With the recent child deaths in Maine, now is a good time for the community to reflect on all that families need and what can be done to support them. “Parenting is a difficult job for anyone in the best of circumstances,” says Healthy Kids director Leslie Livingston. “There are many different types of families, parents, and supports, and the more the community works together for the sake of children and families, the less child abuse will occur.”

Healthy Kids offers many programs for parents and families, including personalized parenting, where all parents can receive individual parenting coaching, classes, groups, activities, and more. In addition, the Front Porch Project, a nationwide program sponsored by the Maine Children’s Trust, is now offered by Healthy Kids. This program enables members of the community to explore family culture, parenting style, community support, individual levels of comfort in terms of “help”, how child abuse is defined, and how everyone can be supported. It takes the approach that everyone can help children and families in our community. The course is always held in small groups in which the participants can safely discuss the topics.

The healthy child programs cover every community in Lincoln County and can be conducted in any city, at Head Office, or on Zoom. For more information about the Front Porch Project or assistance with parenting, call Healthy Kids at 563-1818.