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Research-Informed Approaches & Effective Strategies

A Tiered Approach

PCCs provide services based on each family’s needs and are positioned to address a wide range of circumstances that improve outcomes for children and families.

High Intensity

Individualized support is provided to families and children who face the most persistent challenges.

  • Financial help for immediate needs such as utilities, rent and transportation
  • Mental health supports
  • Substance abuse recovery referrals
  • Weekly home visits
  • Early Intervention Services

Targeted

All families face challenges at one time or another. PCCs provide services to proactively address emerging needs before they become problems. Services include:

  • Children’s Integrated Services (CIS) for early intervention and prevention
  • Food shelves, meals and diapers to help stretch family food budgets
  • Support groups bring parents together to cope with shared challenges

Universal

All families need support, regardless of economic or individual circumstances. PCCs open their doors to welcome all families and children. All 8 core services are offered universally.

  • Play groups
  • Parent support and education
  • Home visits
  • Welcome Baby visits
  • Information and Referral
  • Childcare and more

National Standards of Quality

Vermont is part of the National Family Support Network, a membership organization of 41 State Networks and 3,000 Family Resource Centers. Vermont’s programs and services are aligned with the nationally-adopted Standards of Quality for Family Strengthening and Support and based on building five key protective factors from the Center for the Study of Social Policy. These protective factors are embedded throughout PCC programs, and ensure that our approach is grounded in the research on best outcomes. 

  1. Parental resilience: Managing stress and functioning well when faced with challenges, adversity and trauma.
  2. Social connections: Positive relationships that provide emotional, informational, instrumental and spiritual support.
  3. Knowledge of parenting and child development: Understanding child development and parenting strategies that support physical, cognitive, language, social and emotional development.
  4. Concrete support in times of need: Access to concrete support and services that address a family’s needs and help minimize stress caused by challenges.
  5. Social and emotional competence of children: Family and child interactions that help children develop the ability to communicate clearly, recognize and regulate their emotions and establish and maintain relationships.