1. family and parenting

Strengthening Families: Aspiranet’s in-home programs help families
maintain close bonds
(VENTURA COUNTY, Calif.) – According to the latest Child Maltreatment report by the U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services, there were a nationally estimated 679,000 child
victims of abuse and neglect, and an estimated 1,520 children who died from mistreatment in a
single year.
Child Abuse Prevention Month in April is an opportunity to acknowledge programs that can
prevent family situations from escalating abuse and educating the public on services that
contribute to healthy families and reduce child abuse. Throughout this month, Aspiranet, one of
the largest nonprofit human services agencies in California, will highlight its Strengthening
Families Framework, an ongoing commitment to strengthen families that can lead to a reduction
in child abuse.
For more than 39 years, Aspiranet has launched innovative programs that have strengthened
families. Among these include Ventura County in-home programs: Ventura In-Home Parenting
Services, Ventura Pathways Program and Ventura Safe Care Program. Aspiranet currently
touches the lives of more than 90 children and families per week through these specialized
programs.
Program Overview:
•
•
In-Home Parent Aide Court Mandated Program: For over 15 years, Aspiranet has
provided in-home case management, resource and referral, parenting, life, and
communication skills education for family maintenance and family reunification parents
referred by Ventura County Children and Family Services Social Workers. Through a
coaching, mentoring model, Parent Aides provide teaching and support to assist families
in mitigating at-risk issues so that their child(ren) can be maintained in or returned to their
home. Therapy services are also provided to adults involved in the Child Welfare System
through our In Home Therapy Program.
Pathways: Since 2010, Aspiranet has provided Pathways services, an in-home Parent
Aide program that strives to empower families by providing information on parenting,
discipline, life and communication skills. Parent Aides develop individual plans to support
families improving their circumstances and to help families remain cohesive. Families
learn how to address their needs and how to access community resources in times of
need. The Pathways program is designed to provide assistance to families before
problems become detrimental to the stability of the home. Referrals are made through
Child Welfare Social Workers. Pathways staff use SafeCare, an evidenced-based parent
training curriculum. The curriculum targets families with children 0-8 and uses three
modules as a means to improve child safety and family stability. The modules are: 1)
Child healthcare education and basic first aid; 2) Home safety; and 3) Parent-child and
parent-infant interaction.
•
Parent as Leaders (PAL): PAL provides parent mentoring, support and leadership to
families who are navigating or at risk of entering the child welfare system. Parent partners
assigned to this have experience in the child welfare system and have maintained their
children in their home use “their own experience” as a tool to connect and inform families
on how to successfully navigate the system. Referrals may be generated through CFS
Social Workers and self referral.
Aspiranet’s Strengthening Families Framework underscores Child Welfare Information
Gateway’s Five Protective Factors to end the cycle of child abuse in children. These five factors
include: Nurturing and Attachment, Knowledge of Parenting and of Child and Youth
Development, Parental Resilience, Social Connections, and Concrete Supports for Parents.
These protective factors are critical for parents and caregivers as they provide a helpful
conceptual framework for guiding with children and their families.
“We try to build a cohesive unit,” explains Martie Miles, Ventura County District Director for
Aspiranet. “We understand the important role parents play in the cultivation of their children’s
health and well-being. We work to develop positive parenting tactics and strengthening those
relationships so that children can thrive not only scholastically, but in their interpersonal
relationships, too.”
About Aspiranet
Aspiranet, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity, supports foster children, siblings, families and the
community with 35 core programs offering specialized services throughout 45 locations within
California. Aspiranet strengthens children, families and communities through seven core
programs including: Foster Care, Adoption, Residential, Transition Age Youth, Behavioral
Health, Wraparound and Family and Community Services.
Founded 40 years ago as a six-bed group home for young boys in Moss Beach, Calif.,
Aspiranet is one of the most diverse nonprofit social service agencies in the state. With a
statewide network of innovative services, Aspiranet serves more than 10,000 families each
year. For more information, please visit www.aspiranet.org.
###
Media Contacts:
Consortium Media
Alicia Rutledge, 805-654-1564 ext. 116
[email protected]