Tagged With "families"

By Sarah Ovaska-Few, North Carolina Health News, September 24, 2019 North Carolina could use more people like Lisa Link, as the state grapples with record numbers of children entering and staying in the already stretched foster care system. Link, an auto broker and owner of a small used-car lot in Charlotte, opted five years ago to become a foster parent after years of helping with family members’ children. She was single, in her early 40s, and wanted to help children coming out of difficult...

Millions of lives have been affected in unprecedented ways by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). We are all grappling with uncertainty—our daily routines interrupted, not knowing what is to come. For those of us who have Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), these times can be particularly distressing. At the Center for Youth Wellness (CYW), we know that childhood trauma can have a significant impact on an individual’s health and well-being – both physiologically and psychologically. Since the...

By Sarah Ovaska, North Carolina Health News, April 28, 2020 The spread of the novel coronavirus has meant an unprecedented retreat from our everyday lives – schools unexpectedly shut down, restaurants closed, and many jobs suddenly disappeared. Children as a whole seem to be avoiding the more serious health effects of COVID-19. But that doesn’t mean they are all safe. The closure of public schools and some child care facilities means some vulnerable children could be staying in homes that...

Health can be significantly inconsistent between individuals and populations. Variables called the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) assist in understanding the range of factors that affect a person’s overall well-being. SDoH are defined by the World Health Organization as “the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age.” These environments are mostly shaped by the distribution of money, power and resources and have substantial impact on education, occupation, policies,...

Thanks so much for posting, Sharon!

The Kiwanis Park in Hampstead was alive with family fun with the help of the Trillium One Connection department on Saturday, June 19th. "This event was for kids of all ages and all abilities, at it was held at our wonderful inclusive playground. We heard many comments from community partners about how much fun it was! "It was great to see co-workers we hadn't seen in 18 months, to see friends in the community, and all the children have fun and enjoy themselves. I was proud that Trillium...

Launched in March 2023, the North Carolina Family Resource Center Network is a statewide chapter of the National Family Support Network that seeks to connect Family Resource Centers from across North Carolina to both increase investments and promote best practice in family support services through advocacy and collaboration. The NC FRC Network is committed to improving child and family well-being in communities across the state. To date, the network has engaged with more than 30 Family...

By Melissa Clepper-Faith, Prevent Child Abuse NC Policy Director October 26, 2023 It’s a near-universal experience; instead of the cherubic Gerber baby, peacefully sleeping in her crib while parents get their well-deserved rest, you have a wrinkly, red-faced newborn who screams, cries and fusses every night for weeks. Dr. Sarah Verbiest, the Director of the  Center for Maternal and Infant Health  (CMIH) in the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill describes...

“YES!” was the response of Gaile Osborne, executive director of Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina (FFANC), when asked for input on a new program to help foster and kinship care families learn how to support the brain development of young children. “I love these Brain Insights materials. How soon can we start?” said Osborne upon receiving the "The First 60 Days ” booklet on myths about newborns and their caregivers and the eight “ Neuro-Nurturing ” ringed books. The materials delivered...

Great post, LouMecia! Thank you! Carey

By Sharon Hirsch, Prevent Child Abuse NC President & CEO What a paradox — NC is among the best states in which to do business in the country — and the worst to be a working parent . Perhaps we need to recalibrate our metrics for how we analyze what is “best” for business. It’s hard to recruit employees to work and move to the Tar Heel State if we make it hard to raise our children. We need to change the narrative about how policies, systems and employers support families! NC is the 5 th...

Did you know? February is also Family Support Awareness Month! Check out this virtual Family Engagement and Leadership Series in collaboration with Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina (PCANC) and the North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC)! To register, click here: Meeting Registration - Zoom .