family support program of albemarle county february, 2010

Family Support Program of Albemarle County

February, 2010


• The Family Support Program of Albemarle County is the result of a unique collaboration between local government and the schoolsystem of the County.

• Family Support is an innovative prevention and early intervention program in County elementary and middle schools that supports children’s growth and development, strengthens family alliances and promotes school success through home, school and community collaboration.


• A key feature of the program is the location of social workers employed by local government (Department of Social Services) within the County school buildings.

• Family Support was designed and developed to provide long-term solutions to increasing numbers of child abuse and neglect cases, foster care, other costly out-of-home placements and juvenile delinquency cases witnessed in the county.


• Family Support Workers address these safety concerns as well as create a bridge between home and school that opens the way for parents to feel welcome and empowered to participate in their children’s education so that the children are ready to learn and be successful in school.


• The impetus for this new program came from:

– Data that showed increasing numbers of children going into Data that showed increasing numbers of children going into foster care over a ten year period from 1988 – 1998foster care over a ten year period from 1988 – 1998

– Rising numbers of abuse and neglect complaints reported to Rising numbers of abuse and neglect complaints reported to Child Protective Services and Child Protective Services and

– Requests from the schools for help with children who Requests from the schools for help with children who presented with serious emotional/behavioral problems and presented with serious emotional/behavioral problems and extensive social services needs that impacted their learning. extensive social services needs that impacted their learning.

• The County proposed to incorporate a consortium of early intervention programs into this new initiative to provide a continuum of services to at-risk children and families from birth through the elementary grades.


• The Board of Supervisors approved a new Department of Social Services pilot program that would provide family support to at-risk children and their families in all Albemarle County School Division elementary schools at their meeting on June 17, 1998.

• Albemarle County responded to the unique and exciting opportunity to pilot an extensive prevention program, with the leadership of the Assistant County Executive, Social Services Director and the Virginia Department of Social Services.


• A team from the Department of Social Services, local government and the school division developed the program design and provided start-up policies and training.

• Family Support Workers were allocated to the Department of Social Services, which also provided fiscal, program and management oversight.

• Family Support Workers were located in the schools, and not in the Department of Social Services office, in order to be a more direct resource to children, parents and teachers.


The mission of the Family Support Program of Albemarle County is to provide prevention and intervention services that support children's growth and development, strengthen families and promote school success through home, school and community collaboration.


• Work with parents to enhance their parenting skills • Help eligible families manage crisis situations Help eligible families manage crisis situations • Work w/ families to develop effective problem-solving • Link families with community resources and assist them in Link families with community resources and assist them in

developing their own resources developing their own resources • Act as a bridge to facilitate open communication between

home and school • Support families in achieving their goals for self-Support families in achieving their goals for self-

sufficiency, i.e. completing their educational goals and sufficiency, i.e. completing their educational goals and accessing resources to locate available housing accessing resources to locate available housing

• Act as a family advocate by attending school meetings • Support Parents in meeting their child's physical, Support Parents in meeting their child's physical,

emotional, social, leisure and recreational needs emotional, social, leisure and recreational needs • Support the children in their academic achievement


Four Years of Family Support Program Outcomes:• Family Support Workers have served an average of Family Support Workers have served an average of

167 children each year167 children each year • 85% of the children received free or reduced lunch 85% of the children received free or reduced lunch

throughout the course of the programthroughout the course of the program• Of those children whose behavior was an issue, 69% Of those children whose behavior was an issue, 69%

showed improvement in their behaviorshowed improvement in their behavior• Of those children whose attendance was an issue, Of those children whose attendance was an issue,

65% showed improved school attendance65% showed improved school attendance• Of those children who were identified as having Of those children who were identified as having

academic issues, 68% showed academic academic issues, 68% showed academic improvementimprovement


Other factors:

• In FY08 87% of the children were not involved with Child Protective Services (safety and security of the children)

• In FY08 99% of the children served remained in their own homes and were not involved with the foster care system


Feedback from program participantsAnnual surveys are given to families served by the Family Support Program.

The 2008 parent survey indicated that:– 95% of the parents strongly agreed that they felt 95% of the parents strongly agreed that they felt

that their Family Support Worker gave them hopethat their Family Support Worker gave them hope – 92% strongly agreed that they benefited from the 92% strongly agreed that they benefited from the

Family Support ProgramFamily Support Program– 92% strongly agreed that they would recommend 92% strongly agreed that they would recommend

the Family Support Program to a friend, relative the Family Support Program to a friend, relative and neighborand neighbor


• Family Support Workers are located at 10 elementary and 3 middle schools


• Reduction of $190,000

• Reduction of 3.5 Positions – Remaining

• 8 Bright Stars Workers (40% BS / 60% Family Support)

• 4 “Pure” Family Support Workers• Split schools


• Realignment of resources– DSS - “Pulling back” from middle schools– Limiting follow-up to Bright Stars “alumni”– Review of data to determine allocation of

resources (i.e. CPS referrals, SES demographics, foster care trends)

– Safe Schools Grant will help compensate• 1 Full time social worker for each Middle School• Part time psychologists working in the Division

family support program of albemarle county february, 2010

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