Family Support Services
At Connections, Inc., our Family Support Services are designed to strengthen families, restore stability, and create meaningful, lasting change. We take a progressive, trauma-informed approach that meets individuals and families where they are—emotionally, physically, and practically. Through connection, collaboration, and real-life applications, we help participant families move forward with clarity, confidence, and the tools needed to build stronger, healthier relationships.
Domestic Violence Support for Survivors & Children
Our Domestic Violence Services provide a safe and supportive space for survivors and their children to heal, rebuild, and regain a sense of safety and control. Our certified facilitators understand well the lasting impact of trauma and family violence and will work alongside adults and children to process their experiences. Our goal is to help participant families develop the skills needed for emotional stability, safety and long-term resilience. Through education, advocacy, and empowerment, we support families in breaking cycles of harm and creating new environments and dynamics where safety, trust, and growth can take place.
Family Reunification & Supervised Visitation
Our Family Reunification and Supervised Visitation services are centered on preserving and strengthening the bond between children of all ages and their parents while ensuring safety at every step. We create structured, supportive environments where families can reconnect and rebuild trust in a way that honors their pace and unique circumstances. Through guided interactions, real-time parent coaching, and ongoing collaboration with caregivers and other legal or care professionals, we help families move toward healthy relationships, improved communication and a clear path to reunification if and when possible. Virtual visits and in person visits with incarcerated parents across the country are further available upon request.
Father Engagement Services
At Connections, we understand that when healthy present fathers are involved, many families will function better. Our Father Engagement Services combine direct skill-building with hands-on case management support. When necessary, fathers will work on strengthening relationships with their children, improving communication, and developing consistent parenting and co-parenting strategies. At the same time, our team helps connect fathers to resources, coordinate services, navigate systems such as courts, paternity confirmation and/or child welfare services. We further address practical household needs that may have impact on their ability to stay engaged. Our approach strives to ensure fathers have both the skills and the support needed to remain active, reliable caregivers.
Home-Based Case Management
Our Home-Based Case Management Services focus on the practical supports families engaged with the Indiana Department of Child Services need to establish and maintain a safe, stable home for their children. After completing a Family Needs Assessment, we work directly with families to secure and sustain housing If needed, including completing applications, communicating with property owners, addressing barriers such as prior evictions and credit repair, and maintaining lease compliance. We also assist with establishing essential utilities, accessing food resources, and creating realistic household budgets that support long-term stability and future self-reliance. Our team can further support employment goals through hands-on help with job searches, applications, resumes, interview preparation, and connection to local workforce resources. Other examples of essential services may include facilitation of attendance and support at medical appointments, visitation sessions, team meetings and/or other critical school appointments. At the core of all of these services is a commitment to connection. We believe that when individuals feel supported, understood, and equipped, families grow stronger and communities become more resilient.
Parent Education
Parent Education at Connections is grounded in the evidence-based Nurturing Parenting Programs (NPP), a family-centered, trauma-informed model designed to replace harmful or ineffective parenting patterns with nurturing, healthy interactions for children ages birth to 18. As an approved NPP agency with many certified facilitators on staff, the Connections team focuses on building empathy, strengthening parent-child attachment, and promoting positive discipline strategies that teach rather than punish. Caregivers learn how their own life experiences shape parenting beliefs and behaviors, and are supported in developing new, healthier patterns that foster respect, emotional safety, and consistent structure within the home.
Our individualized services are competency-based and delivered in a practical, hands-on manner within the home allowing caregivers to apply skills directly in everyday situations. We utilize the Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory (AAPI-2) to assess parenting attitudes, identify areas of risk, and guide individualized instruction and progress over time. Through this structured and measurable approach, caregivers build empathy, develop appropriate expectations of children, and learn effective alternatives to harsh discipline—creating stronger relationships and long-term family stability.
Parenting & Family Functioning Assessment
Our Parenting and Family Functioning Assessment is a comprehensive, structured evaluation designed to assess caregiver capacity, child safety, and overall family system functioning in alignment with child welfare standards and the best interests of the child. Using evidence-informed practices, this assessment provides a clear and objective understanding of how families operate, where strengths exist, and where support may be needed to ensure a safe and stable home environment.
The assessment process includes a thorough review of family history, parenting practices, supervision and discipline approaches, household stability, and environmental safety. Information is gathered through clinical interviews, direct observation of parent-child interactions, and review of relevant records. When appropriate and authorized, collateral contacts are incorporated to enhance accuracy and objectivity, ensuring a well-rounded and defensible evaluation. A strong emphasis is placed on identifying current and potential safety concerns, including risks related to neglect, abuse, inadequate supervision, domestic conflict, substance use, and mental health challenges that may impact parenting capacity. The assessment also evaluates the family’s ability to consistently meet children’s basic needs, including safe housing, adequate food, access to medical care, educational support, and emotional stability.
Upon completion, families and referring parties receive a clear report prepared by licensed mental health therapists or psychologists which outlines key findings, identifies risk and protective factors, and provides practical, actionable recommendations designed to strengthen parenting capacity, improve family functioning, and support the development of a safe, healthy, and sustainable home environment.