Lancaster Play & Learn in Lancaster, NH. (Photo by Cheryl Senter.)
Whole Family Partners
Improving well-being for children and families
The well-being of families and young children, including strong systems for early care, are critical for sustaining resilient communities.
Whole Family Partners are key nonprofit members of the Coös Coalition for Young Children and Families and longstanding Tillotson Fund grantees. The Coalition is working to strengthen the systems of care for young children and families; improve coordination among nonprofits and other critical organizations that support families; and bring the real-life perspectives of families to the work of improving family and child well-being.
Organizations work together through the Coalition to build more accessible, higher quality and better integrated services for children and their families. The Coalition is deepening agency collaboration, tracking relevant outcome data, identifying and addressing system gaps, and including families in the design and refinement of services and programming. The Coalition is implementing a “collective action” strategy outlined in the 2024 Coös Early Childhood System Plan.
As members of the Cöos Coalition, Whole Family Partner organizations are working to ensure that:
- Children and their caregivers have access to quality early care and education.
A shortage of childcare slots in the region is having ripple effects across families, communities and the economy. The Coös Coalition for Young Children and Families and the Coös Directors Network are working to expand availability of high-quality care. Centers are working to open satellite sites at public schools and hospitals. A pilot project is working to maximize public funding for childcare and incentivize local investment while keeping tuition affordable. Support for in-home, family-based childcare programs is under development, as is streamlining of financial management for centers. And advocacy for childcare-friendly legislation is actively supported. - Children and caregivers have access to quality medical and behavioral healthcare.
The pandemic left many children and families experiencing higher degrees of emotional distress and behavioral health challenges. Coalition members are launching a new behavioral health collaborative to expand supports for children and families. Nonprofit agencies will continue to support behavioral well-being for parents and caregivers, and to provide child development screenings to identify and refer children and families in need of services. - Families are resilient and have support in times of need.
The Coös Coalition’s grassroots, wraparound care-coordination team is identifying families with the most complex needs during prenatal visits at Coös Family Health. Care coordinators are working with families to identify their near- and long-term goals, and connecting them with a cross-sector team designed to help them meet those goals — including securing stable housing, transportation, and other tangible needs and services. - Organizations collaborate to improve outcomes for children and families.
A new platform, adopted and supported by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, is being tested by Coalition partners to streamline collaboration across agencies and improve services and family experience.
To learn more, contact:
