Welcome to the Family Resource Network!



Through education and community support, our goal is to help parents and caregivers create a healthy home environment, as well as to promote family well-being. We offer story times, playgroups, parent education workshops, parenting groups, developmental screenings, community events, and access to comprehensive supports and services.

Even though we are not physically in the office every day, we are

available to answer messages, and we will continue to send program

updates on Tuesdays and Fridays with resources as well as activities

for families to do at home.

Our office hours are Monday - Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Please call us at (781)246-5187 and leave a voicemail or email us at 

nsfamilynetwork@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Would you like to make a donation to the Family Resource Network? Click below and fill in the requested information being sure to “designate” North Suburban Child and Family Resource Network” from the drop down list. The donation amount can be changed to whatever you specify. A receipt will automatically be sent to you. Thank you for your support!

Because your child's first 5 years of life are so important, we want to help you provide the best start for your child. To help you keep track of your child's social and emotional development the Family Resource Network is able to provide families ASQ online questionnaires. This questionnaire can be completed every 2, 4, or 6-month period. You will be asked to answer questions about some things your child can and cannot do. The questionnaire includes questions about your child's communication, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, problem solving abilities, and personal social skills.

Once you complete the questionnaire, you will get a free book and some activities to do with your child.

UPCOMING IN-PERSON GROUPS!



Welcome to our Fall program schedule.

We will offer a variety of fun & engaging classes from

September - December.

PLEASE NOTE: EACH FAMILY MAY ONLY REGISTER

FOR 2 CLASSES EACH WEEK. 

• Families must live in one of the 8 communities we are funded to serve: Lynnfield, Malden, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Stoneham, Winchester, and Wakefield.
• Families from out of our service area will be placed on a wait list, and if there are openings available, you will be contacted via email and may attend.
• All families participating MUST BE REGISTERED, unless Drop-In.
• Classes may be cancelled due to low enrollment or inclement weather. We will email and post on Facebook if a class is cancelled.

Please use the wait list if a class is full or if you are interested

in attending more than 2 classes each week.

Remember to list the playgroups you would like to attend.

ATTENTION FAMILIES

PLEASE READ IF YOU ATTEND OUR PLAYGROUPS

It's Germ Season! 

The FRN staff have noticed an increase in children attending our playgroups not feeling their best. We understand that runny noses and coughs can linger, so we have some guidelines for when to keep your child home from a playgroup.

Please do not attend a playgroup if your child has any of the following symptoms:

* Temperature of 100.4 or higher

* Vomiting or having diarrhea

* Lethargic, has a sore throat or a hard and frequent cough

* A constant runny nose (especially if it is yellow/green in color) or has red or runny eyes.

We happily welcome children who have been fever-free for 24 hours and are active, playful and rested. For those lingering symptoms, our guidelines are any cough should be mild and infrequent, any runny nose should be light and clear. 

Thanks so much for your understanding and helping to keep our playgroups as healthy as possible.

Please note that this upcoming week we will offer less classes due to staff program planning and the Veterans Day Holiday.

We will return to our usual schedule the following week

with a few new classes.

STEAM and Stories

10:00 am

Ages 2 years and up

Young children are natural born scientists, engineers, artists and mathematicians! Join us as we explore the world through Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math.

ASQ Playgroups

First Congregational Church in Winchester

21 Church Street, Winchester

Because your child's first 5 years of life are so important, we want to help you provide the best start for your child. To help you keep track of your child's social and emotional development, you will be asked to answer questions about things your child can and cannot do. The Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) includes questions about your child's problem-solving abilities, communication, gross & fine motor skills, and personal social skills.

Join us for one of 2 Drop-In Playgroups to complete the ASQ.

Staff will be available to help walk you through the questions.

ASQ Drop-In Playgroup #1: 9:30 - 10:15 a.m.

ASQ Drop-In Playgroup #2: 10:30 - 11: 15 a.m.

No classes today in observance of Veterans Day

“In the face of impossible odds, people who love this country,

can change it.” – Barack Obama

“Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

FAMILY RESOURCES

Stretch, Breathe, Move!

Help children connect with their brains and bodies to relax, refocus, or work through big feelings. After we notice how our bodies are feeling, we can think about what we are feeling and label it!

Free Youth Violence Prevention Training

PARENTCHILD+

Parent Child+ is a free program, for children 16 months

to 3 years to prepare for early learning!

For more information about participating in the ParentChild+ program, please use the link to email Kathy Byrne

211 Help Steps is a community resource database. It is curated and continuously updated library of over 18,000 government, health and social service programs. It includes information about who is eligible for services, any required I.D. or documents.

WOMEN, INFANT, AND CHILDREN

WIC sites have some limited in-person appointments. Please call the local number or access the website below.

LOCAL FOOD PANTRY

THE NORTH SUBURBAN CHILD AND FAMILY RESOURCE NETWORK

is a community based family support and education program. Funding is provided by a Coordinated Family & Community Engagement (CFCE) Grant through the MA Department of Early Education and Care awarded to the Wakefield Public School, in collaboration with MelroseWakefield Healthcare. To participate, you need only be a parent, early childhood educator, or a caregiver of a child from birth through entering kindergarten, and live in Lynnfield, Malden, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, or Winchester. Families and educators outside the district may participate in our drop-in programs or, if space is available, our registered programs. Additional funding sources are from a variety of grants and the generous donations from our families and supporters.

The North Suburban Child and Family Resource Network

Office Address: 30 Farm Street, Wakefield

Office Phone: 781-246-5187

Email : nsfamilynetwork@gmail.com

Website: nsfamilynetwork.org