This article was posted on CBS12.
A local organization is committed to helping families create stronger, healthier, and happier relationships with their children with personalized visits to the family's homes. It’s an effort that helps keep children out of the foster care system and gives them the prospect of a brighter future.
“Without Boys Town, I probably would have given up on my son,” explains one mother.
“A lot of the parents that we come in contact with are very overwhelmed,” says Boys Town South Florida Executive Director Bethany Lacey. “There are times when a family will come to the attention of the Department of Children and Families and their staff will recognize that that family just needs some support. They just need a little bit of help. And so that's where we'll come into play.”
That is when Boys Town comes alongside the family to provide them with important skills and resources. It helps prevent that family from coming further into the system.
Another mother says, “Boys Town was really the only people that would help me, and they did it without question. It wasn't like, well, we think we can help you. It was like, no, we'll be over tomorrow afternoon.”
“I think it was more a holistic approach, looking at the family and how I can help this family,” says another.
With 24/7 crisis support and consultants visiting the family in their home around their schedule, the help and guidance is a Godsend.
“She was like, erase all the parenting that you ever knew. We're going to start over, start fresh,” says a parent.
“Once we were able to work with the families, they were able to gain some really valuable skills. And really, I call it their toolbox. Just add tools to their toolbox,” says Bethany. “So, they're empowered to continue to be able to build the kind of healthy family that they want to have.”
With better problem-solving skills and knowing how to access resources that they can use beyond their time with Boys Town, they will always have help.