The Administration for Children Services (ACS), a partner agency in the Bridge Builders Collaborative here in Highbridge, is making an effort to be more family- friendly. How? By trying to understand the challenges families are facing in the community. In situations where children are not in danger, instead of just removing children from their homes, the agency offers critical services to stabilize the family. Of course, when child removals become necessary, I think we can all agree that child safety comes first.

Forty years ago there weren’t any parent advocates, free legal services for those who qualify, or sibling visits. Many families were torn apart, never to be reunited. This approach bore a chilling resemblance to how families were torn apart by slavery in this country.

Now, from what I have experienced, ACS has a new face. But we have a long road ahead of us. For ACS, this means doing more to reach out and support the building of stronger families; for parents it means realizing when we need support services, and then getting them. Both the ACS and parents are making progress in these respective areas. As this continues, children will be the beneficiaries.

Listen, I know when most people hear “A-C-S-” it sends chills up their spine. WHY? Because this agency makes choices that greatly affect families, and at times ACS will concede that it has not made the best choices when it comes to whether or not to remove a child from their home. In many other instances, they have made the right choices for children who needed to be protected.

The Bridge Builders Collaborative provides services for families, and this sometimes includes opening a preventative case in instances where parents are having difficulty taking care of their children. However, this is not the same as a neglect or abuse case that is called in by a child’s school or another mandated reporting source.

As parents, some of us have support systems in place, however many parents do not. Every family could benefit from a support system, and it is sad that the extended families of yesterday aren’t as they once were. Our families need to be support systems for one another. We also need to realize when we could use some help, and not be afraid to ask for it.

In addition to being a long- time community resident, parent, and columnist for the Highbridge Horizon, Maria Simmons also works as a Parent Coordinator with Woodycrest Center for Human Development Inc., a partner in the Bridge Builders Collaborative.