Children's Trust

Family support programs:(1) parenting education: community-based organizations receive funding from Children's Trust, Inc. to provide educational programs for parents. Parenting education programs, led by family support professionals, give parents opportunities to connect with other parents, and to gain more knowledge, skills and confidence. Revenue raised by Children's Trust Inc. augments the government sector funding received by the Children's Trust, which increases the number of parents who are able to access these services. (2) one tough job (otj): Children's Trust funds and manages the award-winning parenting information website. Onetouchjob.org provides immediate access to practical information for parents and caregivers with questions about raising children of all ages. The site is available in both english and spanish. (3) Massachusetts family centers (mfcs): family centers located across the state provide a wide range of services to parents with children age six and under. Mfcs offer parent-child activities, parenting education programs and referrals to a wide range of local services to help families thrive and become productive members of their communities. Children's Trust funds and manages mfcs in multiple communities across Massachusetts

Family support training center: family support providers throughout Massachusetts rely on the 'family support training center' to enhance their skills and to broaden their base of knowledge. Children's Trust Inc. Helps to fund a variety of training opportunities and a resource library with access to the latest research, curricula and other materials to help professionals stay on the cutting edge of the field. Training opportunities, funded in part by Children's Trust Inc., include the following programs. (1)the strengthening families protective factors framework: this is an evidence-based approach that identifies five protective factors that, when present and robust in the lives of families, help prevent child abuse and neglect plus promote the healthy growth and development of children. Participants gain in-depth knowledge and skills in using this framework to support families through all programs serving families. (2)fatherhood initiative: when fathers are actively involved with their children, the whole family wins. The goal of the 'fatherhood initiative' is to advance activities that support fathers within their families and to help the professionals who work with them do the same. (3)abusive head trauma: together with physicians and child trauma experts the Children's Trust of Massachusetts developed "babies cry: have a plan", a program that provides skills and tools to family support professionals who work with families to prevent incidents of abusive head trauma. Children's Trust also launched "all babies cry", an evidence-based multi-media program that educates new parents on practical strategies for soothing infants and managing stress. Revenue raised by Children's Trust, Inc. augments the government sector funding received by the Children's Trust, which increases the number of parents and professionals who are able to access these services. (4)"the view from all sides" conference: this annual conference for family support and early education professionals is funded, in part, by Children's Trust Inc. Presentations and workshops at the conference include in-depth examinations of cutting-edge research and promising practices in family support and parenting education.

Healthy families Massachusetts (hfm): hfm is a nationally accredited statewide newborn home visiting program for first-time parents under age 21. The evaluation component of the hfm program, conducted by tufts university, is funded, in part, by Children's Trust. A rigorous randomized control trial conducted by tufts shows that the program is lowering parents' risky behaviors and Children's exposure to traumatic events. The program is also lowering participants' parenting stress and showing better health outcomes for the most vulnerable parents and babies. Hfm also significantly increases educational achievement among participants and promotes co-parenting relationships that actively involve fathers. Parents enrolled in the hfm program have access to stronger connections to healthcare and other community services and are significantly more likely to stay in school.