PROGRAM FOR EARLY PARENT SUPPORT
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Mission Statement
To connect parents to strengthen families and build community.
About This Cause
Every 15 minutes a new baby is born in our community. We want the best for them and their future. That’s why we focus on parents. Since 1983, the Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS) brings together new parents in King and Snohomish Counties (WA State) through our peer support groups, where new parents overcome isolation, create connections within their communities, and build a lasting support network. Our Vision Resilient Families | Connected Communities | Equitable Outcomes Our Values Equity | Innovation | Inclusion | Community | Authenticity PEPS Racial Equity Statement We believe that all new families should have access to a healthy, supported start in life. As long as race and ethnicity continue to predict the future life chances of children in our state, we are committed to working with families, partner organizations, and communities to identify barriers to parent support and wellness, interrupt their negative impact and eliminate the persistent disparities in child outcomes. The Need The transition to parenthood and welcoming of a new baby increases family stress. New parents are particularly vulnerable and may be physically isolated, healing from birth, experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety symptoms, and/or coping with sleeplessness and exhaustion. Many studies have reported on the dramatically high numbers of mothers who feel socially isolated, lonely, angry, or depressed after giving birth and how these symptoms make it more difficult for women to bond with their babies. Social isolation negatively impacts infant development and maternal mental health and family well-being and increases the likelihood of child abuse and domestic violence. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study found that children whose parents are isolated, depressed and stressed suffer poorer health outcomes. Local data provided by King County’s Best Starts for Kids shows that almost half of low-income families in King County lack family support. “While having a baby can bring great joy, the postpartum period is also a period of profound transition. On top of all of the life-changes that women have to adapt to, research supports that women’s brains also undergo neurobiological changes that can increase their risk of mood and anxiety symptoms. Having peers to turn to for support, normalization, and validation is essential and can make a profound difference with coping or decreasing these risks.” —Veronika Zantop, MD, Medical Director, Center for Perinatal Bonding and Support, Swedish Medical Center Our Work Each year PEPS connects more than 4,000 parents in 340+ groups in King and Snohomish Counties. PEPS Groups consist of 8-20 parents and their babies who meet 2 hours/week for 12 weeks in each other’s homes or community spaces. Groups are led by a trained, culturally responsive, volunteer group facilitator. Our research-based curriculum is informed by the Strengthening FamiliesTM framework which focuses on strengthening the following five protective factors for family wellness proven to increase attachment, foster healthy brain development and lay the foundation for successful early learning: 1) creating social connections; 2) building parental resilience; 3) modeling secure attachment to babies; 4) teaching about child development and parenting; and 5) connecting families to community resources. Our Impact “When I first had my babies I felt I was the only one going through this huge step. In PEPS I could see I wasn’t and it seemed so much less scary. A perfect example is I had these fears early on that something terrible was going to happen to my baby but when I saw all these other women I didn’t have that fear for them and I realized I was no different…” — PEPS Group participant “I feel like PEPS actually saved me — I was feeling so isolated and confused, and having support at that critical time was amazing for me, my child, and my marriage. ” — PEPS Group participant "My PEPS group was a place I could be honest about everything from difficulty adjusting to parenthood to issues about going back to work. I found great support from people who were going through similar things at the same time." —PEPS Group Participant “This was hands down the best investment we made as a family during the early months of our son's life. Thank you so much - we are better parents and a stronger family because of it, and have a wonderful community. Even if we just touch base by text - it's so helpful to know you have your village close by.” —PEPS Group Participant Our Strategic Direction In July 2019 the PEPS Board adopted our Strategic Direction for 2020-2024 with these primary goals to deepen, broaden and innovate how we support parents: 1. To grow the PEPS reach and impact 2. To innovate our approach to parent support 3. To influence and advocate for more equitable policies 4. To strengthen our organizational effectiveness and identity Your gift this year will help us to: • Continue to offer a flexible pricing model allowing parents to choose program fees based on their ability to pay and offer financial assistance. • Expand our collaborations with organizations serving underserved communities. We are currently partnering with 3 organizations to provide parenting support and education to Spanish-speaking families from low-income households and 2 organizations to provide support for teen parents. • Explore an advocacy platform so that PEPS can engage our large community of parents to take action on initiatives related to parental and family wellness. • Expand our program to provide support groups for expectant parents and parents of adolescents. “There is no end to the number of organizations doing valiant, meaningful work to improve quality of life and strengthen our communities. I have come to realize that among all of those organizations and efforts, there are just a few that are providing solutions – work that is creating transformational change for future generations. PEPS is one of those rare few. PEPS is committed to equity and inclusion, it understands how critical a baby's first 1000 days are to well-being, and is dedicated to empowering new parents to be able to support the healthy development of their children. This is a formula for truly and sustainably improving quality of life and building functional, supportive communities." — Mary Ellen Cunningham, PEPS Board Member THANK YOU for partnering with us.