Coaltion for Nurturing Families Network

Breakfast for ChampionsNovember 1, 2011

BRAMS Hall, New Haven, CT

What is Nurturing Families Network?

Nurturing Families Network is the states’ only coordinated statewide system of home visiting. We work in partnership with parents by: Building upon their strengths Providing information and support Offering parent education Creating community connections

The Federal government has outlined seven performance measure for effective home visiting. Nurturing Families Network meets them all.

#1: Improvement in Maternal Health

Women who enter the program prenatally by at least two months have a 7% rate of low birth weight.

The CT average is 10.5%

#2: Improvement in Child Health  Our goals are to promote

healthy childhood growth and development.

98% of children in NFN had a pediatric care physician for ongoing care.

The immunization rates for two year olds in NFN are 96% compared to 66% for two year olds with a similar demographic background on Medicaid.

#3: Improvement in Child Development and School Readiness

95% of children enrolled in the Nurturing Families Network home visiting program demonstrate normal development.

This rate of 5% of possible developmental delays of Nurturing Families children is much lower than the 9.5% - 14.2% of demonstrated developmental delays or social and emotional problems in a similar population reported by The National Center for Children in Poverty.

#4: Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect  

The rate of substantiated child abuse and neglect in the high-risk families participating in Nurturing Families was ONLY 2% in 2010, compared to 20%-25% for similar high-risk families not participating in this type of program.

#5: Improvement of Parenting Skills and Behaviors

Mothers participating in the Nurturing Families Home Visiting program show statistically significant positive change in parental behaviors and attitudes.

#6: Reduction in Crime or Domestic Violence The rate of domestic violence among mothers

participating in Nurturing Families Network dropped significantly from 2.4% at program entry to 1% after one year.

The 1% of participating mothers who reported domestic violence relationship at one-year did not report such relationship at the time of program entry.

#7: Improved Coordination of Resources of Community Supports

New Haven NFN includes hospitals, non-profit agencies, community based clinics and the city’s Health Department. Together they form a tight partnership as one whole system of care, based on ongoing collaboration and coordination between the various sites and between the various components of the program.

Mothers participating in Nurturing Families made significant improvements on the Community Life Skills Scale (CLS), indicating increased knowledge on how to access community resources and reduction in social isolation.

Nurturing Connections Program Screens all first time mothers

Provides services to lower risk mothers for three to six months after child’s birth

Provides information on child development and parenting, refers parents to needed community services

Intensive Home-Visiting Services

Trained home visitors provide services for higher risk families for a maximum of 5 years

Provide parenting education using highly regarded curriculum

Develop individualized action plan with parents assess child development

Connect to community programs

Actively engage fathers

Intensive Home-Visiting Services

Develop individualized action plan with parents assess child development

Connect to community programs

A Short Story

Once upon a time there was a little girl, “Ina,” who had to kneel on rice on her bare knees when she was naughty.

Ina grew up to have a little boy of her own, “Marco.”

Ina was a young first time parent with very few resources and support.

She enrolled in Nurturing Families Home Visiting.

Her home visitor, Maribel, would come to her house every week until Marco went to Kindergarten.

One day when Marco was about 18 months old and being very busy exploring his world and testing his mother’s limits, as toddlers do, Maribel went to their home for a visit.

A box of rice was sitting on the table.

Marco was upset and crying.

Ina was frustrated and angry.

When Maribel left…

the rice was in the pantry cupboard,

Ina and Marco were reading a book together, and

Marco had a special place where he could sit and take a time out from misbehaving.

Nurturing Fathering Program

Children who have a nurturing and involved father are likely to be happy, have good social skills, do well in school and be more likely to avoid high-risk behaviors.

Outreach to fathers in the community Home visiting for first-time fathers Fathers groups for all fathers, regardless of their

children’s ages In 2010, Nurturing Families programs in New Haven

provided gender-specific home visiting and group services to fifty fathers.

Nurturing Parenting Groups

Are facilitated using a variety of evidence based curricula. The type of group is determined by the community needs and interest.

Nurturing Group for children also offered