Promoting Safe & Stable Families

PROMOTING SAFE & STABLE FAMILIES

Need help now?

New Castle -

Child, Inc.

(302)832-5451

First State CAA

(302)498-0454

Jewish Family Services

(302)420-8749

SODAT

(302)656-4044

Kent -

First State CAA

(302)674-1355

Sussex -

Child & Families First

(302)856-2388

First State CAA

(302)856-7761

Safety, Self-Esteem, Stability & a Sense of Hope

Social, physical and emotional factors such as lack of resources and support, stress and crisis, child behavorial difficulties and certain parental characteristics can often challenge a parent's coping skills and have a negative impact on a child's well-being. The Promoting Safe & Stable Families (PSSF) program exists to serve families experiencing stress from these factors and to ensure a safe and stable environment for the children.

When family members express a desire to resolve problems or change something about their lives, PSSF Family Consultants work with them to develop a realistic plan of action that is tailored to their strengths, needs, priorities and resources.

PSSF uses a unique family centered intervention approach that helps parents to become the driving force behind the planning process to meet their children's needs. Specific interventions are designed to:

Reduce family stress & crisis
Increase networks of support
Connect families to services and resources
Improve child/adult relationships
Increase knowledge of resources
Teach a different way of planning

Promoting the Family as the Leader -

Families in the PSSF program take the lead in:

Identifying concerns, worries or problems
Recommending solutions to alleviate concerns
Mobilizing supports which can provide assistance to obtain resources
Receiving assistance from the Family Consultant, as needed

Sharing Responsibility

Each family collaborates with and shares the responsibility of planning with a trained Family Counsultant. The following best practices are used to enhance this relationship:

Working in a family friendly environment
Understanding a family member's needs
Creating a partnership with family members
Developing a caring attitude that makes families feel safe
Communicating with families in a responsible and effective manner

Enhancing a sense of community

Each PSSF Family Consultant:

Knows about community resources
Advocates with families for services
Focuses on building relationships between the community and the family member

Protecting Family Integrity

PSSF Family Consultants believe:

Accepting and protecting personal and cultural values and beliefs is important
Focusing on strengths helps families to function in a multicultural society.

Accessing Resources & Supports

The PSSF Family Consultant assists by:

Strengthening the family's informal support systems rather than depending soley on professional support systems
Connecting families to community resources

Strengthening the Family

The PSSF Family Consultant encourages families to:

Make decisions about the services they need and recieve
Build on family strengths
Improve adult relationships

What Happens When a Family Participates in the PSSF Family Centered Planning Process?

Once a family begins the process, the PSSF Family Consultant will:

Tell the family about the program
Gain an understanding fo family concerns through the completion of an assessment process
Assist the family in identifying their support system
Help the family to create a plan to achieve individual and family goals
Maintain contact with the family to talk about their progress
Aid families in overcoming barriers or obstacles that prevent them from meeting their needs

Will information about the family be kept confidential?

Yes. Family information will only be shared with the PSSF Family Consultant and with the data collector (Office of Prevention and Early Intervention). All information is confidential and cannot be shared with other agencies without the family's consent/permission.

This program is sponsored by the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families.