News from Franklin County Children Services

CLICK HERE TO HEAR MORE TIPS ABOUT SETTING HEALHTY BOUNDARIES FROM ALL THAT'S DANELLA HICKS “I taught Sunday Schools for years, and what I realized was that my babies couldn’t read, they didn’t know what to do after they graduated, and they had lots of hurdles,” explains Danella Hicks.  This realization inspired her more than 15 years ago to start All THAT - Teens Hopeful About Tomorrow - a nonprofit dedicated to mentoring, encouraging, and supporting young people so they can succeed in school and in life.  Ms. Hicks knows all too well the odds stacked against her youth, noting that without this program, “our teens would probably end up either in the cemetery or jail.”  She mixes love and compassion with a dose of rules and expectations about commitment, attendance, and attitude, even insisting on a “no cell phone zone” when teens are engaged in programming. Teens are paid a bi-weekly stipend if they actively engage and show a positive attitude. Franklin County Children S...

Many seniors and older adults in Franklin County are stepping up to become primary caregivers for their grandchildren or other young relatives, caring for some of the 2.7 million children nationwide who are being raised by older family members. And with the passage of the 2024 Franklin County Children Services Levy, more of those kinship caregivers are receiving an extra helping hand to cover some of the unexpected costs of caring for the children they love. “When we support caregivers, we strengthen our community and ensure that both the young and old can thrive together,” said Chanda Wingo, Director of the Franklin County Office on Aging.   This year, FCCS is doubling the amount of funding provided to the Office on Aging’s Kinship Incentive Program, now up to $600,000 each year, which should assist as many as 300 children each year. “Children Services understood the needs and recognized that if support was not provided to kinship families, the children were at risk of placem...

Helping families rebuild, reconnect, and reunify is at the very heart of Franklin County Children Services’ core mission. “And visitation is a vital piece,” says Corey Leftridge, FCCS Family Services Supervisor.  “We help parents and children stay connected and build toward reunification, keeping that family bond despite the distance, despite the trauma, despite the crises they may be in.” FCCS’s Family Visitation team helps facilitate approximately 7,000 safe family visits annually. For many children in out-of-home placement, these visits are essential in building a safe, stable foundation for family reconnection and eventually reunification.  Every day, every visit, the Visitation team is there to help make this critically important work happen. For Mr. Leftridge, it’s all about maintaining that vital family connection and getting kids back home again whenever safely possible. “We try to encourage the families to do things that help them reignite their bond.” There are three...

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE TIPS FROM CHRIS VINEIS AT UNITE FOR SAFE SOCIAL MEDIA Social media platforms can lead to positive connections and learning experiences for young people. But, as pointed out by CEO and founder of Unite for Safe Social Media Chris Vineis, parents need to monitor and set rules for how often, how long, and where teens go online. And most important, don't dismiss the dangers of cyberbullying and sextortion by thinking they can't happen to your teen. Both are very real. Jon Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation says teens spend an average of 6-8 hours on screen-based leisure activities, with at least five hours a day on their favorite social media sites. Other studies suggest it's closer to seven.  With that in mind, there’s little doubt that adolescents are more preoccupied with TikTok and YouTube than homework, as Gallup found in a survey last year. “This type of obsessive behavior increases risks for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm and eve...

You can see it in the pictures: mentor Jarrett Rardon and his 7-year-old mentee Zidane were instant friends when they first met.  Connected through Franklin County Children Services’ new 60 for Six mentoring program last summer, the two hit it off from the start and have already built a special bond. And during National Mentoring Month in January, the agency is hoping to replicate more of these important mentoring relationships. Zidane is an exuberant second grader who lives with his grandma. He sees Rardon as a cherished friend: “He feels like someone that I have known for a long time.” he says.  In just a few months, the two pals have enjoyed music lessons together, carved pumpkins, and gone fishing. Zidane even caught his very first fish last summer, a bluegill. “It was so cool.” As for Mr. Rardon, who works as a research coordinator at Nationwide Children’s, becoming a mentor was especially important to him. Because of his own time spent in foster care in early adolescence...

Celebrating how families do better when they live in communities that are committed to helping them succeed, Franklin County Children Services recognized the annual National Family Week by honoring several families and community partners. “Strong families are the first foundation to protecting children, and tonight we will hear powerful stories of how families have become stronger than ever,” offered FCCS Executive Director Chip Spinning, echoing the agency’s Call to Action of strengthening all families. “We believe that any family in Franklin County - no matter the family’s size, income, neighborhood, background, and diversity - should have access to the supports and resources parents need so they avoid concerns that might force them into the child welfare system,” added Executive Director Spinning.. “That’s why we also celebrate tonight the organizations and community partners and volunteers who stand with us in this mission to relentlessly advocate for all families,” he added. Throu...

Celebrating the love, support, safety, and sense of belonging that comes with finding a “forever family,” Franklin County Children Services and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption honored National Adoption Day on Tuesday, November 19, by bringing together six families and eight children currently in foster care who will finalize adoptions in court on the same day. Hear highlights of the Franklin County National Adoption Day 2024 by clicking here . Christina and Burl Queen simply could not imagine life without their beloved Izzy, a joyful two-year-old with a lively, affectionate spirit, who first entered their lives two years ago and on National Adoption Day, officially joined their family.  “It’s like holding your breath for two years and then finally getting to just exhale,” Christina says.  The Queens were one of six happy families finalizing their adoptions, and both Christina and Burl are grateful, relieved, and overjoyed for Izzy’s adoption day to have finally arrived...