Family Resource Centers

Family resource centers (FRCs) are community-based hubs designed to support families by providing a range of direct services and resources, including parenting support and education; screening and navigation of care services; mental health services; early learning and afterschool activities; financial planning; home-based services; kinship care assistance; and workforce supports. The programs offered by FRCs are provided to the general public through the center regardless of a family’s ability to pay and are developed to reflect the specific needs and interests of the communities served. FRCs serve diverse families and levels of needs, with some FRCs delivering a targeted range of services, while others offer a more encompassing set of services. FRCs seek to support underserved and disadvantaged populations and the composition of these populations varies greatly across communities. The FRC approach is flexible, strengths-based, and collaborative with families and communities taking an active role in service delivery and decision making.

There are over 3,000 FRCs in the United States, funded by a combination of federal, state, local, and grant funds. FRCs are already able to be supported with funds from federal Title IV-B Parts 1 and 2, but further investments in FRCs are currently limited by the lack of an FRC definition in federal law. There is no single definition of what an FRC is, but efforts are underway at the national and state levels to establish one. In 2019, California defined Family Resource Centers in the Welfare & Institutions Code (section 18951(g)) as “an entity providing family-centered and family-strengthening services that are embedded in communities, culturally sensitive, and include cross-system collaboration to assist in transforming families and communities through reciprocity and asset development based on impact-driven and evidence-informed approaches with the goal of preventing child abuse and neglect and strengthening children and families”. Quality standards have been developed by the National Family Support Network, which also provides training and technical assistance to FRCs and those wanting to establish FRCs.

Overview of Family Resource Centers

Family resource centers (FRCs) play a crucial role in supporting families by providing a wide range of services and resources tailored to meet their needs. These services often include:

1. Parenting Support: Workshops, classes, and parenting education programs are offered to help parents improve their parenting knowledge and skills, manage parenting stress, and create nurturing environments for their children.
2. Early Childhood Education: Many FRCs offer early childhood education and development programs designed to promote school readiness and enhance development among young children. These programs often include playgroups, preschool activities, educational resources, developmental screenings, and referrals to early intervention services, if needed.
3. Health and Wellness Services: FRCs may provide access to healthcare information and services, mental health counseling, nutrition education, and wellness programs for families to promote physical and emotional well-being, along with referrals to higher level services, if needed.
4. Financial and Housing Assistance: Some FRCs offer support with financial literacy, budgeting, access to housing resources, and assistance navigating social services and benefits.
5. Community Engagement: FRCs serve as hubs for community engagement, offering opportunities for families to connect with each other, participate in community events, and build social networks.

Effectiveness of Family Resource Centers

Research on the effectiveness of FRCs has highlighted several key findings that underscore their importance and impact on families' well-being and community development:

1. Reduced child welfare involvement: Several studies have shown reductions in child maltreatment substantiations and cases, lower rates of child welfare investigations, and reductions in out-of-home care placements.
2. Improved Parenting Practices: Programs offered at FRCs have been shown to enhance parenting knowledge and skills. For instance, parents participating in parenting education programs report increased confidence in managing child behavior and fostering positive parent-child relationships.
3. Enhanced Child Development Outcomes: Children who attend FRC programs often show improvements in cognitive development, language skills, and social-emotional competence. Children who participate in FRC programs often show better readiness for school, including language skills and social readiness. Early intervention services provided at FRCs can also lead to better developmental outcomes for children with identified delays or disabilities.
4. Increased Access to Services: FRCs play a critical role in connecting families to essential services and resources that they may not have accessed otherwise. FRCs serve as a gateway to essential resources that contribute to overall family stability, such as social services, food assistance, housing support, and healthcare services.
5. Community Building and Support: By fostering community engagement and social connections and providing a hub for families to interact and support each other, FRCs help reduce social isolation, foster a sense of belonging, and strengthen community bonds and the supportive networks available to families. This can lead to increased resilience and improved community cohesion.
6. Long-term Benefits: Several studies have demonstrated the long-term benefits of FRC involvement:

• Educational Attainment: Children who benefit from early childhood programs at FRCs tend to have better academic outcomes later in life.
• Economic Stability: Families supported by FRCs are more likely to achieve economic stability through improved employment prospects and financial management skills.
• Cost savings: Several studies have demonstrated cost savings. For example, a study in Alabama showed that, for every dollar invested, FRCs provide a $4.93 total return on investment and $3.65 savings specific to the child welfare system.

Challenges and Considerations

While FRCs offer valuable services, there are challenges to consider:

1. Funding and Sustainability: Many FRCs face funding constraints, which can limit the scope and sustainability of their programs. Securing stable funding sources is crucial to maintaining the effectiveness of these centers.
2. Equity and Access: Ensuring that FRCs reach all families, including those from marginalized communities or with limited English proficiency, requires intentional outreach, culturally responsive services, and sufficient funding.
3. Quality Improvement and Evaluation: Continuous evaluation and improvement of FRC programs are essential to ensure they meet the evolving needs of families and achieve measurable outcomes. More rigorous evaluations are needed to definitively establish the impact of FRCs on the outcomes described above.
4. Lack of a Single Definition: The lack of a federal definition, and differing definitions across states and agencies, impacts the ability of FRCs to be funded and evaluated as a distinct program or intervention.

Conclusion

Family resource centers serve as vital community resources that support families in various aspects of their lives. The research evidence consistently highlights their positive impact on enhancing parenting practices, promoting child development, and fostering community engagement. By providing a comprehensive range of services and programs, FRCs contribute to the well-being and resilience of families, making them integral components of supportive communities. Continued research and investment in FRCs are essential to maximize their impact and ensure equitable access to resources for all families.

Key Resources

California Family Resource Association: https://californiafamilyresource.org/

National Family Support Network: https://www.nationalfamilysupportnetwork.org/

References

California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention. (2000, April). Family resource centers: Vehicles for change, Volume I: The California Family Resource Center learning circle. https://strategiesca.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Vehicles_for_Change_I.pdf

California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention. (2017). Family resource centers: Vehicles for change, Volume II: The evolving field. https://strategiesca.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Vehicles_for_Change_II.pdf

Casey Family Programs. (2019). Issue brief: Do place-based programs, such as family resource centers, reduce risk of child maltreatment and entry into foster care? https://www.casey.org/media/SComm_Family-Resource-Centers.pdf

Colorado Family Resource Center Association. (2019). Family Pathways & CFSA 2.0 evaluation report - Executive summary 2019. https://cofamilycenters.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2019-FRCA-Aggregate-Evaluation-Report-Executive-Summary.pdf

Community Services Analysis, LLC. (2014). The Alabama Network of Family Resource Centers social return on investment study. http://www.csaco.org/files/103503730.pdf [Update available at https://www.nationalfamilysupportnetwork.org/_files/ugd/ec0538_ddb51898f7694f339fc132c02772dd8a.pdf]

Dupper, D. R., & Poertner, J. (1997). Public schools and the revitalization of impoverished communities: School-linked, family resource centers. Social Work, 42(5), 415-422. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/42.5.415

Henry, A. D., Gettens, J., Pratt, C., & McGlinchy, L. (2017, March). Massachusetts Family Resource Center program evaluation report: Calendar year 2016. Center for Health Policy and Research, University of Massachusetts Medical School. https://www.mass.gov/doc/fy2016-family-resource-center-annual-report/download

Harder+Company Community Research. (2019). California Family Resource Center statewide survey. Results brief. https://harderco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019-CA-FRC-Statewide-Survey-Results-Brief.pdf

Omni Institute. (2013). Key components of family resource centers: A review of the literature. https://www.cofamilycenters.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Key-Components-of-Family-Resource-Centers-A-Review-of-the-Literature.pdf

OMNI Institute. (2021). Return on investment of a family resource center to the child welfare system: Community Partnership Family Resource Center, Teller County, CO. https://www.omni.org/nfsn-report-pdfs

OMNI Institute. (2021). Return on investment of a family resource center to the child welfare system: Westminster Family Resource Center, Orange County, CA. https://www.omni.org/nfsn-report-pdfs

Pampel, F., & Beachy-Quick, K. (2013). Key components of family resource centers: A review of the literature. https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/20e556_7d6b57ed42d34674a87ac78d28f01bc8.pdf

Pecora, P. J., & DiLorenzo, P. (2019). Outcome and cost-savings data for selected types of family support services: A summary for Orange County Social Services. https://www.nationalfamilysupportnetwork.org/_files/ugd/ec0538_03019caac38a47e7b782292d86bcd21c.pdf

Rollins, K., Anderson, C., Grewal-Kök, Y., Widding, J., Thomas, K., & Heaton, L. (2024). Meeting family needs: A multi-system framework for child and family well-being. Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. https://www.chapinhall.org/project/meeting-family-needs/

White, C. R., Bonfanti, P., Pecora, P. J., Cabrera, J., & Rozanski, T. (2023). The impact of family resource centers on referral rates to child protective services. Child Welfare, 100(5), 163-191. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48740024

Wulczyn, F., & Lery, B. (2018). Do family support centers reduce maltreatment investigations? Evidence from Allegheny County. The Center for State Child Welfare Data. https://fcda.chapinhall.org/publication/do-family-support-centers-reduce-maltreatment-investigations-evidence-from-allegheny-county/

Page last updated 8/14/24.