About Childhood Begins At Home

”There’s no magic bullet to changing the adverse circumstances far too many of our children live in. More and more children are being born to parents suffering from substance use disorders or living in families that are just struggling to make ends meet. Home visiting programs provide families with the supports, skills and confidence they need to be successful. Families benefiting from these programs are better equipped to provide a home environment that is conducive to the child’s healthy and safe development.“

”I was recommended to sign up with Nurse Family Partnership and was told that a nurse would be helping me until my child was two. Kendra was chosen to be my nurse, and almost right away, she began explaining each month of my pregnancy to myself and my husband at the time, and we felt very comfortable with the information she provided.“

”Ask any district attorney what cases they remember and continue to haunt them, and you will likely hear a story about child abuse. Last year, more than 5,000 children in Pennsylvania were placed in foster care because of parental substance abuse. These numbers are going up each year, in part, because of the opioid crisis. We can’t simply police or prosecute our way to safe families and communities. We need to do more to support families that are struggling to raise their children, even when they may be fighting substance use disorders.“

”A mother’s physical, emotional and mental health prior to pregnancy and birth play a crucial role in determining the outcome of a pregnancy and that child’s subsequent development. For young mothers, evidence-based home visiting can help ensure they get the proper care they need. In home visits, nurses and other trained professionals engage with a pregnant woman or mother, as well as her partner and other family members, educating them on the importance of regular well-child visits and helping parents to understand the important role that they themselves play in their child’s development.“

”As law enforcement officials, my colleagues and I are certainly tough on crime, but we also know that we can’t arrest and prosecute our way out of the crime problem. We need to be proactive and help at-risk families and children with proven supports. Much of what we deal with every day can be traced to inadequate parenting and home lives. I’m certainly not making excuses for those who commit crimes, but these are certainly factors that lead to poor choices with consequences that can forever change their lives and the lives of their victims and loved ones.“

”The research is clear: Home visiting services can reap strong rewards, and that's why we must increase public funding to support these programs. Ask anyone who has ever been a parent and you will hear that parenting is the most rewarding, but also the most challenging job he or she ever had. Many parents benefit from strong family supports and adequate resources. However, for some parents, especially those who are young and of modest means, parenthood is more complicated. Home visiting helps by reducing child abuse and neglect and improving family health, education and economic security.“

”As a working parent with young children, the enormous responsibility, mental load, and physical exhaustion are very real. While I am fortunate to have a support network, I am also aware that many families face additional challenges such as poverty, mental health diagnoses, and substance abuse. Evidenced-based home visiting provides an opportunity for parents to learn from a trained and knowledgeable family coach who can support the health and well-being of the caregiver and child. The research is clear that investing in families during this critical time of early childhood reaps returns for future generations.“

”I like that my home visitor is so in tune and honest and straight forward. She encourages me and listens to my concerns. I can be me and not worry about being judged.“

”Children don't arrive with instruction manuals, but parents can learn to be confident in their child rearing practices with the support of family, friends and community services. Pennsylvania's 55 Parents as Teachers (PAT) home visiting programs work closely with families to build trusting relationships that address critical parenting behaviors and promote protective factors that support optimal child development. Many PAT families are young parents, face poverty and/or have other challenges that the certified parent educators help them navigate. Parents as Teachers, a family-centered, results-driven approach is a cost-effective solution for families in Pennsylvania.“