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Community Corner

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Welcome to the Department of Family Services' Community Corner. Our weekly newsletter, updated each Wednesday, provides information about upcoming events, parenting and wellness tips, programs and services, and more! Share these helpful posts with your family and friends.

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Join Domestic and Sexual Violence Services as they continue shining a light on the importance of healthy relationships and preventing teen dating violence. Everyone’s voice is critical to preventing and ending teen dating violence in our community. Posts in our Teen Advocates Social Media Day Toolkit speak to parents, caregivers, and teens. Mark your calendars now and plan to share one to two posts on your social media channels on Thursday, May 7, 2026. Feel free to share this call to action with other organizations, colleagues, friends, and family to help expand our reach and make an even greater impact! Questions, contact Shanna Kim.

Join Inova ElderLink and the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging for online training to help family and professional caregivers. Embody Beatriz as she goes through the challenges of progressive Alzheimer’s Disease, seeing how it affects her communication, thinking, and emotional well-being, while learning ways to help her feel safe, supported, and maintain a better quality of life. Session will be held from 12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. via Microsoft Teams. Register now.

Join this presentation and discussion to help you discover the signs of healthy versus unhealthy relationship patterns, learn how concerning behaviors can show up in families, understand why leaving an unsafe relationship can be complicated, and explore caring, practical ways to support someone, including a child or a teenager, who may be experiencing or witnessing abuse. Any Fairfax County parents or guardians with children ages 0-18 years old can join us Tuesday, May 12, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Register online or for more information, email or call 703-324-7720.

Are you curious about becoming a foster parent? Hundreds of children in Fairfax County need a temporary loving home until they can safely return to their families. Our next virtual information meeting is by invitation only on Tuesday, May 12, at 6:45 p.m. Complete this short interest form for prospective parents. For more information check out our website.

Caring for someone with a mental health diagnosis can come with unique challenges, requiring patience, understanding, and effective strategies. In this session, we’ll discuss ways to provide meaningful support while prioritizing their mental health needs and your own well-being. Learn tips for communication, managing daily care, and accessing helpful resources for navigating caregiving with mental health in focus. Register now.

Looking for some additional income this summer or new experience in transportation and delivery services? Join us for an information session about available job opportunities at UPS! UPS is hiring part-time package handlers and cover drivers during the summer season. Learn what the job entails and see if you would be a good fit! Register now for one 30-minute session.

Join Inova ElderLink and the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging for online training to help family and professional caregivers. Through a series of three unique scenarios, you will embody older adults and care partners who are experiencing challenges related to Caregiver Burnout, Intervention and De-escalation, and Trauma-Informed Care. Session will be held from 2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. via Microsoft Teams. Register now.

Dads, do you want to build a stronger bond with your children? The Father Engagement Unit understands the challenges you face and is here to support you. Our FREE Dads Parenting Groups are designed to help fathers be the best they can be. This virtual 12-week course takes place from 6-8:30 p.m. starting Tuesday, May 19. Language interpretation services are available. If you or your children live in Fairfax County, call 703-324-7720, email BuildingStrongerfamilies@fairfaxcounty.gov for more information or visit our website.

Are you raising a 5–11-year-old? This weekly class starting Tuesday, May 19 offered by the Parenting Education Programs shows parents how to increase their empathy, discover new ways to encourage appropriate behaviors, build positive self-concept and self-esteem, and learn how to have fun as a family. The class meets online every Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. Ready to sign up or have questions? Contact us by email at or call 703-324-7720. Learn more about the variety of parenting classes available. Don't miss out on this opportunity to improve your parenting skills and strengthen your family!

Parents and caregivers of newborns to 4-year-olds are invited to join our FREE Parenting Education Classes for Spanish speakers at Main Street Child Development Center in Fairfax! Each week starting Wednesday, May 20 from 5:30-8 p.m., these classes will teach you the basics you need to know, from supporting your child’s development to creating healthy routines and boosting your parenting confidence. Contact us by email or call 703-324-7720 to sign up or ask questions. Learn more about all our parenting classes.

Join Fairfax County Department of Family Services’ Adult & Aging Division to celebrate Older Americans Month at Nationals Park! This event brings together older adults, adults with disabilities, family caregivers, dedicated aging service professionals, and organizations for a day filled with joy, connection, and community spirit. Learn more and purchase tickets.

Do you have kids who are 12-18 years old? This weekly parenting class shows parents how to learn effective communication strategies, how to recognize their children’s needs, how to understand the developmental stages of adolescence, and ways to build their children’s personal power, self-concept and self-esteem. Classes will be held from 6-8 p.m. virtually. Ready to sign-up or have questions? Contact us by email at or call 703-324-7720. Learn more about all our parenting classes.

Are you ready to become a more confident and effective parent? Join our free weekly parenting class starting June 1! This class is designed for parents with children aged 5-11 years old and will cover topics such as increasing empathy, encouraging appropriate behaviors, building positive self-concept and self-esteem, and having fun as a family. The class meets every Monday from 5:30-8 p.m. at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Springfield. Dinner and child care are provided. Ready to sign-up or have questions? Contact us by email at or call 703-324-7720. Learn more about all our parenting classes.

Parents with children ages 0-4 years old, check out this FREE virtual parenting class offered in Spanish. It helps parents understand child development; create nurturing parenting routines; master infant massage; and develop ways to foster positive self-esteem in themselves and their children. Interested? This class meets every Monday from 6-8 p.m. Contact us by email or call 703-324-7720 to sign up or ask questions. Learn more about all our parenting classes.

Registration for the summer session of Sexual Violence Tier 1, a 16-hour training on understanding sexual violence, systems responding to sexual violence in Fairfax County, and resources available in our community, is now open. The summer session is 8 a.m.-5 p.m., in-person at Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation, 1441 Wiehle Avenue, Reston, VA 22190. This training is free but seats fill quickly, so sign up now. For full credit, all 16 hours must be completed. Questions? Contact Victoria Nevel-Babla.

Sarah Dade approaches her role as an administrative assistant with Public Assistance and Employment Services (PAES) with a smile and a commitment to the golden rule, treating others as she would want to be treated. Her positive attitude and outstanding service to clients led to her nomination and selection as one of this year’s recipients of the Sharon Bulova Award for Exemplary Administrative Professionals. Read more about Sarah’s outstanding contributions and why her peers nominated her for this award.

Whenever a high-profile incident of domestic violence occurs—one that makes a large splash in the media, particularly social media--we often jump to the conclusion that the person who committed the violent act must be suffering from depression or be otherwise mentally ill. But this leap in logic does a disservice to everybody in the community, says Domestic and Sexual Violence Services Counseling Supervisor Kathryn Harlow. Learn more about how we should frame these conversations.