When I became a parent for the first time almost three years ago, I had so many questions. Ok, you got me – I may have just researched some information yesterday too. With each new stage of a child’s development, parents are always left in wonder. The questions never end – at least that’s what I hear. This isn’t just an 18-year commitment; it lasts a lifetime. The cycle continues.
Let’s go back to the beginning – the start of a family. Every parent, pregnancy and child is different. Families may not know where to access the appropriate information to meet their needs or sometimes there is an overload of information.
The Sheboygan County Community Partnership for Children is proud to launch its Welcome Baby Program by the end of this year. Through the program, a Resource Specialist will visit with first-time parents at both Aurora Memorial Medical Center and St. Nicholas Hospital to connect them to appropriate community resources. Through a continuum of care, these same families will also have the opportunity to enroll in a home visitation parenting program at the Family Resource Center. Data will be collected and reported, such as what community resources were discussed and accessed, leading to long term positive change in a family’s situation. The home visiting program includes early learning activities, screenings (health, child development, maternal depression), and parents positively interacting with their children. Our community will become more aware of the needs of families in our area, and how we can best serve them.
Matricia Patterson, executive director of Family Connections, has hired Karen Apitz as the resource specialist.
“Karen is highly skilled in best practices to address the early childhood education, and community resource needs of first-time parents and young children,” Patterson said. “She has greatly contributed to the early learning profession throughout Wisconsin as she encourages positive development of families to inspire a stronger community.”
In addition, Luann Travis, executive director of the Family Resource Center, has hired Taylor Wallace as the parent educator.
“Taylor is an excellent addition to our organization. She possesses the skills needed to both partner in building the Welcome Baby program and in partnering with parents in supporting their child’s healthy development and family well-being,” Travis said. “We are excited because when a community engages early with families, the community is sending the message that healthy child development and family well-being is important. Research shows that investing in families with children birth through four years old results in good long term outcomes – quality workforce, contributing citizens, and good health.”
The Sheboygan County Community Partnership for Children is grateful for the support from local hospitals, and the willingness of organizations to collaborate. It is a privilege to see individuals working together and supporting one another, while keeping families living in Sheboygan County as the top priority.