KEYS Our Future By Design Community Forums ~ 2004 & 2006 ~ Child & Family

Child & Family – April 2004 Survey

http://www.keysregion.org/surveyresults/surveyresults.htm

· Address quality of life, secure and maintain family friendly environment

· Creating and maintaining connections-beginning with family and moving toward larger community, including authentic neighborhoods, towns, regions, states, etc.

· How can we help families to function better and stay together?

· Regional recreational facility

Other comments -- not rated

§ Networking families – communicating safely and effectively to raise healthy supported youth

§ To recognize and intervene with children at risk

§ Rewards for core values, communities based on core values, ownership in process for families

§ Support for families: mentoring, groups of support relating to abuse issues, domestic violence, community violence, sexual assault

§ More parenting classes, more classes on how to talk to our children about drugs and alcohol

§ Further understanding of child abuse in seacoast

§ Family health status vs. a fair access to resources

§ Reduce risk factors for child abuse

§ Geared to continued growth-stability adaptable

§ Aren’t all the rest vital to healthy families

§ Provide arts and cultural opportunities

Child & Family Table Notes

as written on the tablecloth during café style conversations.

Conversation participants: Carin S., Val B., Sharon B., Steve W., Kim P., Barbara W., Ann O. (List of participants may not be complete for any table.)

• If people are so transient, who is involved in town councils and planning boards – parents involved, kids involved
• No local economy; can’t afford 4 generations of Kittery – if left land they stayed, otherwise they left area.
• Growth is inevitable – preserve values – how to get them to stay
• Capture community preservation and feel connected
• No ties to the community – people don’t know each other – takes time to connect
• People do come back at some point – what’s the # (20-30 year olds)
• Encourage jobs here to increase time with family
• Limited opportunities for meeting others
• Growth – dilution – stay connected; losing some families
• Knowing your neighbors – sense of community – history
• Wow! Thank you for conservation efforts!
• Include kinship in discussion of families
• b. exclusive; may not choose to be parents, serve as parenting role
• Employers – family friendly and supportive
• Have resources
• Family opportunities for all
• Education community to support and value families
• Children are our best resources. They give back to places that nurture them.
• Tourism isn’t giving back. It’s dependent upon out of state. Want them to go so you get the are back for our own families.
• Schools reach out to families as a whole unit
• Concept of local – long bus rides (bus stops at every house) i.e. Kennebunk
• closing schools (neighborhoods – changing – become extended families) – parents can’t walk to school
• Isolation
• stress t home
• transient in and out
• not knowing your neighbors
• can’t rely on them for support
• like parenting styles and values
support each other (parents)

• Welcome packet
• More support of for Recreation Dept. – enable it to expand
• value family
• play together
• --stress
• Active Recreation Committee
Ability to mobilize people to come together

• Preservation
• Legacy
• S. Berwick wants welcome brochure – bring to SBCLC – connect to Eliot CLC
• How to educate the community if people wrapped up in own stuff
• Diversity
• Rec. dept. – do more – need space
• Look at what we have in the large plan – program plans – include more
• How to get funded
• Support family structure
• Educate others about diversity
• Be more open to other family structures
• How do you talk to kids about differences?
• Town employee – donations to dept. budget – sponsorships
• Funds are always a problem
• Children’s Leadership Councils make a large difference – thankful for them in each town
• Quarterly meetings of leaders of CLC’s and possibly members
Kittery – Friends of the Rec. Dept. – York and Eliot have as well – S. Berwick does not

• Strengthen CLC
• Increase Membership
• Support all families! – same sex, relatives as caregivers, traditional
• Need to support education - All types – home, public, private – especially post secondary
• Longer commutes are impacting family relationships and community
• If people are able to create a family of choice that works and is love and nurturing, “we” shouldn’t be putting up road blocks or stand on moral soap boxes!
• Fear
Prejudice

• Sprawl
Land preservation

• Need a Recreation Committee in all 4 towns (S. Berwick does not have)
• Educate community on diversity
PB&J on hot dog rolls

• Thought provoking interconnectedness of all areas of concern
• Kinship families
• Community support and inclusion benefits whole community
• family-friendly employers and activities
• strengthen relationship between school and family
strengthen neighborhood connections