Last year, Governor Doug Ducey named June as Arizona Family Reunification Month in order to support parents working toward reunification with their children after DCS intervention, as well as to celebrate parents who have reunified. This is an important observance to us at Hope Women’s Center, particularly because we have the privilege of knowing moms (and a few dads) who are deeply invested in reuniting with their children in the foster care system. Our parenting and abuse prevention classes are a big piece of a parent’s journey toward reunification.

Reunification is no small achievement and parents working through the reunification process face a long timeline. In Arizona, 46% of children removed from the home will spend as many as 1 to 12 months in the care of foster parents. 28% will be in foster care for 1 to 2 years and 22% will remain in DCS care for 2 years or more. Dedication, endurance, and focus are crucial for parents during this time. So is a good support system, people to cheer them on and encourage them when the months are long or obstacles appear. When parents have endurance and encouragement, they are likely to become one of the 50% of parents who will reunify with their children. 

L came to Hope for parenting and abuse prevention classes. She and her husband both came and each of them was eager to learn everything they could to reunite their family and enjoy a healthy future together. They attended classes every week without fail, and because of their warm, hopeful personalities, they made friends easily and soon became role models for parents who were just beginning the reunification process. Today, they are raising their little girl, just as they had hoped. L continues to participate in classes and she is thriving – as a mom and as a woman.

Our class schedules are packed with free classes that teach and grow our clients, equipping them for positive change and personal betterment. But in the summer months especially, when women, teen girls, and moms need a safe and engaging place to go to get out of the heat, we like to sprinkle in some fun! We love seeing classrooms full of women creating, moving, cooking, and laughing together. Our holistic focus means we’re nurturing the minds, bodies, and souls of our women. Why? Because we know healthy women make an incredible impact within their relationships, families, and communities. 

Posted in Tools