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4/27/2020 0 Comments We are the trusted messengersIt is up to the front line family-serving professionals to take two extra minutes with everyone we come in contact with to talk about how to take care of ourselves during this COVID-19 pandemic. Toward that end, the Partnership for Thriving Families has created a few key messages for strengthening families during the COVID-19 pandemic to give you the words to share with your communities. KEY MESSAGES FOR STRENGTHENING FAMILIES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC  Communities build resilience by increasing connections between people & organizations to help families’ weather storms. Everyone needs to support families right now by doing the following:
There are many prevention programs and volunteers pulling together to help families during this challenging time. Families can turn to family resource centers and 211 to get connected to resources offered by community-based nonprofits and government agencies alike. It is critical that all families have equal access to help getting through this time. Everyone deserves a chance to thrive, and each of us can play a role in helping families that are struggling, especially now. Connecting families to resources they need and information to support children’s development can be the difference between them struggling and stabilizing to thrive. As Colorado moves to a Safer at Home Order and as we continue to practice physical distancing, social support has never been more important to families because isolation and economic stress increase risks for child maltreatment and family violence. We know this can pose many challenges for all Coloradans. Colorado has created a Stay At Home CO Guide full of free resources, support, and activities to help you, your family, and your loved ones during this time at stayathomeco.colorado.gov
Healthy brain development is a building process that begins before we are born. When children experience toxic stress their brain is physically changed, requiring significant, costly support from communities to heal and grow up to become that healthy thriving adults who are our future neighbors, employees and leaders of tomorrow. We must prevent child abuse right now or the costs of COVID-19 will significantly increase. There are still ways to build protective factors that are known to mitigate those risks and strengthen families. That is how we work together to prevent child maltreatment. That means increasing five things known to strengthen families. KEY MESSAGES TO SHARE WITH PARENTS & CAREGIVERS 1. Parental Resilience Right now, stress is HIGH. You’ve likely felt a little short-temper, yelled or not been your best-self at moments. Everyone needs to practice self-care right now, especially parents. Take care of yourself, to take care of your kids. Share a mindfulness or stress management tip, encourage others parents to give themselves permission to not be perfect. 2. Social Connections Right now, while everyone is encouraged to physically distance ourselves from each other, that doesn’t mean we need to socially isolate from one another. In fact, we need to connect more with one another to share support, tips, advice or just talk. Share your REAL experiences, advice, a laugh or cry with one another. There are many ways to connect online, pick up the phone and talk to each other, or get outside to sing, dance or share a long-distance conversation. 3. Concrete Supports in Times of Need Right now, we need to ensure that we all have what we need to be well - regardless of how we earn a living or how much we make. People already pushed to the brink by low wages and high housing costs will be most affected by this virus and an economic slowdown. This is the time to live up to our ideal of justice for all. Share tips, resources and stories about programs that have helped you get through tough times. Hearing stories and recommendations from other parents who have accessed support can have an incredible impact. 4. Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development Right now, many parents are trying to make sure online learning is happening at home or just navigating the normal journey through parenthood from early childhood developmental milestones to survival strategies for raising teens, and everything in between. Share tips, resources and activities on parenting and child development. 5. Social & Emotional Competence of Children Right now, children of all ages are feeling a lot of emotions. A strong social and emotional foundation in early childhood powerfully impacts children’s later positive attitudes and behaviors, academic performance, career path, and adult health outcomes. Many kids are grieving over the loss of their regular routine and missing their friends or even major milestones like graduation or prom for the Class of 2020. Share tips, activities on building social & emotional competence of children and try to model what good social and emotional skills look like. Children mirror the behaviors of the adults around them. When families, organizations and communities focus on building these five protective factors, we can effectively prevent child abuse and keep families strong during this COVID-19 pandemic. Want more communications tools?
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 Nearly 150 professionals from across Colorado joined together on April 21st for the third in a series of conversations on Keeping Families Strong during COVID-19. Please find information on the next conversation as well as a meeting summary and notes from this week’s call below. Upcoming Conversation on Keeping Families Strong during COVID-19 Join us to share and learn from others about adaptations, resources, and ongoing needs for strengthening families during these unprecedented times. Tuesday, May 5th 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Register HERE in advance to receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Town Hall ON KEEPING FAMILIES STRONG DURING COVID-19 |
CONVERSATION ON KEEPING FAMILIES STRONG DURING COVID-19 |
Across the state, people from many organizations and professions who do family strengthening work continue to adapt their responses to strengthen families during these unprecedented times. From this conversation four themes emerged:
Communities are innovating to ensure families have what they need. From drive-thru food pantries to tele-home visits to virtual dance clubs, folks across the field are employing creativity to provide concrete resources and social connections to children, parents, and families. To get inspired by your peers, explore our notes!
While we’ve made some progress, concrete supports remain urgent not only for families but also for service providers. With plans in place to increase distribution of diapers, formula, and wipes, we’re hopeful. However in addition to the needs of families we identified last call, participants shared that families who are experiencing loss also need resources to cover funeral costs. Finding housing and food resources for families who are experiencing homelessness is especially difficult. Additionally, food pantries, child care providers, and others continue to be in need of gloves, masks, and cleaning supplies.
Internet challenges persist. Rural and frontier communities continue to face additional barriers to services and social connections as many programs and social relationships switch to online.
We all have a role to play--professionally and personally--to build social connections in our communities. Whether it’s finding new ways to virtually check in with families we serve, connecting with our peers and workforce, or developing new initiatives to build social connections between parents, we all can continue to proactively foster and build relationships.
Please use what's meaningful to you from this meeting summary and our notes.
On behalf of Illuminate Colorado and the Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families, we thank everyone for your commitment to this work! Let us know if you have any questions or if there is anything else we can do to support you in these uncertain times.
Communities are innovating to ensure families have what they need. From drive-thru food pantries to tele-home visits to virtual dance clubs, folks across the field are employing creativity to provide concrete resources and social connections to children, parents, and families. To get inspired by your peers, explore our notes!
While we’ve made some progress, concrete supports remain urgent not only for families but also for service providers. With plans in place to increase distribution of diapers, formula, and wipes, we’re hopeful. However in addition to the needs of families we identified last call, participants shared that families who are experiencing loss also need resources to cover funeral costs. Finding housing and food resources for families who are experiencing homelessness is especially difficult. Additionally, food pantries, child care providers, and others continue to be in need of gloves, masks, and cleaning supplies.
Internet challenges persist. Rural and frontier communities continue to face additional barriers to services and social connections as many programs and social relationships switch to online.
We all have a role to play--professionally and personally--to build social connections in our communities. Whether it’s finding new ways to virtually check in with families we serve, connecting with our peers and workforce, or developing new initiatives to build social connections between parents, we all can continue to proactively foster and build relationships.
Please use what's meaningful to you from this meeting summary and our notes.
On behalf of Illuminate Colorado and the Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families, we thank everyone for your commitment to this work! Let us know if you have any questions or if there is anything else we can do to support you in these uncertain times.
Virtual Listening Session as part of Gov. Polis’s prenatal to three policy priority development |
The Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families (CPTF) would like to thank everyone who participated in our Virtual Listening Session to inform Governor Polis’s prenatal to three policy priorities. Overall, we see a number of opportunities to strengthen child care access, increase health care access and affordability, bolster family economic security, ensure food access, and expand social connections.
Please explore our compiled notes, which were submitted for consideration.
Please explore our compiled notes, which were submitted for consideration.
4/7/2020 2 Comments
Llamando a todos los padres: Participe en un grupo de enfoque para compartir su experiencia con respeto a los conexiones sociales.
 | El Consorcio de Familias Prosperando quiere aprender de usted y como construir y promover conexiones sociales para los padres. Con el estrés adicional debido al coronavirus en Colorado, el cierre de escuelas y servicios de cuidado de niño, a demás de sentimientos de aislamiento como resultado del distanciamiento social, las comunidades van desarrollando estrategias nuevas para unirse y apoyar las familias y los niños. Necesitamos su voz, por método de un grupo de enfoque virtual, para apoyar nuestro movimiento de construir conexiones para los padres a través de Colorado. Para contribuir su experiencia, favor de registrarse para uno de los siguientes grupos de enfoque: Jueves, el 9 de abril: 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (en inglés) Friday, el 10 de abril: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. (en inglés) Miércoles, el 15 de abril: 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (en español) Regístrese aquí Fecha será anunciada: Grupo de enfoque para familias LGBTQ+ Regístrese aquí Los participantes recibirán una tarjeta de regalo electrónica de $20 por su apoyo. Todos los grupos serán reunidos virtualmente por Zoom y después de registrarse le enviaremos instrucciones para participar. Para más información, preguntas o sugerencias acera de los grupos de enfoque, favor de contactar a Hattie Landry (hlandry@illuminatecolorado.org). |
4/7/2020 4 Comments
Calling All Moms and Dads: Join a Focus Group to Share Your Experience with Social Connections
The Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families wants to hear from you about how to build and foster social connections for parents. With the added stress of the spread of COVID-19 in Colorado, the closure of schools and child care services and feelings of isolation as a result of social distancing measures, communities are developing new strategies to come together to support children and families.
We need parents like you to help shape our effort to build strong connections for parents across Colorado by participating in an upcoming focus group. To add your perspective, please register for one of the following virtual focus group times:
Participants will be provided a $20 electronic gift card for their time and support. All focus groups will be held via Zoom, and information on how to join each meeting will be sent after you register. For questions, concerns, or more information about yet to be scheduled focus groups, please reach out to Hattie Landry at hlandry@illuminatecolorado.org
We need parents like you to help shape our effort to build strong connections for parents across Colorado by participating in an upcoming focus group. To add your perspective, please register for one of the following virtual focus group times:
- Thursday, 4/9 from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (English language) -FULL
- Friday, 4/10 from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. (English language) - FULL
- Wednesday, 4/15 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (Spanish language) Register HERE
- Friday, 4/17 from 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (LGBTQ+ families) Register HERE
Participants will be provided a $20 electronic gift card for their time and support. All focus groups will be held via Zoom, and information on how to join each meeting will be sent after you register. For questions, concerns, or more information about yet to be scheduled focus groups, please reach out to Hattie Landry at hlandry@illuminatecolorado.org
The Partnership
The Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families works collaboratively across the State of Colorado to create the conditions for strong families and communities where children are healthy, valued and thriving.
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