Bridgeport, CT - Boys & Girls Village held an open house to welcome a new Quality Parenting Center in its Bridgeport location last week. The center offers a safe and comfortable place for parents to interact with their children who were removed from their homes.
Located within the organization’s 170 Bennett Street facility, the center provides space for supervised visits among parents, caregivers and their children participating in the DCF Family Time program. Approximately 6,000 visits are expected at the center by the end of the year.
“One of the services Boys & Girls Village offers is safe, home-like settings for youth who have been removed from their families. This Quality Parenting Center allows them to meet with their parents and caregivers in a safe place with staff available to provide coaching in real time to improve parent-child relationships,” said Kim Shaunesey, Ph.D., President & CEO of Boys & Girls Village.
The DCF Family Time visitation program is offered to families and children from birth to age 12 who were removed from the home due to protective service concerns. The Quality Parenting Center model advances the process of bringing families back together.
DCF Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes was at the event, stating, “We recognize that keeping children at home safely with their families is ideal, but when that can’t happen, we rely on our community partners to shift their business models to make things happen for us.”
During the open house, a Ben’s Bells Mural was unveiled. The mural, a beautiful mosaic, offers inspirational sayings of hope and optimism, adding to the warmth the center offers.
“The families we serve have been through a lot; parents have been separated from their children, and kids, parents and caregivers have experienced a lot of grief and sadness. This center allows them to meet in a secure, peaceful space to build from,” said Shaunesey.
To learn more about Boys & Girls Village, visit BGVillage.org or call 203-877-0300.