What Is The Purpose Of Family Support Services?

Family support services follow a relationship-focused approach that can strengthen bonds and the ever-evolving ties between families. It is also called a community-based service that has been designed to assist as well as support families, especially parents and elders, in their roles as caregivers. These type of services can have different forms, which usually depends on the needs and strengths of a family. However, their overarching goal remains unchanged – these services help parents enhance their skills and reconcile, to promote child development and well-being.

Many families have already benefitted from community services, and more is likely to happen. Family support services and programs may address the overall population of a state or target a particular section of the community depending on cultural and ethnic status. They may have comprehensive or specific goals.

Common Family Support Services

The goal of any community services, like family support services, is to maintain unity in families, prevent out-of-home placements, and enhance skills of caregivers. Some of the common services include:

• Respite: It provides a much needed break to caregivers and family members. Parents usually resist using the respite services or are unaware of the purposes of these services. Reality is, most children enjoy the chance of getting away from their homes, meeting new friends, and having some fun time away from parents. Respite may occur in your own homes or at any other location.


• Family Training: Every aspect of training a child is difficult, be it bathroom training or cleanliness. When children have special needs, things get challenging. Thus, family training is conducted at home so that the child becomes familiar with the new environment. Some of these trainings assist with relationship and behavioral issues too.


• Recreation services: Children need a place to socialize and lean; recreation services offer that opportunity to kids. Day camps, overnight stays and fun activities help children to socialize better.


• Cash subsidies: Community services are extended to people who need it the most. Cash subsidies are very important because not all costs are covered by private insurance. Finding of specialized equipment, diapers and orthopedic shoes need additional aid, which can be provided under cash subsidy.

How community services help families?

There are certain principles of family support services, which include concepts like:

• All families require support


• Each family has unique needs


• The purpose of working with a family is to increase strength and promote family responsibilities, and not just substitute for the same


• Families benefit from family-centered services and support


• Healthy families don’t live in isolation

The building blocks of family support puts all these principles into action and helps families unite and grow. Building strategies follow certain norms like:

• They believe in initiating relationship with families through informal conversation.


• They aim to make family the prime source of setting priorities right.


• They help families understand and identify their strengths.


• To involve family members as key players in all activities.


• To help families acquire skills and confidence.


• To encourage families to expand its support network.