Family Stabilization and Support

Family Stabilization Services for Asians, Cape Verdeans, and Haitians

The Family Stabilization Services provided by Catholic Charities Greater Boston works to help keep new, first, and second generation immigrant families in Boston together. Referred by the Department of Social Services, these families face not only the normal hardships of living in the urban neighborhoods of Boston – economic hardship, crime, drugs, personal and family challenges – but also added stressors including legalization issues, language barriers, and adapting to a different culture. Many of these families are reluctant to seek help in finding much needed services, need assistance and support in keeping their children safely at home, have children who are at risk of being taken out of the home, or have children who have just returned home.

Catholic Charities provides social workers with the cultural and linguistic abilities to help them. They are trained to connect with these hard to reach families and work to develop a trusting relationship with them. Regular visits are scheduled with the families, both individuals and as a group, and goals are established. Social workers help families develop stronger communication skills, set and enforce healthy and realistic limits, recognize their own strengths, and develop supports to fill in the gaps.

Family Stabilization Services are provided by Catholic Charities Greater Boston. For more information, call 617-506-6600.

Family Preservation Program

The Family Preservation Program, operated out of the Salem office, provides family-based treatment to clients referred through the Cape Ann and Lynn area offices of the Department of Social Services (DSS). The program seeks to aid families that are dealing with the risk behaviors of their school-aged children, including substance abuse, psychological disorders, and poor school performance. Therapy is provided by licensed independent clinical social workers and involves weekly individual and family therapy, usually in the clients' homes. The program has flexible appointment times, varying levels of intensity, and interventions based upon the unique needs and characteristics of the family. The Family Preservation Program operates on the philosophy that most families, even those that are chronically dysfunctional, possesses significant strengths and the desire to keep the families intact.

For more information about the Family Preservation Program of Catholic Charities North in Salem, call 978-740-6923.

Nurturing Parent Program

The Nurturing Parent Program for Parents and Children is a family-based parent education program that helps families learn a nurturing way of life. Parents and their children attend meetings together. The meetings take place once a week for 15 weeks and include dinner, family-centered activities, and separate classes for parents and children.

For more information about the Nurturing Parent Program of Catholic Charities North, call 781-593-2312.

Parent Aide Program

Catholic Charities Parent Aide Program is a home visiting program with bilingual capacity and the flexibility to meet the scheduling needs of working families including evening visits. The Parent Aide Program provides support to parents through the development of a nurturing relationship with trained volunteers or paid staff. The goals of the program are to improve parental self-esteem and insure a safe home environment for their children. Through role modeling, parent aides promote improved parenting and life skills and increase parents’ ability to deal effectively with the community.

Parent Aide Programs are provided by Merrimack Valley Catholic Charities and Catholic Charities North. For more information, call:

Merrimack Valley Catholic Charities - 978-452-1421
Catholic Charities North - 781-593-2312

Parent Support Program

The Parent Support Program of Catholic Charities South is a home visiting program that strives to improve parental self-esteem and ensure a safe home environment for children. The program provides parents with information about positive parenting techniques and the ages and stages of child development. Available community resources also are presented to families. Parent support workers provide services through role modeling, discussions, handouts, and other parenting information. Home visiting hours are flexible, and may include evenings for the family’s convenience. All referrals come from the Brockton and Plymouth area Department of Social Services.

The Parent Support Program is offered by Catholic Charities South. For more information, call 508-587-0815.