Thom Child and Family Services

09/02/2026

🎉 Registration is OPEN for the 2026 MAOT/RIOTA Annual Conference! 🎉

Join us on November 6, 2026 for Honoring Our Origins, Expanding Our Influence — a day of learning, connection, and celebrating the impact of occupational therapy.

📅 November 6, 2026
📍 Four Points by Sheraton, Norwood, MA

📖 The conference schedule and brochure are now available.

Visit www.maot.org/event-6639083 to register and to view the conference brochure.

⏰ Online registration closes at the end of the day on November 3, 2026!

Don’t miss your opportunity to be part of this year’s conference. Register today! 💙💚

09/01/2026

08/26/2026

Thom Charles River EI Connects with Families at Community Health Fair
On August 25, 2026, Thom Charles River Early Intervention program participated in the annual Family Health Fair in Waltham in celebration of National Health Center Week.

Developmental Specialists Maribel Molina and Ximena Cano hosted an information table to meet with local families and share resources about Early Intervention services. Held at the Charles River Community Health Center, the community event featured a variety of activities and public health resources for patients and their families.

Thom Charles River EI is honored to be invited each year to support and connect with Waltham families with young children.

08/19/2026

Language and literacy skills are about so much more than reading.

They're about...

- Talking
- Singing
- Storytelling
- Listening
- Building fine motor skills to write
- Asking questions
- Sharing ideas

These everyday moments help children build the language and literacy skills that prepare them for kindergarten and support learning for years to come.

That's why we created Word Wonders, our FREE early language and literacy curriculum for children ages 18–48 months.

Play-based. Joyful. Built for real classrooms. Because strong literacy begins with meaningful interactions: https://bit.ly/4bqf4S6

08/03/2026

Kendal Lynch; Developmental Specialist at Thom Springfield brings exceptional energy, empathy and dedication to her work supporting early childhood development.

In her role as Early Head Start Liaison, Kendal fosters strong partnerships with programs throughout our catchment area, facilitating seamless site integration for our clinical staff. Through clear communication and a relationship-centered approach, she has become a trusted resource for our organization and community partners alike. Kendal's outgoing commitment to building strong, positive connections ensures that our mission-helping young children reach their full potential-remains at the heart of everything we do.

07/29/2026

To every early educator:

When you listen to a child's story...
When you sing together...
When you introduce a new word...
When you encourage questions...
When you let children scribble and explore writing utensils...
When you read a favorite book one more time...

You're building language and literacy. Not someday. Right now.

That's exactly why we created Word Wonders, a FREE early language and literacy curriculum for children ages 18–48 months.

Designed with educators and built for real classrooms, Word Wonders supports the important work you're already doing every day through joyful, play-based activities that fit naturally into your routines.

Download it free today: https://bit.ly/4fWG8ef

07/20/2026

Thom Child & Family Services is so grateful to Stop & Shop for selecting us as a beneficiary of the Community Bag Program this August! 💙
Community partnerships like this make a meaningful difference for the children and families we serve, and we're honored to be part of this wonderful program.

If you're shopping at the Stop & Shop; 19 Temple Street in Framingham during the month of August, consider picking up a reusable Community Bag.
Each bag purchased helps support our mission and the families in our community.

Thank you to Stop & Shop for investing in local organizations and to everyone who chooses to support us through this program.

Your kindness and generosity help us continue making a difference, one family at a time. 💙

07/07/2026

Expanding her Expertise to Better Address Feeding Challenges and Support Families

Elizabeth (Libby) Sullivan is an Occupational Therapist at Thom Pentucket Early Intervention and was one of the recipients of this year’s Fazzio Scholarship. Libby used the Fazzio funds to complete the 95-hour Center for Breastfeeding’s Lactation Counselor Training Course, skillfully balancing the training hours with the many activities required of a full-time EI clinician. After completing the training, Libby took and passed the test for certification and is now a Certified Lactation Counselor!
Libby is passionate about supporting caregivers around feeding challenges of all kinds and currently co-leads our weekly Food Explorers group. Her hope in attending the training was to be better able to support parents who are breastfeeding. Libby noted in her scholarship application, “When breastfeeding goes smoothly, parents feel empowered and content in their caregiving role. However, when breastfeeding challenges arise, parents often feel defeated, leading to anxiety about their baby’s growth and their own caregiving abilities. This training will equip me with the tools to support and empower parents, helping them navigate challenges and fostering a stronger, more positive relationship with their infant’s feeding routine.” Since completing the training and receiving her certification, Libby has been eager to find opportunities to put her expertise to use to support both families and other clinicians in the program. She recently helped to lead an all-program training, sharing a handout she had developed on questions to ask parents who are breastfeeding and red flags that might suggest that a referral to a clinician with lactation training might be helpful.

06/30/2026

“There is no such thing as a baby. There is a baby and someone.” - Dr. Donald Winnicott, pediatrician and psychoanalyst

Relationships are the foundation for social-emotional learning and mental health. Caregivers, whether parents, extended family, or early childhood professionals, play a vital role in shaping a child’s development.

By understanding and addressing challenges at every level — from the individual child to national policies — we can create a world where every child has the opportunity to thrive. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3H82hr2