Family Involvement

Partners in Planning. Family involvement starts at admission. The family participates with us in writing the student's Individualized
Service Plan. The family and our staff begin to work together to adjust to the youth's placement at Timber Ridge School. We also begin planning for the readjustments that will be needed when he returns to the family. As this time gets nearer, more visits with the student's family and home community will be made. These visits include introductory and transitional activities to home, school, and work.

Family Counseling. Individual family counseling is offered to parents and families with the individual counseling offered to the student. Sessions can be held with the parents individually and/or with the student. Sometimes, with the permission of all parties, and because of the distances and circumstances involved, videotapes of individual sessions with the student are sent to the parent. A telephone discussion with the parent at their home and with the student and counselor at the school can help achieve greater understanding. Family sessions are also held in the student's home community. This is especially true when the student is preparing to return home.

Parent Support Groups. Parent Support Groups are held both at the school and in communities where numbers and interest are sufficient. At the school, these "Family Workshops" use both serious discussions and fun. We enjoy each other as well as deal with the difficult issues we face. In the community, the support sessions center more on sharing and parenting training. We learn from each other, by sharing our experiences. We also use such series as "Parent to Parent" to improve our parenting skills. We now have monthly sessions in Leesburg, Fairfax County, Prince William County, Staunton-Waynesboro, and Winchester. We are ready to organize groups in other areas if there is interest.