New program to ‘strengthen families’ takes first steps

Strengthening Families is the two-year initiative now underway to bring a new community approach to child abuse prevention to Cincinnati’s Westwood and Cheviot neighborhoods. Several important first steps have been taken, including naming Carolyn Brinkmann as project manager.

Carolyn comes to 4C with more than 20 years of experience working with at-risk children and their families as a licensed social worker in the State of Ohio. Most recently she served as director of therapeutic services at Beech Acres Parenting Center. An added plus is that she lives in Westwood, one of the project’s target neighborhoods.

“I am so excited to be part of this effort to protect children,” she says. “Enlisting the help of early care and education professionals to build family resiliency and ensure the wellness of children is an approach that has been tested in other states.” This project will provide coaching and specialized training to child care centers and family child care providers to help them build protective factors and engage with families in need or during times of crisis.”

Three coaches from 4C’s partner agencies have also been identified to work with staff in eight child care centers and 15 family child care homes in the target neighborhoods:  Christine Bull from Santa Maria Community Services, Allison Conley from CenterPoint Health and Connie Hawkins from The Children’s Home of Cincinnati. 4C has been designated as the lead partner in this project developed by the Consortium for Resilient Young Children and funded by Hamilton County Family and Children First Council.

“The Family and Children First Council is pleased with how quickly the project is moving,” says Carolyn. “We are on target with getting centers and providers on board and we are excited to start making a difference in Cincinnati’s western neighborhoods.”

Carolyn and the three coaches attended a three-day conference in Chicago in January on the Strengthening Families model and what has been learned in the 13 states now implementing this model for child abuse prevention.