Oakland Family Services Awarded $25K Children’s Foundation ​Grant

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI — A $25,000 grant from The Children’s Foundation will allow Oakland Family Services to continue serving at-risk, vulnerable families at a time when children may be at a higher risk of abuse and neglect because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency said this week.

The funding, which was announced in late November, will help pay for a parent educator for Parents as Teachers, a home-visiting program that works to reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect. The program aims increase parental knowledge and skills of early childhood development, providing early detection of developmental delays and ensuring children enter kindergarten prepared to learn, officials said.

“Oakland Family Services has been a community partner of ours for many years and we are proud to continue our relationship by funding this important program that seeks to reduce the risk of abuse and neglect in the home,” Children's Foundation President and CEO Lawrence Burns said. “The need for funding like this is more relevant than ever given the current pandemic environment.”

As families experience more financial stress, disrupted routines, and lack of access to community supports during the pandemic, there is growing concern that abuse and neglect are going underreported, officials said. Calls to the state’s child abuse hotline are typically made by protective adults, such as teachers, who now have limited contact with children due to the pandemic.

"Oakland Family Services has been working in partnership with The Children's Foundation for many years to address the needs of children and families in our community,” Oakland Family Services President and CEO Jaimie Clayton said. “We value the commitment and vision of The Children's Foundation in funding critical programs, such as Parents as Teachers, that maintain the safety net for the families we serve."