Emilia was desperate to improve her family life…

Emilia Padilla, mother of three was desperate to improve her family life so she contacted FIRST 5. With the guidance and support of her FIRST 5 Family Partner, Emilia immediately enrolled in an 8-week parenting course provided by Catholic Charities. She also attended evening English as a Second Language (ESL) classes 3 times per week, where her children received high-quality childcare. Emilia was also able to enroll her son in preschool and was given a car seat, as well as referred to the FIRST 5 Health Mobile for free preventive dental screenings.

Emilia’s FIRST 5 Family Partner administered a developmental screening with her son, uncovering concerns about his language and communication abilities which were causing problems at school. As a result, the Family Partner consulted with a behavior specialist from Via Services, a FIRST 5 partner agency, to seek school and home developmental and behavioral supports.

The FIRST 5 home visitor focused on helping Emilia establish more clear rules, structure, and family literacy practices at home. Soon Emilia’s son’s preschool teacher reported that his behavior had almost immediately and completely turned around — he was doing well and following the classroom rules.

“Through my work with [my home visitor], I learned about setting rules, how to play with my kids, and how to help them learn. I am using these strategies and have seen positive changes in my children,” said Emilia.

What we can do as a community:

Santa Clara County families often face isolation from community resources because of language barriers, transportation obstacles and fear of federal immigration policies. FIRST 5, using innovative and culturally-respectful recruitment techniques, helps build trust within our communities by informing residents of services that support the healthy development of children. As a community, we must work towards breaking down cultural barriers to provide resources and information accessible for all.

Gary, a single father, needed help raising his children…

Gary Parker, a single father of four, was having a tough time adjusting to being a single dad. He was referred to FIRST 5 by a local agency. After meeting with his FIRST 5 Family Partner, they decided to focus on two major goals: helping his youngest son, Steven to be academically, behaviorally, and socially ready for kindergarten and accessing services to improve his family’s communication and well-being.

FIRST 5 recommended a home visitor to help Gary. The home visitor worked on Gary’s parenting skills and helped decrease Steven’s behavior and communication problems. The home visitor also helped the family get much needed food, furniture, clothes, books, and other household items from the Community Solutions’ donation center.

Gary stated that he has seen improvement in Steven and in himself as a parent because of FIRST 5 services. “My home visitor has taught me how to better communicate with Steven and has given me activities that I can do with him to help him learn. I want to be an active parent, aware of resources for the family, and will do whatever it takes to do what is best for the kids.”

What we can do as a community:

FIRST 5 and its partners help families’ secure necessary services such as: early care and education, health insurance coverage, parent workshops, and mental health services. It is important for the community to also reach out to families in need and inform them of valuable services available to help build a foundation for a safe and stable home.

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