Military and Family Support Center

New Parent Support Program

Military and Family Support Center Deployment Support Employment Financial Assistance Family Advocacy Program Relocation Assistance New Parent Support Program Service Specific Information

Contact information for key programs and services at this installation.

New Parent Support Program Overview

You may be expecting your first baby or busy with a toddler. That probably means you have your hands full, and may have questions. Thankfully, help is at hand.

The New Parent Support Program is a free service that helps military parents, including expectant parents, transition successfully into parenthood and provide a nurturing environment for their children. Services vary, but may include home visits, parenting classes, playgroups or prenatal classes.

General Program Description

The New Parent Support Program is a team made up of nurses, social workers and home visitation specialists who offer support and guidance by helping parents:

Build strong, healthy bonds with their infants and toddlers that will lay the foundation for their social and emotional development
Manage the demands of parenting, especially when impacted by deployments and other military operations
Remain flexible and responsive when navigating daily life
Build a strong support network
Respond to infant and toddler behavior sensitively and be attuned to their developmental needs
Find services in the local community in time of need

Learn more about the New Parent Support Program and contact your installation New Parent Support Program office to find out what’s available at your installation.

Staff Qualifications

New Parent Support Program staff are child development professionals, including registered nurses, clinical social workers, and para-professionals trained in the delivery and practice of established home visiting models. The program is supervised and monitored at the installation level by the Family Advocacy program manager.

Eligibility

The program is available to military families who are expecting a baby or have children age 3 or younger. Marine Corps eligibility includes families with at least one child under 5.

Enrollment

Contact your installation New Parent Support Program office or Family Advocacy Program office.

Other

Fort Myer partners with Fort Belvoir and Marine and Family Programs for Henderson Hall to provide new parent support.

The New Parent Support Program offers parenting information and emotional support to parents who have children from birth to age 3. The program has staff members who can provide supportive and caring services to military families in the home or office. The program gives parents a chance to learn or ask questions about child development, discipline, parenting skills, budgeting and other parenting concerns. Home visits are arranged around the convenience of the parents’ schedule. New parent workshops and developmental play groups are also offered through this program.