In 2017, SeaView Community Services received a major grant from the Seward Community Foundation for $3,210 to provide Circle of Security Parenting training for three staff members.
The objectives of the program are to empower families by offering a high quality, researched-based, best-practice parenting program targeted to reduce at-risk, or out-of-home placements, and involvement with the Office of Children’s Services (OCS); encourage community members to become involved in foster parenting; and proactively educate parents in the community to reduce OCS referrals.
SCF awards grant to Seaview for Circle of Safety training at 2017 Grant Award Event.
This four-day seminar trains professionals to use an eight-chapter DVD or streaming video to educate caregivers. The program presents video examples of secure and problematic parent/child interaction in the zero to five age range, healthy options in caregiving, and animated graphics designed to clarify principles central to Circle of Security.
Prior to this training, Seward and surrounding areas, Hope, Cooper Landing and Moose Pass, did not have a parenting program. Due to the inability to receive parenting classes locally, parents that are required by OCS to complete these parenting classes had to travel out of the area. If they were lacking the resources, some could not meet the criteria needed to retain or reunify with their children. With the training provided by this grant, classes are now available through SeaView Community Services.
Funding for this grant came from the Seward Community Foundation Unrestricted Fund.