Welcome to Child & Family Services

Child and Family Services strengthens families and the communities in which they live. Our mission, “to heal and strengthen the lives of children and families,” is built on the following beliefs:

Communities thrive when supported by strong families
Society is strengthened by ensuring that children and families attain their full potential
Families are the foundation of a strong community and are essential to a healthy society
Families have the right to raise children in a safe and nurturing environment
Every person has inherent worth and dignity… Read more »

Guest View: Mental Health Should Be a Yearlong Conversation

By Tom Butero Site Director, Child & Family Services May 15, 2013 Each May, we as a nation recognize Mental Health Awareness Month, during which we call for changes in the current system and stress the importance of mental health services. Following the tragedy in our area just a month ago at the Boston Marathon, [...] Read more »

In-Home Therapy Benefits Families

By Cynthia Mccormick cmccormick@capecodonline.com HYANNIS — Ina Gould does a lot more than talk therapy when she visits the homes of child clients as a therapist with Child & Family Services. She has helped young clients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder organize cubbies to store belongings and demonstrated deep breathing techniques to families with a [...] Read more »

Gun Violence Brings Attention to Disparities in Physical and Mental Health Care

By Mike Page April 22, 2013 Recent gun violence has crowded news headlines across the nation, raising difficult questions within our government about gun control, but also bringing much-needed attention to the connections between gun violence and mental health awareness and care. Although Massachusetts has some of the strictest laws surrounding purchasing firearms, there have [...] Read more »

Child & Family Services Celebrates 170 Years of Serving City, State

By Deborah Allard Herald News April 11, 2013 FALL RIVER – In the mid 1800s, local children who’d lost their parents begged on the streets and stole from shops to eat. Some of the children were left homeless by mothers who passed away and fathers who died at sea during the whaling era. Others came from [...] Read more »

Teen Parent Lobby Day at the State House

On March 28th, several clients and staff of Child & Family Services’ Young Parents Believe & Achieve (YPBA) and Young Parents Support (YPS) programs attended the Teen Parent Lobby Day at the State House in Boston. The event, hosted by the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy, invited young parents involved with similar state-funded programs throughout [...] Read more »

Bond Between Bigs and Littles Can Change Young Lives

By Sarah Gonet March 26, 2013 NEW BEDFORD — In the grand scheme of things four hours a month isn’t a whole lot of time. Most of us spend considerably more commuting, answering emails or simply sitting in front of the television set. But to a child in need of a mentor, four hours a month can [...] Read more »

170 Years of Strengthening Families and Decreasing the Stigma of Mental Illness

By Anne Sampaio, Executive Director of Child & Family Services March 24, 2013 On March 3rd, Child & Family Services officially celebrated its 170th anniversary of strengthening individuals and families in Massachusetts from our New Bedford base. Since we were founded in 1843 as the New Bedford Orphans’ Home, we have grown steadily to become [...] Read more »

Miss New Bedford, Janelle Guenette, Joins the National Big Brothers Big Sisters Speakers Bureau

Miss Bedford,Janelle Guenette, Joins the National Big Brothers Big Sisters Speakers Bureau

When Miss New Bedford 2013 Janelle Guenette signed up to become a Big Sister she was surprised to discover there were many children on a waiting list hoping for a Big Brother or Big Sister. After being matched with her Little Sister Sarah, she helped her transition from a shy middle school student to a [...] Read more »

Welcome to Child & Family Services

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