Ohio Family and Children First Coordinators Association

Throughout Ohio, local county-based Family & Children First Councils were established in the mid-nineties in response to Section 121.37 of the Ohio Revised Code. These councils are comprised of government agencies, community organizations and parents committed to improving the well-being of children and families through the strategic coordination of resources. Councils are designed to draw people out of their day-to-day systems and align resources and activities around a shared vision that Ohio's families and children will thrive and succeed.

The Ohio Family & Children First Coordinators Association represents coordinators of local county-based Family and Children First Councils. The Association is uniquely positioned to assess front-line needs, develop best practices, share lessons learned, encourage and support accountability in local councils and service providers and enter strategic partnerships with other organizations that address issues having to do with children and families.
 

WHAT ARE FAMILY AND CHILDREN FIRST COUNCILS?

Every county in Ohio has a Family and Children First Council. Each council includes public and private agencies, as well as parents.  Council members work collaboratively to enhance the well-being of their county’s children and families by building community capacity, coordinating systems and services, and engaging families. 

WHAT DO FAMILY AND CHILDREN FIRST COUNCILS DO?

Local Family and Children First Councils identify and address the ongoing needs of children and families through planning, implementing effective strategies, monitoring and reporting, and evaluating progress toward achieving desired outcomes. Local FCFCs focus on the following areas: 

Building Community Capacity

Local Family and Children First Councils identify and address the ongoing needs of children and families through planning, implementing effective strategies, monitoring and reporting, and evaluating progress toward achieving desired outcomes.

Coordinating Systems and Services

 Local Family and Children First Councils streamline and coordinate existing government services for families seeking services for their children (micro). FCFCs also annually evaluate and prioritize services, fill service gaps where possible, and invent new approaches to achieve better results for families and children (macro). Service Coordination is not affiliated with any single system, but the results of service coordination impact family and community outcomes across all systems through a collaborative, coordinated, cross-system approach.

 Engaging and Empowering Families

Local Family and Children First Councils recruit and support parents encouraging them to be active contributing members of the council, to be involved in key decision-making efforts, and to serve as an advocate for children, families and communities

Shared Accountability

Local Family and Children First Councils provide a collaborative infrastructure that allows for creative and innovative solutions that will streamline and strengthen the local service delivery system for children and families. Shared Accountability can only be achieved if the other three core functions are operational: engaging and empowering families, building community capacity, and coordinating systems and services.

 Additional information about each of these areas can be found at the OFCF website.  Click here.