[HCCN] PR - FREE Support Group Relatives As Parents

[Candy Eaton]

Thank you for sharing this reminder with your staff, clients and community!


February 24, 2009; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Candy Eaton, Program Director

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*"Relatives as Parents SUPPORT Group"*

If you are a grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, cousin or good friend of 
the family caring for a relative's child or working toward that goal, 
you are invited to join a monthly "Relatives as Parents" facilitated 
support group conveniently located in Ellsworth at the Downeast Health 
Services office, 52 Christian Ridge Road on the second Tuesday of each 
month.  If you are interested in participating in this FREE mutual 
support group, contact Candy Eaton at 667-5304 ext. 261.  The next 
meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 10^th , 2009, from 6:00pm to 
8:00pm. 

The Hancock County Children's Council, a program of Downeast Health 
Services Inc., in partnership with /Maine Kids-Kin, /seeks to support 
families who are raising their relatives' children in Hancock County.  
Many families have recently undertaken the unexpected responsibility of 
caring for a relative's child.   _G__randfamilies_ is a term for 
families headed by an extended family member: grandparent, aunt, uncle 
or other relative. 

Raising children can be a wonderful, satisfying and enjoyable 
experience.  However, raising children is not an easy experience under 
any circumstance.  Usually when a child comes to live with a relative, 
it is because there has been some hardship within the family.  What 
begins as a temporary stay often turns into a permanent arrangement. 

Participants will learn how to work towards creating environments that 
help increase protective factors, such as developing community 
connections, improving access to resources, and reducing the social 
isolation by sharing common problems.  

In Maine, over 11,000 children with their grandparents, aunts, uncles, 
or with another relative who are not their parents. Even so, many 
relatives feel they are in this alone.  These relatives' lives are 
complicated, yet they are experienced parents and bring history and past 
lessons to a new relationship with their relatives' children.  
Throughout Hancock County, there are others who share many similar 
experiences and feelings. 

The Hancock County Children's Council collaborates with many local 
partners to strengthen Maine's families.  The Council provides parent 
education classes and has an extensive collection of books and 
videotapes on subjects designed to help children and families live 
healthier lives.  The Family Resource Center Library is available to all 
residents in Hancock County and is located at Downeast Health Services, 
52 Christian Ridge Road, Ellsworth, ME.    Please call 667-5304 ext. 
261, email children at downeasthealth.org 
<mailto:children at downeasthealth.org> or visit our website at 
www.downeasthealth.org <http://www.downeasthealth.org> for additional 
information on parenting classes, child development and family resources 
available in Hancock County. 

/Candy Eaton, Program Director
Hancock County Children's Council
a program of Downeast Health Services Inc.
52 Christian Ridge Road, Ellsworth, ME  04605
207-667-5304, ext. 261/
/children at downeasthealth.org/ <mailto:children at downeasthealth.org>

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