There are a number of programs that can help parents improve their parenting skills. These include:

Franklin County Children’s Task Force: The Franklin County Children’s Task Force is a private non-profit agency committed to strengthening families, preventing child abuse and neglect through mobilizing community resources and advocating for and providing services that promote healthy children and families. Phone: (207) 778-6960 or 1-888-429-6960, 113 Church St., Farmington, Hours: Monday-Thursday 8-4:30 p.m. Friday 8-1 p.m.

Programs: Young Hearts Parent and Child Play Group: The Young Hearts Parent and Child Play Group is a safe place where children and parents can learn and play together. The group meets on a regular basis to have discussions and seek support from other parents. Some of the activities that are done at the playgroup are games, music, story time, parent workshops, field trips and crafts.

Growing Healthy Families: Growing Healthy Families is a free voluntary home visiting program for all first time parents living in the Franklin County area, and for parents under the age of 22 having a second child (if they had home visits with the first child). Trained staff will come to your home as often as needed to provide support and tips for the baby’s growth and development up to the age of five. Growing Healthy Families can provide fun activities for parents and baby’s, baby care tips, guidance throughout the baby’s development, what to expect each month with the baby’s growth, playgroups and other special events to help the parents learn about the baby’s development.

Nurturing Fathers Program: The Nurturing Fathers Program is a fifteen week course that will teach the fathers communication, respect, how to find techniques for dealing with challenging behaviors, and how to have fun and enjoy each other. Fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers and their children can participate in the nurturing fathers program.

Kids First Program: The Kids First program is a four hour workshop for parents designed to help address problems and reduce the negative effects of separation and divorce on children. The Kids First program can help parents with information about how to assist their children with needs as the marital and family roles change, and how to talk to children about the change.

Bullying and Teasing Prevention Program: The Bullying Teasing and Prevention program is a school-based violence prevention program that helps students to learn effective ways for responding to bullying behavior. This program will also teach students how to be kinder and more helpful towards each other, not to bully or tease others, and how to tell an adult if someone is being bullied or teased.

Franklin County Child Development Services (CDS): Franklin County Child Development Services (CDS) is a non-profit agency that provides services for families and children (from birth to the age of five) that are handicapped or at the risk of having developmental delays. CDS provides services with adaptive development, vision and hearing problems, communication, social/emotional development, and cognitive problems. CDS can also provide aids for eating, bathroom equipment, adaptive furniture, mobility aids, speech aids, and recreational aids. Phone: (207) 778-6262 or 1-800-561-1165, 144 Main St., Farmington, Hours: Monday-Friday 8-4 p.m.

Franklin County Head Start and Childcare: Head Start provides a wide range of services to children from birth to age five and expectant families. The goal of Head Start is to bring out a greater degree of ability in young children of low-income families. Phone: (207) 645-9512 or 1-800-427-1251 ext. 4114, 284 Main St. Suite 110, Wilton

Programs:
Early Head Start: Early Head Start offers activities for expectant mothers and families with children birth to three years of age.

Preschool Head Start: Preschool Head Start is a child development program focusing on educational, social, health and nutritional needs of children ages 3-5.

HomeStart: HomeStart is a program that provides an experienced Family Childcare Provider and a Head Start Home Visitor who work together as a team to offer each child and family early childhood programming that includes health services, parent involvement, and social service coordination.