With the weight of the world on his shoulders, a young boy reached out to his school seeking extra help for his single parent and younger siblings. When Gemma, our In-Home Family Services Consultant stepped in, she implemented our evidence-based Boys Town Model and launched a path forward for the entire family. Her focus was to interchangeably empower parents and teach all children within the home the social skills needed for lasting life change. A key pillar in Boys Town's In-Home Family Services program is to holistically teach parents positive discipline techniques that are sustainable even after services end. At the end of the 10-week program, parents leave with the skills necessary to maintain a stable, safe, and nurturing home for their children.
For the Flores family, Gemma helped identify community resources and partners to help ease specific stressors. This created a foundation for the family to improve their strengths, while Gemma used her skills and knowledge as an In-Home Family Services Consultant to help them to succeed. Through this relationship built on trust, Gemma created a space where she could share positive discipline techniques, such as preventive teaching and effective praise. Through Gemma's coaching, the parent learned how to implement new techniques to redirect unwanted behaviors and balance them with effective consequences. Inspired by the change witnessed in the Flores family, Gemma nominated them to be included in our community partner, National Hospitality Management 's Christmas Wish List program.
“It has been a blessing to have met Gemma. We now have a calm house and I love how happy my son is. “
- Jennifer Flores
Our evidence-based In-Home Family Services skills and techniques, taught by our staff and implemented in partnership with the family, provide a path forward through crisis. During a midpoint check-in, the school reported a behavior change in all the enrolled children, not just the son who reached out for extra help for his family. Now, with the tools needed to become better communicators and contributors, the Flores family is on a path that will lead to healthy family routines, transformation, and positive change.