Department of Family Services – Children, Youth and Families

CONTACT INFORMATION: Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
703-324-7500 TTY 711
12011 Government Center Parkway, Pennino Building
Fairfax, VA 22035
Oriane Eriksen
Director

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Neighborhood Networks

smiling child sitting on father's shoulderfamily of four adults and two children sitting together

“The Neighborhood Networks program is a wonderful program that provides much needed support for our students and our families. I often think to myself—'where would we be without NN?’ Their incredible work with our families is so appreciated by the school staff and the families. The NN social workers make such a difference in the many lives they touch!” Lori Harkin Huse, LCSW, School Social Worker, London Towne Elementary School

Neighborhood Networks

  • Supports families as they build on their strengths as parents and leaders.
  • Connects families with people and resources from Fairfax County’s Department of Family Services, the schools and the surrounding community.

Participation in the Program

Neighborhood Networks is a voluntary program. Families are nominated to the program by participating preschools and elementary schools within Fairfax County.

Support for You and Your Family

  • Connect you with resources – educational, medical, financial, housing and transportation.
  • Help your family develop ways to deal with challenges.
  • Provide one point of contact for various groups who may be working with your family.
  • Help you become more involved with your neighborhood and discover ways to help others.
  • Listen to you and help you achieve what you wish for your family.
Get more information by calling 703-324-7720, TTY 703-222-9452.
 
“Neighborhood Networks provides parent empowerment and case management support for many of our families. The program honors the parent’s vision for their family and seeks to help them reach their goals for stability and to strengthen parent-child relationships. Neighborhood Networks helps families really become integrated well into their community.” Karen Morris, LCSW, School Social Worker, Woodley Hills ES

Stories of Families Who Received Support

adult and child sitting on bench and talkingNeighborhood Networks worked with a family who tragically suffered the loss of their head of household during the pandemic in 2020. The sudden death of the father left the family with few financial or community resources.

Throughout the following year, NN program staff provided crisis support and encouragement to this newly widowed mother and her 8-year-old daughter. The mother had not been working outside of the home and was managing without an income. NN was able to connect the family to critical supports such as employment assistance, rental assistance, and assistance with basic needs such as food.

Collaboration with the child’s school was imperative to assisting the family with the supports they needed to endure this unexpected loss. 
The family identified goals to start moving forward including childcare assistance, counseling, educational supports for the daughter, social/emotional supports for the mother and daughter, as well as employment assistance.

Neighborhood Networks was able to provide these supports along with psycho-educational and mental health supports through the assistance of the NN mental health specialist who teamed the case with the social service specialist. Mother and daughter are slowly beginning to thrive in their new normal.

two adults and child outside sitting on grassNeighborhood Networks supported a grieving family after mom and dad passed away after a tragic domestic violence incident. The couple had a young child and an adult child. Extended family came together to support the children and help them through their grief process. A maternal aunt and uncle took custody of the young child and embarked on a journey to emotionally and physically support him.

NN was able to provide intensive case management to help the relatives in their new roles. The child was connected to therapy, mentoring, academic support, and extracurricular activities.

Our in-house mental health specialist supported the child’s aunt as she adjusted to the new role of full-time parent and primary caretaker. She received help in navigating the challenges of parenting a child, managing stress, and taking care of her own needs.

The family took parenting classes offered through our Parenting Education Programs, and felt like they were in a better place after all the support they received through our prevention programs. The now big and blended family has been able to push forward despite their challenges and adapt to their reality with the power of resilience and community support.

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