Program Overview
Children do not come with instructions and at times we can all use a little support on our road to raising great kids.
Our Parent Aide program gives parents weekly, in-home support so they are empowered and have the skills and knowledge they need to weather life’s storms and nurture and grow their children into healthy, happy, young adults.
Families participate in the program for a minimum of 6 months. This intensive, long-term relationship helps build trust and provides parents with time to learn, practice, and master new skills.
Weekly home visits with trained Parent Aides focus on improving parenting skills, enhancing problem-solving skills, developing social supports, and ensuring child safety. Parents learn non-violent parenting practices, are connected with much needed community services and increase their ability to meet their family’s basic emotional and concrete needs.
Our Parent Aide program follows the evidence-based Exchange Parent Aide model that has demonstrated successful replication since 1979 in over 80 communities across more than 28 states. The program is proven to reduce the risk for abuse and neglect and help ensure families stay intact.
Investment
The cost of serving one child in our Parent Aide Program for one year is $1400. This investment provides a family with the parent education and mentoring they need to be empowered and resilient allowing their children to grow up happy, healthy, and safe.
In 2018, 1,261 children in Palm Beach County were victims of verified child abuse and neglect. On average there are more than 1,100 children in Palm Beach County in foster care, removed from their home for their own safety. The cost of out-of-home placement is approximately $60,000 per year per child.
Parents in our community can benefit from services, like Parent Aide Mentoring, focused on prevention and interventions to support stress management and safe, nurturing parenting – all to keep families intact and ensure children are safe in their own homes. Our Parent Aide services are provided at no cost to families.