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Community Partners – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & the Islands

February 22, 2022

The ways in which children grow, learn, and develop are as varied as flowers in bloom. For some, they grow and thrive in any environment and circumstance, regardless of the weather or care. Others need specific conditions to grow, and if not met, will be stunted and underdeveloped. However, all of them when placed in an unnatural or traumatic environment, need specific support and intervention to truly thrive. Nationally, for nearly 120 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America have provided supportive mentoring to unlock the potential of children; to provide that additional support for children to thrive.

Here on Cape Cod and the Islands, our friends and community partners, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & the Islands (BBBSCI), work with under-resourced families to provide their children with transformational, one-to-one professionally supported relationships with caring adult mentors, so that their children will thrive. Children’s Cove and BBBSCI share the belief in creating a community where children are free of abuse, their voices are heard, and where they can enjoy healthy, safe, and empowered lives. Our collaborative approach allows Children’s Cove to provide free training for staff and volunteers to recognize early indicators and respond to concerns of abuse. In turn, we provide opportunities for referrals of children we serve for safe and supportive mentors. BBBSCI want youth to achieve their full potential, which contributes to healthier families, better schools, brighter futures, and stronger communities. Through three innovative program models we allow children more opportunities to be paired with a mentor.

However, to meet this need, BBBSCI needs volunteer mentors to support children in our community. Beginning on March 1, 2022, they will be launching their “60 Guys in 30 Days” campaign to find safe and supportive mentors for boys across Cape Cod and the Islands. JR Mell, Executive Director of BBBSCI, tells us that “the reality is that since March of 2020, boys in need of a mentor have waited nearly twice as long for a Big Brother, and of our 70-child waiting list, 60 of them are boys.”

To try to shorten this wait list, BBBSCI will be at Bad Martha’s Brewery in East Falmouth on Thursday, February 24, 2022, from 5:30pm-7pm to kick off their campaign. The agency aims to provide a venue for people to join them, learn about the need for mentors, especially male mentors, and formally announce the launch of their campaign.

JR states “this night will be a way for people to come out, meet some of our current Bigs, staff, and get a better understanding of what it means to be a mentor with our program.”

There is no cost or commitment to attend the event. Bad Martha’s has generously donated their space and food for the night. Raffle prizes and a cash bar will be available for those interested. In addition, the venue has both indoor and outdoor heated space available to meet everyone’s COVID comfort levels.

If you are interested in volunteering to become a Big, want to learn more, or understand other ways you can support our community partners please join them at Bad Martha’s on February 24^th by registering on Eventbrite here. You can also find our more information on their Facebook Page or by calling 508.827.8170.

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Welcome to the Team

January 20, 2022

The team at Children’s Cove was joined last month by a new member to support the mission of the organization. Over the last several years, Children’s Cove has seen a steady increase of referrals from our multidisciplinary partners across Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard. To meet this rising need, Children’s Cove have hired Lauren Journet as a Forensic Interviewer. Lauren has joined the Victims Services team and will working directly with child victims and their non-offending caregivers to support their healthiest outcome.

Lauren grew up on Cape Cod and has focused her studies and career in the human services field. Lauren is passionate about being an advocate for children and working towards creating a safe and stable community environment for children to learn and grow. Lauren joins us after previously working at the Department of Children and Families in Plymouth.

As a Forensic Interviewer, Lauren will be leading one of the critical roles at Children’s Cove. The forensic interview is a multidisciplinary team approach to taking a child’s statement following a disclosure of abuse. The interview is a neutral, non-leading, developmentally sensitive, fact-finding process to maximize the amount of information needed for an investigation but done in a way which minimizes the trauma to the child.

Lauren will be receiving her specialized training to become a forensic interviewer in the next month and is meeting and engaging with MDT members and participating in current cases as an observer until that time.

Welcome to the team!

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Community Partners – Calmer Choice

December 21, 2021

At Children’s Cove, our team members work to support children and families through incredibly difficult situations. For those familiar with our work, and understanding the impacts of child sexual abuse, a frequent question our team members receive is “how do you do it?” There is an unspoken acknowledgement that for those in the professions such as law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, nurses, doctors and CNAs, mental health professionals and child advocacy center staff pay a toll for their roles in providing that service. Either witnessing the physical impact of trauma, or experiencing it second hand, the vicarious trauma and secondary traumatic stress is incredibly high.

For many, acknowledging this impact can be seen as a weakness. Either due the culture of the organization / field, or the personal implications of stating “I am having a hard time with this.” However, at Children’s Cove, we address secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and self-care right in the interview process. And the conversation is continued throughout the tenure of our team member at Children’s Cove. Addressing vicarious trauma effectively is incorporated in our requirements for national accreditation.

For the last few years, we incorporated several practices in the organization to address these issues as a part of our cases and include our multi-disciplinary partners as much as we can. However, over the last year we have looked for new ways to incorporate skills and self-care as we onboarded new staff members and look to the future. It was exciting for us to connect with Calmer Choice, which has started running programs with other child advocacy centers in the state, and with first responder agencies in our area.

Founded in 2010 Calmer Choice is an innovative, one-of-a-kind non-profit organization that has operated in twenty-eight schools and more than a dozen community-based organizations across Cape Cod. Calmer Choice has become a thought leader in the practice of secular mindfulness in education and is increasingly viewed as a catalyst for creating positive change in schools. The framework that guides Calmer Choice programming is grounded in current academic and scientific research on the benefits of social emotional learning, coupled with mindful awareness training for cognitive, emotional, physical, and social well-being and health.

Calmer Choice has partnered with researchers from Tufts, Yale, MIT, and Harvard to study the impact of its program with over 2,000 students. Evaluations support the effectiveness of the program, as well as demonstrate the feasibility, efficacy, and applicability of teaching these skills in public schools. Their incredible program has impacted more than 38,500+ children in eight school districts, reaching approximately 20% of all students and families living on Cape Cod.

Beginning in January, Children’s Cove team members will begin an eight-week course with facilitators from Calmer Choice to develop a personal mindfulness practice. These skills can have numerous benefits in everyday life, such as reducing anxiety and stress, and increasing stress management supporting healthy relationships, increasing positivity and empathy, improving immune system function, focus, attention and enhancing resilience. These skills will be incorporated into our team response and debriefing of cases and to maintain the overall wellness of the organization. We are looking forward to this course, and the continued partnership with Calmer Choice on Cape Cod.

If you would like to increase your own mindfulness practices, or to learn more about the programs offered by Calmer Choice, they have a YouTube channel with guided mindfulness exercises with playlists for children (and adults.)

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Champions for Children

November 16, 2016

Above and Beyond for Children

In October, Children’s Cove held its 19th Annual Champions for Children Conference, which was also our first virtual conference. Over the last 10 years, our team has awarded deserving individuals or agencies with the Above and Beyond for Children Award during each conference. This award is given to individuals who show dedication and commitment to protect children on the Cape & Islands.

This year we we’re honored to name Detective Michael Zontini as this year’s recipient. Detective Zontini specializes in investigations involving crimes against children, disabled persons, and adult sexual assaults. He currently serves on the Massachusetts Governor’s Council to address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence; specifically, he serves on their working group for the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Human Trafficking, and the sub-committee to develop investigative guidelines for law enforcement agencies across the state. Detective Zontini is in his 27th year of law enforcement and holds a bachelor’s degree in Law Enforcement and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration.

Michael Zontini (or as we know him as just “Z”) demonstrates what it means to be a true champion for Children. Z is a dedicated law enforcement professional who minds every detail in his cases, while also remaining victim focused and putting the needs of each child as his foremost priority. Z, we truly appreciate all you do, and you are incredibly deserving of this award. Since we couldn’t be in person to honor him, some members of the Children’s Cove staff and multidisciplinary team made a video tribute for Detective Zontini.

Community Partner Spotlight

Another way we recognize champions in our community is through our Community Partner Spotlight. This year, we put the spotlight on the wonderful work of Cape Cod Children’s Place. We have worked with Cape Cod Children’s Place for several years now. The agency provides year-round, full-day early education and care for children of the Outer and Lower Cape. They also provide free parent education programs and free playgroups promoting early literacy and community connections for isolated families, while continuing to develop new services to meet the needs of our changing community.

Recently Cape Cod Children’s Place was selected by the Children’s Trust as the pilot site for the Stop Abuse For Every Child Communities initiative. During the initial stage of the pilot, Cindy Hogan and Cape Cod Children’s Place worked with Children’s Cove and other community organizations to strategize the steps to support a mutual vision of a community free of child abuse.

Recently Cape Cod Children’s Place was selected by the Children’s Trust as the pilot site for the Stop Abuse For Every Child Communities initiative. During the initial stage of the pilot, Cindy Hogan and Cape Cod Children’s Place worked with Children’s Cove and other community organizations to strategize the steps to support a mutual vision of a community free of child abuse.

Though our partnership, both Children’s Cove and Cape Cod Children’s Place work together to promote safe and healthy families. As partners, we provide free parent education to teach parents, caregivers and grandparents raising grandchildren about child development, social and emotional wellness, body safety, online safety and ways to support children who report abuse. There are new initiatives we will launch together over the next year to increase access to our entire community, in a safe and comfortable way, to support children in our community.

Thank you, Cindy, and the entire team at Cape Cod Children’s Place for being an invaluable community partner for children and families across Cape Cod & Islands.

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Community Partners – Eight Cousins Bookshop

October 19th, 2021

Nationally 1 in 5 children in the United States will be a victim of sexual abuse, physical abuse, parental neglect, or witness to domestic violence. These are called adverse childhood experiences, which can lead to lifelong challenges socially, physically, and emotionally. It is our community’s responsibility to take an active role in preventing child abuse and neglect as well as promoting healthy and safe families.

Having the conversation with children about difficult topics can be daunting for parents and caregivers. How do you start? How should you talk? How do you answer tough questions? Jumping right into conversations about body safety can seem overwhelming, so we wanted to make this process a little easier for parents and caregivers by using a resource widely available to everyone: books.

Over the last few years Children’s Cove and Eight Cousins Bookshop developed a list of books carrying the themes of challenges many children may face to assist parents in having difficult discussions. Using beautifully written and illustrated books can make these discussions a little easier.

Below are just a couple of examples, and if you would like more suggestions for books and themes, click here. If you are looking for a certain theme or book to read with your child, you can always reach out to our community partners at Eight Cousins.

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Welcome to the Team

September 1, 2021

The team at Children’s Cove was joined this month by two outstanding professionals to support the mission of the organization. Over the last several years, Children’s Cove has seen a steady increase of referrals from our multidisciplinary partners across Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard. In the organizations 24-year history Children’s Cove has grown in its ability to provide and coordinate best practice services to child victims of sexual abuse and crime, as well as their non-offending caregivers. Included in this growth, in 2016 Children’s Cove became the hub for coordinating the best-practice response to human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children cases in the area, which are also on the rise. While the number of referrals to Children’s Cove were down due to the impact of COVID-19 in 2020, since January of 2021 referrals agencies are on pace for the highest amount in the organization’s history.

To meet this rising need Children’s Cove has increased staffing, restructured some positions internally and have hired Alexandra Foley as the CSEC Case Manager / Forensic Interviewer, and Kathy Fayerberg as the Family Services Coordinator. Both are joining the Victims Services team and will working directly with child victims and their non-offending caregivers to support their healthiest outcomes.

Alexandra Foley joins Children’s Cove after working for the Justice Resource Institute (JRI) as a Family Networks Service Coordinator and Intensive Care Coordinator. Alexandra holds a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Lesley University and will be coordinating with multi-disciplinary team members the response to concerns and reports of human trafficking of children on Cape Cod and the Islands. Alexandra will also conduct forensic interviews as a matter of special investigations for high-risk youth and victims of CSEC.

Kathy Fayerberg joins Children’s Cove as the Family Services Coordinator after providing individual and family therapy at Gosnold Inc.’s school-based programs. Kathy received a master’s degree in clinical social work from Boston University and will support the mission of Children’s Cove by providing support for children and families served through psychological first aid and psychoeducation relating to the impact of traumatic experiences. Kathy will also connect children and families with needed resources and supports in the community, as well as information regarding the investigative and justice process.

Stacy Gallagher, Director of Children’s Cove, is excited for the new additions and ways in which the team is moving forward to support the community. “While it is concerning that we are seeing such an increase in cases across the region, our community can rest assured that Children’s Cove will have a greater ability to respond to children and families who have been victims of crime.”

To learn more about Children’s Cove, our history, current staff members and how to contact them please click here.

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