• Young girl in Child First NC program smiling in grass

Child First NC

Promoting mental wellness for children and families

Child First helps struggling families build strong relationships that heal and protect young children from trauma and stress. We use a two-generation approach, working with caregivers and children together in their home. This is the best way to stabilize the family and build safe, responsive, nurturing relationships. Research shows this protects the child’s developing brain from damage. Even in the face of extreme challenges, our Child First children and families are making incredible progress.

Quick Links

CARES Program

Mobile Crisis Management

Multisystemic Therapy

NC START

Outpatient Services

VA REACH

Child First is a national evidence-based model that works with the child and primary caregiver on attachment and trauma. The Child First team consists of a Licensed Clinician and a Family Resource Partner that works closely with you to understand your goals and what is important to you, your child and your family.

We work with families who:

  • Feel overwhelmed by the behavior or emotions of their young children
  • Feel stressed and hopeless
  • Have experienced violence or trauma
  • Need support/services for their child and family
Young Child First NC client smiling with hoodie on

Child First NC works with children and families to achieve their goals

  • Connect families to community-based supports and services
  • Decrease stress and overwhelming feelings from past and present life challenges
  • Empower caregivers to be strong, kind, wise and loving
  • Improve confidence and focus to help families reach their goals
  • Improve family connections
  • Improve success in school and in life
  • Increase caregiver/child relationships
  • Reduce behavioral and emotional problems

Child First NC Results

In 2022, families who participated in Child First reported improvements in the following areas of concern:

100%

of families reported
improvements in child
language skills.

91%

of families reported
improvements in
caregiver-child relationships.

71%

of families reported a
decrease in maternal
depression.

59%

of families reported
improvement in
child behaviors.

Here’s what our team members are saying…

“The father we provided Child First services to was very pleased with the progress that his child made. The child shared that she loved school and continued to play and engage with her father. He reported no longer being concerned that his child was not happy and that their renewed relationship was all they needed to be happy!”

Be a part of our story.

Careers