In light of the recent child deaths in Maine, now is a good time for the community to consider all that families need and what can be done to support them. “Parenting is a difficult job for everyone under the best of circumstances,” says Healthy Kids director Leslie Livingston. “There are many different kinds of families, parents, and supports, and the more the community works together on behalf of kids and families, the less child abuse will occur.”

Healthy Kids offers many programs for parents and families including personalized parenting where any parent can get individualized parent coaching, classes, groups, activities and more. Additionally, The Front Porch Project, a statewide program sponsored by the Maine Children’s Trust, is now being offered by Healthy Kids. This program allows community members to explore family culture, parenting styles, community supports, individual comfort levels regarding “helping”, how child abuse is defined, and ways anyone can be supportive. It takes the approach that everyone can help kids and families in our community. The class is always conducted in small groups where participants can safely discuss the topics.

Healthy Kids programs cover all Lincoln County communities and programs can happen in any town, at the main office or on Zoom. For more information on the Front Porch Project or any parenting supports, call Healthy Kids at 563-1818.