The most critical, influential time in our lives is one that most of us, ironically enough, don't remember. Yet, what takes place in the first three years of a child's life becomes the framework for a future that can turn in many directions. With 90 percent of the children who die from abuse being under the age of five, Children's Bureau's goal is to focus our prevention programs toward helping parents with children newborn through age three. By giving parents the knowledge and support they need, the horrors of child abuse can be prevented. We know that prevention works and have designed a variety of programs to meet the diverse needs of parents and the communities in which they live.

NuParent®

Most parents are unsure about what to do once they bring a new bundle of joy home. Relying on family support is not always an option and sorting through resources like books, videos and manuals, if available, can be overwhelming. NuParent, Children's Bureau's parent education program aimed at all new moms and dads, delivers just what parents need. NuParent offers a unique opportunity for parents of babies six months and younger to learn how to develop a nurturing, bonding relationship with their infant while also gaining much-needed skills and confidence. The six-week classes are taught in English and Spanish through more than 60 parenting partners (such as hospitals, churches, etc.) located in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Class fee, if any, is nominal. To find a class location near you, call (800) 520-2445.

Family Resource Centers
One of the most powerful ways to build strong, united communities is through Family Resource Centers. Children's Bureau's Family Resource Centers serve thousands of at-risk children and parents in a non-judgmental and supportive environment. Everyone is encouraged to take an active role in shaping the Family Resource Center to fit their particular community's needs. This not only empowers those fragile families but gives them ownership of their neighborhood and an opportunity to affect positive change.

Children's Bureau boasts sharing our expertise through the Family Resource Center training and technical assistance program called Strategies. This dynamic group has worked with more than 350 new and emerging Family Resource Centers throughout six counties in Southern California providing consultation and guidance in all areas of running a family resource center. The program recently sponsored an "Institute on Fatherhood" and additional conferences are being scheduled to discuss topics like increasing parent and community involvement, enhancing infant and toddler programs, cultural diversity and developing effective evaluation tools.

Parent Cooperative Child Development Center
Children's Bureau's vast and expansive history plays an important role in our ability to successfully provide innovative, valuable services to generations of children and parents. One such model program is our Parent Child Cooperative Development Center in Inglewood. This preschool program has not only prepared more than three hundred and fifty at-risk toddlers for kindergarten, it has been instrumental in teaching parents how to actively participate in their child's schoolwork and activities.

Learning from the success of the Parent Co-op, similar programs were launched at two of our Family Resource Centers as Parent/Toddler Enrichment Centers. Children enroll as infants (many NuParent graduates have already signed up) and, for the first three years, graduate at important milestones before moving up to the next grade. Parents learn age appropriate activities for their children and actually teach at the centers, designing and supervising the daily lessons with support from Child Development Specialists at Children's Bureau. Toddlers finish the program at age three and can then take advantage of other Children's Bureau's programs such as computer classes, reading groups and art clubs.