In Kentucky, a lot of families are faced with challenges by the increase in housing cost and food costs. Within Hardin County there about 46,708 occupied housing units in Hardin County, 61.67% are owner-occupied, while 38.33% have renters living in them. There are a total of 46,708 households in Hardin County, each made up of around 3 members. Family establishments represent 67.67% of these Hardin County households, while non-family units account for the remaining 32.33%. The median household income sits at $55,300 per year.  The cost of an apartment and housing has increased over the last couple of year from about $550 a month to $750-900 per month for an average size household. The rising cost of homes is just one factor that can cause conflict within the home because of an increased amount of discussions about having enough money to pay for a more expensive home.  This creates more tension amongst families and in relationships thus making harder for families to be able to provide food and a positive home environment for their children.  As a result, there has been a slight increase in the amount of children that end up in the foster care system.  In some cases the parent's children are actually removed from the home and placed in the foster care system.  Typically the court provides the parents' with an opportunity to be reunified with their kids by meeting some specific requirements. Before the parents’ can get their kids out of the foster care system, typically the court of justice for Kentucky will require them to complete a series of Parenting classes.  

In order to address this unique problem, Kentucky State University offers a Parenting Program called C.A.R.E. Families Parenting Program.  The goal of the C.A.R.E. Families Parenting Program is for the reunification of families and their children. On this year, the program has been a great resource to the community within Hardin County.  The family and consumer science agent has worked with about 10 families to help them with learning some new discipline techniques.  A few of the techniques that the families were introduced to include verbal redirection skills, planning routines & schedules and improved communication skills with kids by using words of encouragement & praise. In addition to learning these techniques, the parents are expected to complete a parenting assessment. This assessment measures what kind of parenting techniques are used by the parents with their children and it measures their attitudes towards corporal punishment.  

Furthermore, by taking the Parenting Program thru KSU, it allows the parenting program participants  to save about $550 per person to participate in the parenting program. The cost of our program is free while other parenting programs charge about $45.00 per hour for other parenting programs.  On this last quarter from about September 2022-May 2023, there were a total of about 10 participants that completed the program.  Fortunately by the clients taking Parenting classes thru KSU they all saved about $550 per family which with all of the families combined comes out to be about approximately $5,500 per family for the year.  Also we did save the foster care system some funds because it typically cost about $733 per month for once child.   With all of the 10 families there was about 13 who were received some care thru foster care parents (funds from foster care agencies).  There were only about 13 kids that were in the system.   So per month with 13 kids that is a total of $8,796 (per child). This cost comes out to a  total of about $105,552 in the cost of having for 13 foster kids who were fostered thru the foster care system for one year.  

In closing, the Parenting program improves the lives of several families each year. According to the evaluations and personal testimony’s of the parenting program participants it did show that 96% of the participants learned how to establish routines and rules for their families after taking the parenting class. About 85% of the clients were able to learn at least two new concepts on how to discipline their children and create boundaries for their children.  Several of the parents have also learned how to develop more creative ways to interact with the kids and plan more ways to keep their kids engaged with different learning experiences while they spend time with them in their home life.  In closing, the goal is to continue to expand the Parenting Program into other areas outside of Hardin County.  

Pictured to Right: This picture features a parenting participant receiving her completion certificate from the C.A.R.E. Families Parenting Program.

Pictured Above: In this picture, parenting program participants are working on an activity called, “Praise Plates.” This activity encourages establishing positive affirmations and sayings between parents and their kids.