After-school activities are offered Monday through Friday during the critical hours of 3 p.m.-6 p.m., the time when a lack of constructive activity and supervision can lead to risk-taking behavior. Most students attend four to five days per week through the regular school year. Programs focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), literacy, homework help, and arts activities.

Family Focus Englewood is currently offering after-school programs at Bass Elementary, Bond Elementary, Fort Dearborn Elementary, Foster Park Elementary, Kershaw Elementary, Henderson Elementary, and Holmes Elementary.

Doulas are experienced professionals who provide physical, emotional, and educational support for a birthing person before, during, and after childbirth. A doula does not replace medical personnel such as a doctor or midwife but supports the pregnant participant he mother or birthing person with pre- and postnatal care, connections to healthcare and supportive services, and labor coaching. Using a doula helps create a safe environment to give birth, assists with breastfeeding and lactation, and provides a support system for families to help with anything unexpected.

The home visiting program is open to caregivers with children from newborn to 3 years old. Parents receive visits from their home visitor to ensure their child is meeting development milestones through parent-child activities and education. Activities guide parents and children in sharing and learning activities that improve gross motor, language, fine motor, social, and emotional skills. Parent curriculum includes good maternal or paternal and child health, home safety, food security, positive parenting, and school readiness. Most home visiting programs also invite the parents to engage with other parents in the program through community events or support groups.

Known as FACs, Family Advocacy Centers are a partnership between Family Focus and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). This program is open to parents who have been referred to DCFS for potential neglect or abuse. FACs provide parenting classes and one-on-one support, and can supervise visits with children who have been separated from their parents.

Open to fathers, uncles, and grandfathers, the Power of Fathers program helps fathers learn positive parenting skills and build relationships with their children in a safe, welcoming setting. The group covers topics such as fathers’ rights, co-parenting, ex-offenders’ rights, job searching, child support information, parental self-esteem, domestic violence, child development, and more.

Open to families of young children who have experienced traumatic events. This program provides interventions specific to each family’s needs. Therapy to address trauma uses child-parent psychotherapy (CPP) and family therapy. In each approach, the interventions focus on the caregiver, not the therapist, as the primary source of support for the child. Most services are home-based to accommodate transportation costs, the challenges of readying a family for travel, privacy and confidentiality, and safety.