National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Programs

National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention

Who We Are

The National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (FRIENDS) is a service of the Children's Bureau, Office on Child Abuse and Neglect. FRIENDS (Family Resource, Information, Education, and Network Development Services) provides training, technical assistance, and information to Federal grantee agencies implementing the grants for Community-Based Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention (CBCAP), under the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003.

The purpose of FRIENDS' work is to build the capacity of State CBCAP lead agencies and communities to prevent child abuse and neglect and strengthen and support families.

How We Can Help

FRIENDS provides training, technical assistance, and information to State CBCAP lead agencies in order to build their capacity to:

Foster an understanding, appreciation, and knowledge of diverse populations in order to be effective in preventing and treating child abuse and neglect
Facilitate efforts in the interagency, interdisciplinary coordinated planning and development of a network of community-based programs and activities designed to strengthen and support families to prevent child abuse and neglect
Conduct regular and ongoing needs assessments that will be used to identify unmet needs and also incorporate findings from other statewide needs assessment processes
Demonstrate a commitment to meaningful parent leadership, especially for parents of children with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, and members of other underrepresented or underserved groups
Maximize funds for the financing, planning, and operation of child abuse prevention programs and activities
Promote the development and implementation of lead agency program evaluation processes that include a peer review component and other evaluation methodologies
Support States in their Program Improvement Plans (PIPs) resulting from CFSRs

FRIENDS uses several methods to deliver training, technical assistance, and information dissemination to CBCAP State Lead Agencies, including:

Technical Assistance
- Offers CBCAP State Lead Agencies and their statewide networks knowledge and expertise in strategies to prevent child abuse and neglect through electronic, telephone, and onsite technical assistance. Onsite assistance must be requested by the CBCAP State Lead Agency.
- Coordinates a Peer 2 Peer Mentoring and Consultation process matching more experienced CBCAP leads to newer leads.
- Hosts a number of expert workgroups, including workgroups on cultural competence, peer review, evidence-based practice, measuring protective factors, Program Assessment Rating Tool, and parent leadership.
Training
- Facilitates an annual conference for CBCAP State Lead Agencies and invites State Promoting Safe and Stable Families staff to promote collaboration between the programs
- Offers two Outcome Accountability training sessions per year to assist State Lead Agencies in identifying, measuring, and reporting on child abuse prevention outcomes
- Provides two Parent Leadership Ambassador trainings per year to help CBCAP leads develop meaningful leadership roles for parents
- Hosts a number of topical teleconference trainings each year and posts the archived audio recordings on the FRIENDS website to make them available 24/7 to any interested person
- Is in the process of developing online trainings
Information Development and Dissemination
- Offers a comprehensive website to disseminate information
- Supports two listservs, one of which is specifically for CBCAP leads and another general listserv for anyone interested in child abuse prevention
- Develops publications and toolkits based on the expressed needs of the CBCAP lead agencies and posts them on the FRIENDS website

For More Information

Address:	800 Eastowne Drive, Suite 105 Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Phone:	919.490.5577 x222
Fax:	919.490.4905
Email:	lbaker3@nc.rr.com
Website:	www.friendsnrc.org
Contact:	Linda Baker, Program Director 919.768.0162

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