(Posted 2023 July)
Welcome back to our BeFriend-A-Child and Body Safety Program Coordinators, Tiffani Peguese and Francesca Lovitt! They were reassigned for several months, to support VPS’s sister program, Child Protective Services, assessing allegations of child abuse and neglect.
Their work in these roles was life changing. It involved analyzing complex information, taking decisive and appropriate actions when a child needed protection, and employing intervention services and strategies to achieve the best outcomes for children.
Tiffani and Francesca made the most of the opportunity to further develop their skills supporting children and families through:
- Using the Children, Youth, and Families’ Safe & Connected™ practice model to comprehensively assess children and their families, and their protective, risk, and safety factors.
- Interviewing children, parents, and other involved adults.
- Documenting interactions and observations related to the assessments.
- Honing their knowledge of child protection law, rules, and regulations.
- Managing conflict and navigating sensitive situations.
Tiffani and Francesca engaged with 20 families (parents, caregivers, and their children) who were at risk of or who were victims of abuse or neglect. They successfully helped to strengthen families by providing the support and services needed to ensure the safety and well-being of their children.
While it was a valuable experience, Tiffani and Francesca are both excited to get back to their true passion, coordinating their programs which focus on child abuse prevention through increasing families’ protective factors. They’ve already onboarded several new volunteer mentors and facilitators, and they are gearing up for trainings in July and August.
Volunteer facilitators and mentors make such an impact on our community and it's what motivates them to continue the work. Children with an additional positive adult role model in their lives are much more likely to succeed in life. Empowering children by educating them about abuse can actually minimize the likelihood of it occurring and interrupts it from continuing.
Interested? You can become a volunteer mentor, volunteer facilitator, or come work with us in the Children, Youth, and Families Division!
This article posting is part of The Volunteer Post Newsletter for current and potential volunteers, sponsors and donors interested in supporting children and families in crisis. Learn more about Fairfax County Department of Family Services' Volunteer & Partner Services Program (VPS).