As Child Abuse Prevention Month comes to an end, we share an important fact: protecting children often begins with supporting the adults who care for them. Children do not come with an instruction manual, but DePelchin’s Parenting Help program walks alongside parents and caregivers to build confidence, strengthen their parenting skills and teaches strategies that make family life feel more manageable. By empowering parents with tools, knowledge and encouragement, Parenting Help underscores that no one is meant to navigate parenthood alone.

The Parenting Help program understands that most parents try their best but need support in navigating their child’s developmental stages, big emotions and challenging behaviors. Others carry the stress of affording basic needs like housing and groceries, straining their mental and emotional health. The Parenting Help team works closely with caregivers to understand their goals and adapt curricula to fit their needs, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach. The program also uses community partnerships to connect caregivers with housing and food assistance. Support is provided one-on-one in the home or in group classes out in the community, providing flexibility for parents. When parents receive support tailored to them, they are likely to be consistent and apply what they’ve learned in their home every day.

An effective characteristic of the program is its approach to providing practical, hands-on support for parents so they can apply what they’ve learned immediately at home.

“We provide tools such as behavior charts and routine charts to promote consistency and [set] clear expectations, which can decrease daily conflict and frustration”, says Laurel Hernandez, Program Manager for Parenting Help. She continues, “We also teach self-regulation and stress-management strategies so parents can manage frustration and daily pressures in healthy ways.”

One misconception about child abuse prevention is that it only begins once warning signs appear, such as physical indicators or abrupt behavioral changes. Hernandez notes, “Effective prevention happens much earlier – by strengthening families, building parenting skills, reducing stress, and increasing access to support and resources before a crisis occurs.” This proactive approach makes a life-changing difference for families who may otherwise feel alone during stressful times.

Program staff see many positive changes and wins from the parents and caregivers they serve. Hernandez reflects on a mother who felt nervous before attending a family event, fearing the environment would be overstimulating and negatively impact her child’s behavior. However, her hard work paid off. Hernandez states, “Throughout the day, she observed that her child was able to listen and engage appropriately, which reassured her that the strategies she had been practicing were effective. The caregiver gained confidence in applying the skills she learned through our program and saw firsthand the positive impact on her child’s behavior and enjoyment.”

Parenting Help plays a vital role in the prevention of child abuse and neglect and runs on the belief that supported and capable parents are the core of healthy families. Through its compassionate staff, practical tools and flexible program delivery, Parenting Help builds a solid foundation that enables parents to create safe, happy homes for their children.

Lastly, to parents, Hernandez offers encouragement: “It’s okay to ask for support, and every parent can grow and  learn as they go. Children don’t come with instructions, and seeking guidance or resources is a sign of strength, not failure. With patience, practice and support, caregivers can become the parents they hope to be.”

To learn more or sign up for Parenting Help, please visit www.depelchin.org/parenting/

As Child Abuse Prevention Month continues, we highlight a DePelchin program that strengthens families through practical, accessible services. Child abuse and neglect can often stem from parents facing constant stressors like food insecurity, unstable housing or lack of emotional support. DePelchin’s Family Resource Centers (FRC) help alleviate these stressors by serving as a welcoming, supportive hub where families can find resources, build community and strengthen resilience.

With locations in Houston, Texas City and San Antonio, DePelchin’s Family Resource Centers are accessible community spaces where families can drop by whenever they need help – no appointment required. As soon as they walk in, families are greeted by DePelchin staff who are ready to listen and support.

Project Supervisor for FRC Houston, Nydia Perkins, notes, “Most of the families who come to the FRC need assistance to locate basic needs support such as food, housing, utilities or help with other financial challenges. Many are also dealing with emotional stress, past trauma or difficulties with relationships.” Despite the diverse challenges faced by parents and caregivers, DePelchin leverages both is internal programs and community partnerships to connect families to an array of resources and support.

In addition to addressing urgent needs like financial assistance, the FRC offers support services that build positive, long-term outcomes:

Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) to help manage challenging behaviors at home, build positive parent-child relationships and increase confidence in parenting skills.

Seek Safety groups to develop healthy coping skills while addressing the impact of trauma to foster emotional safety and resilience.

Parent Cafes for parents to connect in a group setting, share experiences and learn ways to strengthen their families.

Money Smart program to increase financial literacy, budgeting skills, credit management and build long-term financial planning.

 As families participate in these programs, they gain new tools, community and stability that empower them to overcome the every day stressors in their lives.

Perkins reflects on a previous client who, “is no living independently in her own apartment, caring for her son and maintaining reliable transportation.” Perkins continues, “She expressed that through the guidance, resources and encouragement she received from the FRC, [we] gave her the foundation to maintain her own home and manage responsibilities. She credited the FRC with helping her move from a place of uncertainty to one of strength and self-sufficiency.”

Child abuse prevention happens when parents and caregivers feel empowered, connected and equipped to meet their families’ needs. The home environment improves when families have access to support during difficult moments and when they don’t have to navigate challenges alone.

Perkins reminds parents and caregivers, “Everyone needs help sometimes, no matter what your situation may be. The support you receive today can create positive changes and long-term benefits for you and your family.” Her words reflect the mission of the Family Resource Center, offering a compassionate and judgement-free space where families can find hope.

To learn more about DePelchin’s Family Resource Centers, please visit www.depelchin.org/additional-programs/

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month – a time to remind our community that every child deserves to grow up feeling safe, happy, and loved. As we work together this month to champion children and highlight the realities of abuse and neglect, it’s also important we celebrate the resilience of children and families and the programs in our communities that keep families whole. Prevention is not just about identifying warning signs – it’s also ensuring families have access to the tools, resources, and support they need to stay happy, healthy, and together.

Nearly three years ago, DePelchin launched to Together and Safe program to help prevent repeated occurrences of child maltreatment. This program partners with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and Child Protective Investigations (CPI) to offer mental health services and resources for families with cases that are pending closure. When DFPS and CPI find that no further involvement is needed, families are referred to DePelchin and are eligible to enroll and receive support free of charge.

Families who are referred to Together and Safe are often distressed after navigating their investigation, facing behavioral challenges at home, struggling to meet basic needs or are experiencing barriers to mental health services; these stressors increase the risk of repeat involvement with DFPS and CPI. Some families also have a history of trauma such intimate partner violence and are seeking safety.

Together and Safe stabilizes families using evidence-based, trauma-informed practices. Ashley Maynard, DePelchin’s Clinical Case Supervisor, says, “Our families receive access to multiple types of counseling including individual, family, child, and couples counseling in both English and Spanish. They also have access to [our] parenting curriculum and case management with resource linkage. If there is something our families cannot access here at DePelchin, our case managers do a wonderful job of connecting the family with another organization.”

“Without Together and Safe,” Maynard notes, “many of these families would fall through the cracks.”

Success often shows up in meaningful breakthroughs. Maynard shares, “We are lucky to have had many success stories through Together and Safe”, referring to a parent who was able to de-escalate a conflict between siblings after using techniques they learned in their sessions with DePelchin. By talking openly with each other, the family was able to get to the root of the issue and resolve it on their own. Maynard continues, “These are spaces where we can see parents being empowered to know they can handle a difficult conversation, they can regulate their own emotions and help the child regulate as well.”

DePelchin’s Together and Safe team works hard to uplift families that are facing some of the most difficult challenges in their lives. Without judgement, families receive swift, targeted support and resources so they can heal, grow, and thrive – and their children are kept happy and safe.

To parents and caregivers who may be struggling at home, Maynard says, “Baby steps are still progress. Any movement you make towards bettering yourself and your family is effort and we thank you for making that effort.”