Family Support
The Family Paths 24-hour Community Support and Resource Hotline provides multiple essential services to the community, including:
- 24-hour Support and Resource Hotline For Parents
- Foster Parent Advice Line (FosterPAL)
- Emergency Respite Child Care
- Registration point for Positive Parenting Classes
- Referrals to all of Family Paths’ Support Services
Family Support Hotline
For the past 37 years, we have provided a 24-hour Support and Resource Hotline. It is available to anyone within Alameda County in need of support and referrals to community resources. It is also the entry point for all Family Paths services. (800) 829-3777 or (510) 893-5444
Foster Parent Advice Hotline
Our second hotline service is specialized to meet the needs of Foster and Kinship care providers. FosterPAL provides telephone counseling and case management to assist caregivers with accessing resources, navigating the child welfare system, understanding and working with child developmental and behavioral issues, and meeting the personal support needs of caregivers. (888) 580-FPAL (3725) or (510) 893-9266
Emergency Respite Care
Family Paths provides short term periods of free emergency childcare for parents and guardians who need a break during times of high stress and who need support. This emergency childcare can be available for anything from a few hours to an overnight period, and is provided at no cost to the parent. Emergency Respite Childcare provides safety for children while offering parents an opportunity to take some time for themselves away from the responsibilities of parenting to de-stress and/or take care of appointments, such as medical appointments. This gives the parent/caregiver the opportunity to regain their ability to resume healthy caregiving.
Who are the childcare providers?
FamilyPaths contracts with licensed providers and certifies providers who care for children in their homes.
All providers:
* are trained in CPR and First Aid certification
* have been fingerprinted
* have experience working with children
* receive training relevant to working with children
* must clear a criminal record investigation.
Who is eligible?
Alameda County residents with children up to 14 years old.
Needs assessment and placement arrangements are done during the hours of Monday-Thursdays, 9am-9pm and Fridays 9am-5pm. Placements may occur anytime, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week according to the need of the parents and the childcare provider availability.
How available is respite childcare?
Availability varies according to the obtainable time slots of our providers. Although our program is small, we do our best to arrange placements for parents and caregivers in need. If our program won’t meet the need, we can often help a parent or caregiver identify an alternative that will. For more information, or to request Emergency Respite Childcare, call our 24 hour Support and Resource line: 1(800) 829-3777 or (510) 893-5444.
