Dorchester Family Support Network

In Dorchester, as in all of our Networks, we engage families through Welcome Baby home visits, Parent-Child Playgroups, the Parent-Child+ Program, Parenting Education, and Child Development Screenings.  

In addition, we support the well-being and healthy development of Dorchester families with the following: 

• Patch program – a neighborhood-based collaboration among DCF, DYS, FNC and other agencies to provide resources and support that enhance families’ abilities to provide a safe and nurturing home environment for their children. A Patch social work team is located at our main office.
• Dorchester CARES Community Coalition – meetings on the second Wednesday of every month to engage neighborhood residents in supporting community families.
• Each One, Reach One – meetings on the first Thursday of every month to connect community service providers working with families.
• Dorchester Community Family Nurturing Program – 15-session program for the whole family, generally offered in the fall.
• Breakthrough Parenting Program – 15-session program for parents only, offered in a summer/fall and a winter/spring cycle.
• Community events for families – Fathers & Families Fun Day in June, Backpack Giveaway at Bowdoin-Geneva Community Day in August, Holiday Party in December
• Resource and referral services and family advocacy – available to neighborhood families with children of all ages.

For more information, contact Tara Register, Dorchester CARES Coalition Coordinator: tregister@familynurturing.org or 617-474-1143 x263.  

Language capacity of staff team: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Creole, and Vietnamese.

Our Dorchester team works out of two locations:617)4-1143

• Main Office
  Family and Training Center
  200 Bowdoin Street
• FNC’s Family Enrichment Site
  UP Academy Dorchester 
  35 Westville Street