Lund Family Center Inc

Child & Family ServicesParent Child Center (PCC): PCCs are a network of 15 community-based non-profit organizations serving all of Vermont. Lund is one of three parent child centers in Chittenden County that provides support to families with young children through eight core services based on the Strengthening Families protective factors network. Lund's goal is to help Vermont families get off to a healthy start, promote their well-being and help them build on their family strengths.Family Education: Family Education is available to families with a child age 6 or under in Lund's residential program, as well as through home visitation with families across Chittenden County. Lund family educators provide guidance, support and information based on what the family needs, with an aim toward promoting the health and development of young children and increasing positive parenting by enhancing parenting skills.Early Childhood Program: The first five years of a child's life are the foundation for learning and development. Lund's 5-star (highest possible) rated program serves children from birth to 5 years old, five days per week. The program also partners with another nonprofit to provide on-site and community based therapeutic services to children and families in need.The kids-a-part program aims to reduce the traumatic impact experienced by children during a mother's incarceration. The program uses best practices that promote safe and healthy contact during parental incarceration; ensures necessary supports are in place for the family; and improves the capacity for our systems to meet with these families. The program includes services in the women's facility, as well as community-based supports for caregivers and children. Lund provides training, education, and consultation about the impact of parental incarceration and best practices for supporting children and families to Vermont Department of Corrections staff, schools, community-based agencies, and other groups to enhance community-wide understanding of the issue.Supervised Visitation: Sometimes, children and families need a safe and neutral setting to maintain contact with a non-custodial parent to support safe exchange between caretakers. Lund's Supervised Visitation and Exchange Program provides this opportunity to families in Chittenden County. Our staff work with children, parents and guardians to facilitate safe visitation and exchange, and communicate with family court as necessary to assist in on-going evaluation of visitation.Regional Partnership Program: Lund partners with the Vermont Department of Children and Families to conduct substance use screenings with parents and caregivers on the front end of the child protection case to ensure early identification and access to treatment when it is indicated. Our staff provides support to parents and caregivers during this process to address barriers that may negatively impact treatment engagement, assist them to make informed decisions around risk to the child and offer recommendations to promote family and child safety.

Adoption ServicesAdoption Services: Lund is Vermont's oldest and largest nonprofit adoption agency, completing private adoptions for infants and finding forever homes for older children in state custody. Project Family, a twenty year partnership with the Vermont Department of Children and Families, has found forever families for 3,624 children since 2000. During the year, 157 adoptions were finalized, 143 through Project Family, Lund's collaboration with DCF, 8 through Wendy's Wonderful Kids, a signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for adoption, and 6 through Lund's private adoption program.Lund's post-permanence program helps adoptive and guardianship families identify strengths and needs, establish goals and connect with community resources to celebrate milestones and to address challenges that can arise for families whose children who have experienced a traumatic start in life. Lund supports adoptive and guardianship families at any time in their lives, regardless of their ability to pay. Discovering Your Roots services help members of the adoption constellation find information and connection to their birth families. Lund partners with the Jockey Being Family Program to give a personalized backpack, blanket and teddy bear to every child on their adoption day. 196 individuals from 143 families received post permanence services. 740 individuals used Lund's Discovering Your Roots services to find information and/or connect with birth families.