The Hancock County Children’s Council, a program of Downeast Health Services Inc., is pleased to receive a new grant from the Maine Children’s Trust ($8,000) for parenting support and educational classes to be held throughout Hancock County. Beginning in September, the Children’s Council will offer “Positive Parenting” for parents of young children, using the curriculum “The Nurturing Program”® created by Dr. Stephen J. Bavolek.

The philosophy of Nurturing Parenting emphasizes the importance of raising children in a warm, trusting and caring household. Nurturing is a universal parenting practice. To nurture is to nourish, to nurse and to promote the positive growth of children’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual well-being. It is the one common characteristic all the families of the world share.

This is a multi-session, group-based program where parents learn about empathy; appropriate behaviors, brain development; rewards and punishments, praise and self-esteem, non-violent discipline and ways to have fun as a family.

Protective factors are conditions in families and communities that increase the health and well-being of children and families. In addition to the designated curriculum, participants will learn how to work towards creating environments that help increase protective factors, such as developing community connections, improving access to resources, reducing social isolation, improving social skills and empowering families.

The Maine Children’s Trust grant will enable the Children’s Council to offer this program in multiple sites in collaboration with three area Adult & Community Education programs (Bucksport, Ellsworth and Sumner/Sullivan). The mission of the Maine Children’s Trust is to prevent the abuse and neglect of Maine’s children. A non-profit agency, the Trust is appointed by the Governor to administer federal child abuse grant funds, and holds the State charter for Prevent Child Abuse Maine. The Maine Children’s Trust is supported by the CBFRS portion of the federal CAPTA grant, Maine State Income Tax check-off designations and the generosity of corporate and private donations. Visit the Trust’s website at www.mechildrenstrust.org or call 207-623-5120 for more information.

The Hancock County Children’s Council has an extensive collection of books and videotapes on subjects designed to help children and families live healthier lives. The Family Resource Center Library is available to all residents in Hancock County and is located at Downeast Health Services, 52 Christian Ridge Road, Ellsworth, ME. Please call 667-5304 ext. 261, email children@downeasthealth.org  or visit our website at www.downeasthealth.org for additional information on parenting classes, child development and family resources available in Hancock County.