Child & Family Services (CFS)

Child & Family Services goal is to strengthen the whole family unit, while keeping them all together.  Teaching a variety of ways to handle some of life’s daily challenges. The CFS unit is here to assist tribal families with any challenges or concern they may have regarding raising a family in the society we live in.  We are developing healthy ways to strengthen families and encourage cultural ways of connection to our land, our community and ourselves.  We are also working on a Kinship Navigator Program, this will allow us to assist Kinship Caregivers even if it’s an informal placement of a child.  This program will provide information, referral, and follow-up services to grandparents and other relatives raising children to link them to the benefits and services that they or the children need.

The Child & Family Service (CFS) department is open for business, we have a staff of 3 members.  Can you imagine a place in our tribe where people of all ages, incomes, and abilities are welcome to develop helpful and caring connections with each other? A place where skilled and thoughtful professionals along with Tribal Leaders, Medicine folks, and Clan Mothers help parents, children, and families find emotional support, financial support and practical assistance to succeed in life? A place that offers sensible solutions to families seeking health, safety, educational, and employment services? That is exactly what we are hoping to see flourish in our tribe.

CFS has several programs to assist tribal families and we are constantly working on developing more.  Please feel free to complete an online application as well as reach out to us at 508-477-0208

Program Goals

• Protect Children and Strengthen & Families

• Provide comprehensive assessment of adults, families, and children designed to enhance strengths and address challenges

• Support and enhance relationships between children, families, and the community

• Connect children & families to immediate, time-limited, and lifelong supports

• All partners work together as part of a professional team

MWT Child & Family Services Kinship Navigator: It Takes a Tribe to Raise a Child

What are kinship navigator programs?
More than 2.5 million children currently are being raised by their grandparents and other relatives, both formally through the child welfare system and informally through private family arrangements.

When these caregivers take on this responsibility, they often receive little to no financial support or advice regarding how to navigate the many systems they might need to access to meet the needs of the children in their care. While some child protection agencies are shifting toward a “kin first” culture and practice that prioritizes supporting kin caregivers, many still get lost in the competing demands of workers. Kinship navigator programs help fill that gap by providing caregivers with information, education, and referrals to a wide range of services and supports. The Navigator’s goal is to maximize the caregivers’ ability to provide safety and stability and, if needed, permanency for the children placed

in their home. (The Casey Foundation)

Who are Kinship Caregivers?
Kinship care is the full-time care, nurturing and protection of children by relatives, members of their tribes or clans, godparents, stepparents, or any adult who has a kinship bond with a child. This definition is designed to be inclusive and respectful of cultural values and ties of affection. It allows a child to grow to adulthood in a family environment, with cultural connections.

Why Kinship Care is needed.
Children may be unable to live with their parents because of...

• Parental substance abuse

• Financial hardships

• Death of a parent

• Incarceration

• Domestic violence

• Mental health issues

• Parental abandonment

• Child neglect and/or abuse

• Teenager not ready to be a parent

• Military deployment

Why is Kinship Care Preferable?

• Children live with people they know and trust

• Kinship care supports family preservation

• Children keep their family identity

• Lessens the feeling of separation and loss

• Kinship is strength based, not limitation based

• Kinship care supports community and culture

What do kinship navigator programs provide?

• Information

• Education

• Resources and referrals for relatives, grandparents, kin, foster parents, and adoptive families.

• Short term case management

• Linkage to community services and resources

• The Kinship Navigator program provides help, assistance, tips, support, guidance
  and advice for all familial caregivers including:

• Kinship foster parents caring for children involved with the Tribal Court

• Kinship caregivers involved with Probate and Family court.

• Families with informal caregiver arrangements

How can we help?

Kinship Navigator staff act as a point of contact for kinship caregivers statewide and their families. We assist with navigating services such as:

• Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA)

• Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

• Tribal Services through the government center

• We connect kinship caregivers to community resources including:

• Family Resource Centers

• Support Groups (in the development phase)

• Mental Health and Counseling

• Food & Nutrition Assistance

• Childcare

• Support for kinship caregivers who have a family member struggling with substance misuse 

Program Goals

• Protect Children and Strengthen & Families

• Provide comprehensive assessment of adults, families, and children designed to enhance strengths and address challenges

• Support and enhance relationships between children, families, and the community

• Connect children & families to immediate, time-limited, and lifelong supports

• All partners work together as part of a professional team    

Available Benefits & Services

Kinship families may be eligible for child welfare services, including case management, Promoting Safe and Stable Families, preventative services, childcare and other programs.

Please complete an intake application and we will respond as soon as possible.

Additional Support Links

https://www.mass.gov/kinship-navigator

https://www.frcma.org/