June 13, 2019 Supporting Families Impacted by Incarceration & Domestic Violence Join the Partnerships for Family Support Office of Child Development on July 23 to learn how to recognize and support children and families impacted by incarceration and domestic violence. This training is for staff of centers in the Allegheny County Family Support Network. About Living in a household with domestic violence is a source of trauma for children. Even if the children don’t see the domestic violence, they are affected by the conflict in their family. Having a parent in jail or prison is also a source of trauma, as parental incarceration may include witnessing a parent being arrested, adjusting to their parent being gone, and adjusting to the return of their parents after serving a sentence. When exposed to situations of domestic violence or incarceration, children can develop serious emotional and behavioral difficulties, many of which aren’t always recognized by parents or caregivers. As a result, children do not always get the help they need. In this training, participants will learn how to recognize, and support children and families impacted by these traumas. Registration & More Information To learn more, ask questions, and register, visit the event page.
May 23, 2019 Addressing Domestic Violence in ECE Programs Join Promising Futures on May 30 for a webinar exploring ways in which early childhood professionals and programs can support children and families affected by domestic violence. About Domestic violence harms many families with young children. However, early childhood teachers and caregivers can help children heal. Further, early childhood programs can support healthy development and work to stop domestic violence in their communities. Join Promising Futures for this upcoming webinar to learn how early childhood programs can help families affected by domestic violence. Presenters will share strategies, tools, and resources created in partnership with The National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement. Presenters: Virginia Duplessis, MSW, Program Director, Futures Without Violence Mie Fukuda, MA, Senior Program Specialist, Futures Without Violence Registration To register for this event, visit their webinar page. Questions For more information, contact Graciela Olguin at golguin@futureswithoutviolence.org. Share this flyer with your network.
April 10, 2019 Child Care Woes: The Push to Expand Access In a recent article published online by the Christian Science Monitor (CSM), Trying Together Executive Director Cara Ciminillo discussed parent’s “constant hustle” in relation to providing and identifying high-quality care for their young children. Overview In the article, staff writer Sara Miller Llana brings in the story of Dana Hunter, a full-time employee and mother living in Pittsburgh. In this, Ms. Hunter describes the challenging balancing act of providing primary care for her young children while managing the workload and time requirements of full-time employment. Trying Together Cara Ciminillo mentions, “It’s a constant hustle. It’s a constant piecing together and juggling of demands and priorities.” After sharing this story, the article later goes on to explain the growing support for pre-k, calling on evidence that access to early education not only supports the healthy development of young children but also supports caregivers’ return to the workforce. Although political figures are calling for increased access to early care and education, supported by the successful implementation of such programs in other countries, “affordable, quality child care still remains out of reach for many families, with women often shouldering the bulk of domestic management.” Article Read the full article to learn more about Pennsylvania’s push to expand access to child care.