on a state and national level.
Parent Education Support Groups feature a CFS-designed program with a new topic each week facilitated by guest experts from the community. Topics typically include child development, stress management, staying healthy/nutrition, budgeting/money management, domestic violence education, substance abuse awareness, literacy, parent/child interaction, play/learn communication and accessing community resources.
Strengthening Families is a curriculum-based program, designed to help families with children ages 10 – 14 to make the transition to the teen years. Both parents and children attend these workshops, which utilize fun, skill building activities to help parents and children learn new ways of addressing family concerns. Children will learn how to face peer pressure, make better decisions, develop healthy ways of coping, increase resilience and reduce risk factors for substance abuse and other matters. The program also helps parents to stay attuned to their kids, improve family communication, learn more effective discipline techniques, understand youth behaviors, and develop positive parenting skills.
In all cases, the parenting workshops are moderated by a skilled facilitator. Groups meet weekly, are free, and childcare is provided. Refreshments and/or dinner are also included.
As each series is scheduled and weekly topics determined, updates will be posted on www.cfsnh.org.
The CFS parenting groups are funded in part by The New Hampshire Children’s Trust Fund and the Samuel P. Pardoe Foundation.
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Circle of Parents
Child and Family Services recently teamed up with Circle of Parents® a national network of parenting support groups to help parents through the trials and tribulations of parenthood.
Circle of Parents® groups are designed to encourage parent leadership and develop parenting skills in a non-judgmental and supportive atmosphere. Moderated by a skilled facilitator, the group follows the national model of “sharing ideas, sharing support” where topics of discussion can be anything related to raising kids, such as discipline techniques, school behaviors and performance, youth culture and health and safety. Parents decide the topics, lead the discussions and are involved with group decision-making. The support groups are free and childcare is provided.
As part of a national initiative, the Circle of Parents®groups benefit from free trainings for facilitators and parent leaders. In addition, Circle of Parents® provides a wealth of parent-oriented information and reference material on related topics.
Child and Family Services currently presents two support groups: one in Franklin and the other in the Berlin/Gorham area, and is looking to begin other groups throughout the state. If you are interested in training to be a facilitator, parent leader or would like to start a group in your area, contact Joan Valk at 934-4885 or through email at valkj@cfsnh.org. More information is available on the Circle of Parents web site.
Current listing of CFS Circle of Parents® series
Colebrook
Contact Person: Ann Finogle
Family Support Worker
Child and Family Services
154 Main St.
Colebrook , NH 03576
(603) 237-4884
finoglea@cfsnh.org
Franklin at the Franklin United Methodist Church
Contact Person: Joan Valk
Family Support Worker
Child and Family Services
841 Central St.
Franklin, NH 03235
(603) 934-4885
valkj@cfsnh.org
Concord at Shea Farm
(Incarcerated Mothers Group)
Contact Persons: Dorothy Whittaker, Mariela Kavanaugh
Family Support Worker
Child and Family Services
22 East Pearl Street 99 Hanover St.
Nashua, NH 03060 Manchester, NH 03105
(603) 889-7189 (800) 640-6486
whittakerd@cfsnh.org
kavanaughm@cfsnh.org
New Hampton
New Hampton Child Care Center, New Hampton
Second and fourth Monday of each month
6:00pm – 8:00pm
To register, call 744-9886
Keene at Monadnock Family Services
Contact Person: Elizabeth Raposa
Parent Outreach Coordinator
Monadnock Family Services
64 Main St
Keene, NH 03431
(603) 355-3082
eraposa@mfs.org
Laconia
Meets Wednesdays, 3pm -5pm,
at New Beginnings in Laconia.
(603)
934-4885
Manchester
Beginning March 5, 2008 (and continuing on a variable schedule)
9:15 -11:15 am
Elmwood Gardens Community Center, Trahan St., Manchester
Call 518-4371 for details
Nashua KinsCare
(Grandparent/Caregiver Group)
Contact Person: Dorothy Whittaker
Family Support Worker
Child and Family Services
22 East Pearl Street
Nashua, NH 03060
(603) 889-7189
whittakerd@cfsnh.org
Nashua
Contact Person: Kristine Holzhauser
Family Support Worker
Child and Family Services
22 East Pearl Street
Nashua, NH 03060
(603) 889-7189
Warren
Contact Person: Marilyn Jennato
Child and Family Services
99 Hanover St.
Manchester, NH 03105
(800) 640-6486, ext. 164
jennatom@cfsnh.org
The CFS Circle of Parents® groups are supported in part by New Hampshire Children’s Trust Fund.
Circle of Parents® is a trademark of Prevent Child Abuse America and is the National Network of Mutual Support and Self-Help programs in Partnership with Communities, a collaborative project of Prevent Child Abuse America and the National Family Support Roundtable.
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