Intensive Family Services Program (IFSP)
Our Mission
Intensive Family Services Program (IFSP) is committed to providing services to caregivers who are in need of support, knowledge, encouragement, education, and skill building to assist in raising their children. The primary goal of the program is to help families to remain intact, by focusing on helping parents create the healthiest and safest environment possible for their children. Family Development Workers provide knowledge to assist in service needs. They offer role modeling of appropriate parental responses, proactive approaches to the challenges of raising children, self-advocacy education, parenting and life skills education. Support, empathy, respect, dignity and honesty are given to all families. Services also include a parent support group. The family development workers facilitate a group with nutritional, recreational, education, and social programming, which meets twice a month.
Services
Family Development Workers have received specialized training and education coupled with their life experiences, to work effectively with individuals, couples, families and groups. The IFSP Staff help parents enhance their knowledge and develop new skills by:
- Role-Modeling
- Activities
- Support
- Sharing of Knowledge
- Teaching Self-Advocacy
Moms' Parent Support Group
The Family Development Workers facilitate our group with nutritional, recreational, educational, and social programming. This group meets twice monthly.
- Listen
- Hear
- Encourage
- Support
- Empower
Five Basic Parenting Skills*
Encouragement
- Notice something you like.
- Notice how you feel.
- Say it! ("I feel...that you...")
- Notice how your child responds.
Can Do
- Notice what you don't want your child to do.
- Think of something your child can do instead.
- Tell your child what he or she can do.
- Help your child if necessary.
Choices
- Help your child understand the problem.
- You and your child think of two or more reasonable choices.
- Have your child choose and tell you the choice.
- Help your child follow through.
Self-Control
- Pay attention to body messages telling you that you are about to lose control.
- Think of ways to control yourself.
- Choose a way and get control of yourself.
- Decide how to act with your child.
Respecting Feelings
- Watch and listen to your child.
- Think of a word that describes what your child might be feeling.
- Think about why your child might be feeling this way.
- Check your ideas with your child.
*Part of the curriculum used by IFSP
