To ensure that families are strong and healthy in Spokane, together, we as a community, can increase the following:1
By helping parents use problem-solving skills to weather daily life stressors and encouraging parents to seek help when needed.
By building and maintaining relationships with caregivers and families. We can also encourage parents and families to get outside and play to reduce stress and feelings of isolation.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, many families are having an even harder time meeting their basic needs. Concrete resources for individuals and families are needed. We can work together to ensure that people have access to what they need. This will reduce stress in homes and help children and families to function in a positive way and improve their collective resilience.
Children do not come with a handbook. When parents and caregivers know what is and is not developmentally appropriate behavior, they react differently. We can take time to learn how a child’s brain develops and use or share that information. Having an understanding of how child development occurs can lessen stress for both child and parent.
By helping them learn how to positively interact with others, manage their own behavior and effectively communicate their feelings.
Call 866-ENDHARM (866.363.4276), Washington State's toll-free, 24 hour, 7 day-a-week hotline that will connect you directly to the appropriate local office to report suspected child abuse or neglect.
We would like to acknowledge 90by30’s K(now) More campaign and NAPCAN’s Play Your Part campaign as instrumental in energizing our efforts to develop this site for Spokane County.
1“The Protective Factors Framework,” Center for the Study of Social Policy’s Strengthening Families: A Protective Factors Framework, last accessed October 28, 2020, https://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/childadvocacy/strengthening_families_protective_factors.pdf.
