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"I Didn't Know Help Existed for Fathers"
Santana Hernandez had to face a harsh reality that he was going to be raising his two children alone. He and his wife had marital problems that resulted in a domestic violence situation. He had to protect his children and now has temporary custody of them. Life for Santana has not been easy as he is a construction worker who is struggling financially. His children were also beginning to act out and he was challenged with how to handle the situation. Santana was referred to Corbin Family Resource Center in Santa Ana through social services and began work with a Children's Bureau family advocate. Santana says the family advocate helped to guide him and his children through some difficult times. They participated in family therapy and Santana is currently working with an in-home parent educator who is teaching parenting skills. Santana once felt alone and thought these type of services were for mothers only, not fathers. He now realizes that anyone can take advantage of the support offered by Children's Bureau and encourages those who need help to call. Click to hear more about how Santana is making it on his own as a parent.
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"Our Experience with Children’s Bureau Has Been Life Changing"
Los Angeles residents Richard and Melanie Harris were thrilled with the birth of their daughter, Miracle, but were feeling isolated and unsure as to how to raise the baby. With no relatives nearby — Richard’s family lives in New York and Melanie is from England — the couple was eager to find a place to take Miracle to get the information and social support they desired. Melanie spent four months trying to find a program that she could access via public transportation and that fit within their budget. In the summer of 2009, Melanie enrolled in the NuParent Infant Program at Children’s Bureau’s Oakwood Family Resource Center and found just what she was looking for and more. [more]
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One Family's Triumph
Bettawati Mastirto and her husband, Iketut Mardika, are the proud parents of two very active children — Niluh, age 4 ½ and Joey, age 3. As older parents, they felt like they should have known what to expect in raising their children but soon found the experience challenging and overwhelming. The family lives near the Magnolia Place Family Center and discovered a flyer for the NuParent program.
Both parents signed up for a session in early 2009 where they learned vital child-rearing skills and bonding techniques with their children. They also discovered a social support group with the other parents and began attending NuParent Club meetings. Bettawati and Iketut found the information so valuable that they took a second NuParent session in October 2009. They both agree that their family life has positively changed because of what they learned in NuParent and recommend the program to all families with young children.
To hear how NuParent gave Bettwati and Iketut the skills needed to raise their two young children successfully, click here.
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Francisco and Cristina Gain Confidence with Newborn Thanks to Health Access Program
Teenage parents Francisco and Cristina were excited about the birth of their newborn daughter but were unsure as to how to care for her. While in the hospital, the couple was referred to Children's Bureau's Health Access Program in Orange County which provides free health education and in-home support services for pregnant women and young families. They took advantage of the offer and began with home visits by Dolores Vega, a promotora with Children's Bureau. [More]
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Olivia's Story
As a child, Olivia witnessed a lot of domestic violence between her mother and father. Her father left the family when she was very young but his actions made a huge impact on her. Olivia knew that she didn’t want her children growing up in an abusive home but felt trapped by the demands of her ex husband. A custody battle involving their two boys, ages 6 and 5, was stressful for Olivia and the well-being of her children. Olivia was wrongly accused of domestic violence, child neglect and was even incarcerated for a brief time. She felt hopeless and alone. [More]
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Toni's Story
Meet Toni Garczynski, a mother of four young children who received services from Children’s Bureau’s Bridges for Newborns program in Orange County. She is the primary caregiver for the children as her husband works full time with varying shifts. Toni is originally from Ohio and moving to her new home brought about feelings of isolation, anger and stress. [More]
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Juan's Story
Juan Guzman signed up for the financial literacy course with his wife and says that what he learned has changed his life. He found the lesson about credit and credit repair interesting and signed up for a credit report. Juan also learned important budgeting skills. [more]
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Vanessa's Story
When Vanessa moved to the United States with her husband and three-year-old son, she had no idea how difficult and stressful the transition would be on her mentally. Vanessa spoke only Spanish and did not know how to read or write. She felt isolated and became severely depressed. [more]
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Robin's Story
Robin Armstrong is a single mother of eight children. Six of the children are her own (ranging in age from 12 to 27) while the youngest two girls, Domeka and Doneka, are her nieces. The twin girls were headed into foster care because their father went to prison and their mother was abusing drugs and having a hard time quitting the addiction. [more]
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Sarah and Joaquin's Story
Sarah had always wanted to adopt but wasn’t sure she could as she was single. One day she saw a Children’s Bureau billboard and decided to call. Sarah attended an information meeting and liked what she heard. She immediately signed up and began the qualification process. [more]
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