Family Building Blocks
Who we serve

Quick Facts

  • There were 10,421 child abuse and neglect victims in Oregon in 2008. Fourteen children died from causes related to abuse and/ or neglect; twelve were age 5 and younger.
  • Younger children are more likely to be victims of abuse. Infants make up the largest single age group of victims. Parents are most often the perpetrator.
  • 1,422 children were in foster care in Marion & Polk counties on September 30, 2008. 2,324 children were in foster care at some point that year.

Get the facts: 2008 STATUS of children in Oregon’s Child Protection System
DHS: Children, Adults & Families Division

Early Intervention is the Key to Prevention



The CT scan on the left is an image from a healthy 3-year old with an average head size. The image on the right is from a 3-year old child suffering from severe sensory-deprivation neglect.
ChildTrauma Academy, 1997, Bruce D. Perry, MD, PhD

“It’s the quality & reliability of a child’s first relationships that form the architecture of their brain.”
-Jack Shonkoff, MD, Harvard University

The most important thing we have learned from the brain research in the past 15 years is that the key to child abuse prevention is to reach out to parents as early in a child’s life as possible and offer support and education so they are able to care for their children. This approach is the key to breaking the cycle of abuse.

Wrapping families in a tight embrace of support with home visiting, parenting classes and labs, respite care, and therapeutic classrooms, the staff at Family Building Blocks is dedicated to breaking the cycle of abuse, neglect and poor parenting through early intervention strategies.

A child’s brain is 40% developed at birth & 80% developed by age 3.

A child’s experience in these early years forms the neurological foundation for the child’s future success. FBB’s early childhood services foster healthy brain development.