For families facing the possibility of being separated, access to the right support at the right time can make a lasting difference.<\/p>\n
A Hillsborough County program designed to address child safety concerns while keeping families together served 1,740 children during the 2025-26 fiscal year, according to figures presented Tuesday by the Children\u2019s Network of Hillsborough.<\/p>\n
The organization\u2019s Intensive Family Services Team (IFST) reported that 99.2% of the children served had no new reports to Child Protective Investigations after completing the program.<\/p>\n
The results were shared Oct. 13 during a presentation to the Hillsborough County Community Alliance, where agency leaders and families discussed the role of early intervention in preventing children from entering foster care.<\/p>\n
\u201cA child\u2019s safety always comes first. When safety can be maintained at home, helping a family become stronger also protects the relationships and stability a child needs,\u201d said Terri Balliet, CEO of Children\u2019s Network of Hillsborough.<\/p>\n
\u201cIFST brings services, support and accountability into the home so families can address challenges and children can remain safely with the people they love.\u201d<\/p>\n
The program works with families referred by the Florida Department of Children and Families\u2019 Child Protective Investigations team, sometimes beginning services while an investigation is still underway.<\/p>\n
Rather than removing children from their homes when safety concerns can be addressed through intervention, the program provides voluntary, nonjudicial services that combine case management, safety monitoring and connections to community resources.<\/p>\n
Those services can include home visits, substance abuse treatment referrals, family meetings, safety planning and peer recovery support. Case managers conduct both announced and unannounced visits to assess conditions in the home and monitor families\u2019 progress.<\/p>\n
Paulette Boone, the program\u2019s director, said the approach is tailored to each family\u2019s circumstances.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe work alongside families to understand their needs, connect them with services and monitor progress toward a safer home,\u201d Boone said. \u201cThat can mean helping a parent access treatment, strengthening a family\u2019s support system or making sure a safety plan is being followed.\u201d<\/p>\n
One mother described navigating domestic violence and family instability while trying to provide a safe home for her children.<\/p>\n
She credited her IFST case manager with helping her find hope during a particularly difficult period, referring to the case manager as her \u201cguardian angel.\u201d<\/p>\n
The support, she said, gave her the strength to persevere as a single mother.<\/p>\n
Several employees of Children\u2019s Network were once themselves foster care children. They shared their experiences of separation from parents and siblings as uncertain and fearful when removed from their family home \u2013 memories that influence their approach to working with parents today.<\/p>\n
When children can remain safely at home, helping parents overcome challenges can also preserve important family relationships, according to Julianne M. Holt, former Hillsborough County public defender and chair of the Children\u2019s Network of Hillsborough board of directors, who added that the program seeks to balance family preservation with child protection.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe program pairs family support with ongoing attention to safety, giving parents an opportunity to build greater stability while keeping children\u2019s well-being at the center,\u201d Holt said.<\/p>\n
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