The Parent and Child Center at Bristol Hospital

The Parent and Child Center at Bristol Hospital is dedicated to assisting parents with the task of parenting. By bringing educational programs out into the community, we help parents and children gain a better understanding of how they can work together to promote a positive family life.

Description:
The Parent and Child Center at Bristol Hospital offers several programs to provide all parents, especially those at risk, with the resources they need to practice positive and nurturing parenting skills, while coping effectively with the stresses in their lives and with their children.

The Center offers a Parent Support Center, including a resource library which houses a wealth of information on any parenting topic. Parents can drop in and check out books, magazines, and pamphlets or watch parenting education videos on the center's TV and DVD/VCR. Parent Educators are also available in person or by phone to help with specific issues. Parents are invited to attend one of our informative parenting workshops for in-depth help on parenting issues specific to each child's stage of development.

Our Nurturing Parenting Groups bring parents together to talk about issues they face and learn positive, effective parenting and discipline skill in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The Prenatal Nurturing Program teaches families positive parenting skills: what babies like, how to handle the cranky times, and how to help the normal development of infants and toddlers. The Nurturing Fathers Program and Nurturing Children's Group bring dads and kids together for fun, learning and activities. The ABC's program targets parents of preschoolers and issues specific to this age group.

The Nurturing Connections Program helps first-time parents make the transition into parenthood. The program offers new families parenting support from the moment of birth until the baby is up to one year old. Nurturing Connections offers mentoring support for the family, a free and informative gift bag, and ongoing phone support after the family arrives home with the new baby.

Home Visitation Services provide eligible first-time families with a friendly, curriculum-based visit for up to five years following the birth of their first child. All services listed above are voluntary and free of charge.

The Family Life Works program offers one-night parenting workshops and classes, support groups, and other on-going programs throughout the year.

The Hello Baby program provides home-based support and parenting education for teenage parents.

History:
The National Exchange Club made the prevention of child abuse its national cause decades ago. The Exchange Club Parent and Child Center was founded in 1996 by Bristol Hospital and the Farmington and Bristol Exchange Clubs. In 2002, our name was changed to the Parent and Child Center at Bristol Hospital as part of an effort to increase funding opportunities. We have expanded rapidly in the past 5 years, now employing 4 full-time and 4 part-time staff members, all dedicated to the task of preventing child abuse. We also rely on volunteers to staff several of our programs, including general office support, the Treasure Chest, Nurturing Connections, Nurturing Family Groups, and Family Life Works parenting education programs, as well as some of our community outreach events. In August of 2005, this expansion resulted in a move from our original location in a small house on Queen Street, to our new larger location on the corner of Main and Prospect Streets. The new building includes 2 classrooms with AV equipment and white boards, and a children's play area.

Contact people:

Rebecca Tuttle, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Sandra Godin, Nurturing Connections And Parenting Group Supervisor, (phone), (email)

Address:

9 Prospect Street Bristol, CT 06010 (See a map)

Directions:

The Parent and Child Center at Bristol Hospital is located in the Funk Building in Bristol, on the corner of Prospect Street and Main Street. The Center's entrance, shared with the WIC Program, is located at 9 Prospect Street. For maps or information, please see http://www.cttransit.com/