The Racine County Family Resource Network coordinates and expands collaborative services for families with children age 3 and younger and families facing challenges. The network will expand evidence-based home visitation services as well as establish Family Team Meetings as a core community practice.

All services are voluntary and free. The Racine County Family Resource Network is made possible by the Children's Trust Fund. Services are coordinated by Children's Wisconsin Community Services, Next Generation Now, Racine County Human Services Department and United Way of Racine County.

Network

The network is a virtual family resource center with the Network Coordinator serving as the primary point of contact. The Network Coordinator creates a partnership with families and direct service providers by helping them find and use community resources. The partnership also provides direct service with the most detailed and current information regarding community program information and eligibility for community referrals for their most vulnerable families.

Families and service providers also may participate in network provider meetings. These meetings are direct connections to community resources that already provide their service of expertise for families with young children. You will:

• Learn about community resources
• Connect and share ideas with other parents and direct service providers
• Discover new ways to address service gaps
• Learn about new trainings and conferences
• Celebrate family success

The Network also uses Family Teaming to help families. That's a planning process that brings people together to make families stronger. Families work with the Network Coordinator, a trained facilitator, to choose people in the family's life to form a "team" and helps the family work with their team to develop and take action on a family plan.

Community Response Program

The Community Response Program is a voluntary program for families who have been reported to Child Protective Services for possible abuse or neglect, and have been screened out at the initial assessment but have requested additional services. The target population is families with children under the age of three. The Community Resource Specialist connects families to the services they need by developing an individual family plan tailored to their strengths and needs. The Community Resource Specialist will:

Help identify and build on family strengths

• Identify family concerns and sources of support for goal setting
• Provide help and support as goals and needs change
• Support the development of the child(ren)
• Strengthen parenting skills so each parent can be the best parent possible
• Help families connect with long term community resources

Families must be referred by Racine County Child Protective Services.

Home Visiting

Home Visiting is a voluntary, in-home parenting support and education program using the Parents As Teachers (PAT) curriculum. Home Visiting is designed to provide parents of young children with the tools they need to perform their role as a child's earliest and most important teachers. The Home Visitor will work together with families to determine goals, locate, and access resources and build on the family's unique strengths.

Home Visiting works with families who are either expecting a child and/or have at least one child under the age of three in the home. Home visiting provides in-home visits and activities most often beginning at one visit per week.

Three areas of emphasis families and home visitors will focus together on are:

• Parent-child interaction
• Development-centered parenting
• Family well-being

Parenting groups

The RCFRN offers three different types of parenting groups located at Next Generation Now.

Positive Solutions

Positive Solutions is a six-week class that focuses on helping parents of preschoolers. The classes focus on building positive relationships with children, determining the meaning behind challenging behaviors, understanding age-appropriate limits and expectations, and learning positive discipline techniques.

Parents Interacting With Infants (PIWI)

PIWI is a structured play group that focuses on helping parents with children under the age of three. The classes focus on building positive relationships with children, responding to emotions, and understanding the importance of play for child learning.

Parent Support Group

Parent Support Groups are designed for parents, lead by parents and co-facilitated by staff. The group focuses on various topics that parents are interested in. Parents are encouraged to offer ideas, support one another and provide feedback for future group topics.