First 5 Family Resource Centers (FRC) are owned and operated by First 5 Madera County with the intention to implement prevention-focused and family-centered programming that promote family resilience and reduce child maltreatment (including trauma). First 5 FRCs provide safe, welcoming places for families to seek supports and services before problems arise, as well as during critical times of need. When these types of services and supports are available to a community, families are more likely to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to ensure their children are healthy and thriving.
Programs like the First 5 FRCs are best able to keep children safe from harm by involving families in practices that promote engagement and social connections.
Keeping children safe from harm also involves increasing knowledge and skill-buildingabout preventative injury to children. Bolstering parental capacity to recognize the potential for harm in everyday situations like car passenger seat safety, water safety, and sleep safety empowers parents to act on behalf of their children.
Core to safety is the reduction of the harmful effects of controlled substances on unborn and nursing babies. Consistent with the Proposition 10 legislation, First 5 Madera County aims to educate practitioners and families alike on the harmful effects of tobacco. Given the legalization of cannabis, concerns for exposure to this drug are growing. Since many classify cannabis as a harmless natural herb, there is growing necessity to aid parents and providers in understanding the harmful effects of cannabis use while pregnant and nursing.
• Promoting protective factors enhances family resilience, child development, and reduces the likelihood of child abuse/neglect.
• Communities are most effective at impacting family resilience when service providers across organizations are trained and well-versed in family-strengthening practices.
• Having access to social and concrete supports can help reduce family isolation and promote resilience. Social support refers to a network of healthy relationships with family, friends, or neighbors. Concrete supports, on the other hand, are tangible services that address unmet needs, such as nutritious food and transportation.
