Benchmark Family Services - Somerset, KY

12/25/2025

🎄✨ Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from all of us at Benchmark Family Services! ✨🎄

12/20/2025

🎅🎄 Pictures with Santa are happening today from 12–2 PM! 🎄🎅

We’re so excited to welcome our community for a fun and festive afternoon. Stop by, say hello, and capture a special moment with Santa, our staff will be there and can’t wait to see everyone! Thank you for celebrating the season with us and helping make today extra special. ✨❤️

12/17/2025

REMINDER‼️‼️‼️
THIS IS A FREE COMMUNITY EVENT‼️‼️‼️
We are looking forward to seeing everyone ❤️

MARK YOUR CALENDARS‼️‼️‼️
SANTA IS COMING TO BENCHMARK🎅🎅🎅

12/11/2025

Nature has a way of reminding us of what growth, support, and nurturing can do.

We’re out in Pulaski County today sharing an important message, our kids need foster parents.

Your home could be the place where a child blossoms.

If you would like to help us in our mission and become a foster parent call us at 606-451-9534 or come visit us at 4458 S HWY 27 in Somerset, KY 💙💙💙

12/09/2025

Benchmark spotted during the 2025 Somerset Christmas Parade! 🎄🎅🎁 Spread the magic of Christmas by opening your home and becoming a foster parent!

12/02/2025

Hello everyone!
Are you curious about how you can help a child in need this holiday season?

There’s still time to register for our next live info session, happening from the comfort of your own home on Thursday, December 4th at 6 PM EST via a live Zoom event.

Come meet our team and get your questions answered about becoming a therapeutic foster care parent!

Click here to register! (We will email you the Zoom link.)
https://www.discoverbenchmarkfostercare.com/webinar-registration

12/02/2025

MARK YOUR CALENDARS‼️‼️‼️
SANTA IS COMING TO BENCHMARK🎅🎅🎅

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at Benchmark!

11/25/2025

This Season, we are incredibly thankful for the foster families who selflessly open their homes and hearts to the children in care. Your compassion creates stability, builds trust and creates lasting change. Thank you all for your dedication, we could not do this with out you!🦃🍁🧡

11/24/2025

A huge thank you to everyone who donated to our food drive for God’s Food Pantry! The pantry is truly grateful for everyone’s generosity! They are still in need of food but specifically hams for the upcoming holiday, so if you’re able to give, it would be greatly appreciated. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

11/19/2025

Some very helpful tips from our friends at our Berea office!

At Benchmark Family Services, our mission is to ensure every child placed in our care experiences an environment of safety, stability, and deep respect. The journey of healing from trauma begins the moment a child feels truly seen and valued, and one of the most powerful tools we have is our language.

With our next communication tip, we want to emphasize the critical importance of eliminating degrading language from our homes and interactions.

The Impact of Language on Trauma-Informed Care
For children in foster care, words carry a disproportionate weight. Language that labels, shames, or diminishes a child's worth is not only ineffective discipline but actively re-traumatizes.

Shame Hinders Healing: Degrading labels (e.g., "bad," "lazy," "liar," "crazy") confirm a child's deepest fears about themselves and shut down their capacity to learn, regulate emotions, and trust.

Safety Through Consistency: Respectful language creates a predictable, emotionally safe environment that allows the child's nervous system to move out of survival mode and into a state where attachment and healing can occur.

A Focus on Behavior, Not Character
Our goal is always to teach and guide, not punish or degrade. We encourage all of our foster families to commit to a behavior-focused communication strategy:

Instead of Labeling the Child... Focus on the Behavior and Need...
"You are being so manipulative." "I hear that you need [attention/connection]. Let's find a time to talk about this."

"You're acting dramatic/stupid." "I can see you're struggling with this. What can we do to make it easier?"

"Why are you always messing up?" "Let's review the expectation for [chore/task] and try again."

"You're so selfish." "It looks like you need help sharing. How about we take turns with this?"

Key Principles for All Caregivers
Validate Feelings: Acknowledge the child's emotion first, even if you disagree with the behavior. ("I see you are angry," not "Don't be angry.")

Use 'I' Statements: Focus on the impact of the behavior on you or the environment, not a judgment of their character. ("I feel worried when..." or "I need the toys to be picked up now.")

Correct Privately: Address behavioral challenges one-on-one, away from others, to preserve their dignity and avoid public shame.