The Family Support Program offers strength-based home visiting services for families in Franklin County. The purpose of the program is to help parents reach their desired level of self-sufficiency, to support their children's optimal development and to access needed services.

Through weekly home visits, Family Support Workers provide encouragement, information and referrals to assist each family in reaching their goals. The Family Support Program receives support from the MA Department of Children and Families through the Community Connections Collation/ The Brick House and Community Action/ Family Learning Center with the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts' 0-5 Initiative.

• Connecting Through Literacy
• Family Support Home Visiting/Family Advocate Program

Contact information:

Rachel Lively, Coordinator/ Parent Aide, 413-863-4804, ext 2, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Cindy Skelly, Bilingüe, 413-863-4804, ext 3, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Vickie Barber-Flynn, Connecting Through Literacy, 413-863-4805, ext. 3, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Links to on-line resources:

For the past three years Parents Helping Parents and the Family Nurturing Center have been collaborating on a project to write a Guide for parents whose children were placed in foster care by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.  Naturally, they asked parents who had been involved in the child welfare system to write the Guide. Parents Helping Parents and the Family Nurturing Center are happy to report that the Guide is now published and available for use. Click on this link to view You Are Not Alone: An Empowering Guide for Parents Whose Children are in DCF* Foster Care, Written by Parents for Parents.

Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families. With links to information about child abuse and neglect at http://www.childwelfare.gov/can/