The routines of many families in the Santa Clarita Valley and across the world have been upended by the novel coronavirus outbreak, including challenges that may come for families with children.
On Thursday, officials with the Department of Children and Family Services reiterated that there are multiple programs available to continue supporting families and children during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Family dynamics during a time like this will naturally be impacted because schools are out and most people stay home for an extended period of time,” Bobby Cagle, director of DCFS, said during a Thursday live Facebook broadcast. “I want to assure you that DCFS is working around the clock to assess and assure the safety of children, our staff, and the families that we serve through a variety of measures.”
Should families need support, Cagle said the county has a free network of providers, known as the “prevention and aftercare programs” that are geared toward strengthening and supporting families.
Access is available to all families “regardless of age, immigration status or insurance status,” said Cagle. The program offers services such as parenting support and education, linkages to needed services, as well as for other basic needs, such as food, financial literacy programs and peer support groups.
Due to safety guidelines urging people to practice social distancing, many programs and services are now virtually available through Skype, Zoom, FaceTime and other distance technologies, said Cagle.
“While our operations and those of our providers may be modified now, I want to stress that we are still here to help and connect families to resources,” said Cagle. “I encourage anyone who can use some extra support to reach out to DCFS to find out what services are available in their area.”
For more information about these services, visit dcfs.lacounty.gov. For all local coronavirus-related stories, visit: signalscv.com/2020/03/covid-19-coverage-summary.
