C E N T E R F O R T H E S T U D Y O F S O C I A L P O L I C Y

Strengthening Families, Centers, and Programs at the State and

Community Levels

Strengthening Families has inspired a new national approach to families that is:

• Available where families already go, building on what programs and services already do

• Focused on development and growth, not only on identified problems

• Delivered through new, powerful partnerships that continue to push effective collaboration forward

Strengthening Families began as a search for a new approach to child abuse prevention that:

Is systematic

Is national

Reaches millions of childrenHas impact long before abuse or neglect occurs

Promotes optimal development for all children

Go where many children already are: in early care and education programs

Daily contact with parents and children

Uniquely intimate relationships with families

A universal approach of positive encouragement for families

An early warning and response system to the first signs of trouble

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Do ECE programs help families as well as children?

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CAN prevention and optimal development

quality early care and education protective factors

Just the facts…a strengths approach

What does research tell us about what is RIGHT with families?

What family characteristics promote children’s healthy development—and are linked directly to a reduction in child abuse and neglect, according to current research?

the protective factors framework

• Parental Resilience

• Social Connections

• Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development

• Concrete Support in Times of Need

• Social and Emotional Development

parental resilience

Psychological health; parents feel supported and able to solve problems; can develop trusting relationships with others and reach out for help

Parents who did not have positive childhood experiences or who are in troubling circumstances need extra support and trusting relationships

social connections

• Relationships with extended family, friends, co-workers, other parents with children similar ages

• Community norms are developed through social connections

• Mutual assistance networks: child care, emotional support, concrete help

knowledge of parenting and child development

• Basic information about how children develop

• Basic techniques of developmentally appropriate discipline

• Alternatives to parenting behaviors experienced as a child

• Help with challenging behaviors

concrete supports

• Response to a crisis: food, clothing, shelter

• Assistance with daily needs: health care, job opportunities, transportation, education

• Services for parents: • mental health, • domestic violence, • substance abuse• Specialized • services for children

social and emotional developmentNormal development (like

using language to express needs and feelings) creates more positive parent-child interactions

• Challenging behaviors, traumatic experiences or development that is not on track require extra adult attention

• A Surprise: What learning in a classroom does for families back at home

Learning network of exemplary programs

excellent early childhood programs are already building protective

factors every day, but often do not recognize their impact on families

small but significant changes in early childhood practice – or any

kind of program that reaches families -- could produce huge

results in preventing child abuse and neglect for our youngest

children

the final evidence: a gold standard study

• Arthur Reynolds, University of Wisconsin

• Longitudinal study of children and families in a program with similar elements to those identified by CSSP compared with others who did not participate

• Results: 52% reduction in substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect by age 17

Parental Resilience

Social Connections

Concrete Supports

Social and Emotional Development

CAN prevention and optimal development

Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development

Facilitate Friendships & Mutual Support

Strengthen Parenting

Respond to Family Crises

Link Families to Services &

Opportunities

Value & Support ParentsFacilitate Children’s

Social & Emotional Development

Observe & Respond to Early Warning

Signs of CAN

Program Strategies to build Protective

Factorsprotective factors

http://www.strengtheningfamilies.net

Contact:Kate Stepleton

kate.stepleton@cssp.org773-857-3653

C E N T E R F O R T H E S T U D Y O F S O C I A L P O L I C Y

national impact

• National Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds national learning network: 20+ states

• NAEYC accreditation changes: impact on 971,000 children in 11,353 centers

• Curriculum changes -- Parents as Teachers : 320,000 children Healthy Families America: 50,000 families

• Federal Office of Child Abuse and Neglect: 2007 Community Resource Guides on Protective Factors

• CDC Violence Prevention Branch, Maternal and Child Health (ECCS), Child Care Bureau

Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, with Casey Family Programs, Annie E. Casey, A.L.. Mailman, Arthur Blank

national partner organizations

impact of statewide implementation (estimate 2008)

• Total Centers: 34,614

• Total Children 0-5 in these centers: 2,873,966

levers for change

• Parent Partnerships• Infrastructure and Policy Changes• Professional Development• Early Childhood-Child Welfare Linkages• Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems

Planning

parent partnerships

• Value and support family participation in program development and agency decision making

• Create a powerful pool of family leaders by linking with parent groups and organizations

• Offer training and coaching for families to take leadership roles and for agencies to use their participation effectively

infrastructure and policy changes

• Use a common framework, language, and results definition for work with families in:– Licensing requirements

– Quality Rating and Reimbursement Scales

– Accreditation and credential requirements

– Child and Family Service Reviews

– MOUs and other agreements

professional development

• Integrate common language of protective factors into curricula for CDAs, BAs, and AAs

• Teach protective factors in In-Service Trainings (e.g. CCR&Rs)

• Teach and use protective factors in individual program training, supervision, and coaching

• Develop and use cross-trainings among agencies and disciplines

child welfare-early childhood linkages

• Enroll children in foster care in quality early childhood programs

• Focus practice and assessment on developmental needs, trauma, and mental health needs for the youngest children

• Develop cross training for caseworkers, teachers, and foster families

• Create alternative CAN reporting protocols and differential responses, using new partners

early childhood comprehensive systems planning

• Build family support into Pre-K efforts

• Define family support results through Protective Factors

• Agree on strategies for families to be partners in all aspects of work

• Link key services more effectively, including mental health, family support, medical homes, early intervention and crisis services.

… on the horizon

Changes to mandatory reporting training

Performance standards across agencies, based on common protective factors, supported by practice changes and professional development

Protective Factors for families across the age range of children for schools and youth programs

New evaluation strategies based on resilience

the “new normal”

• A new way of thinking about engaging families : go where they already are

• A new way of improving everyday practice: make small but significant changes to enhance what programs already do

• A new way of combining all our efforts to achieve better results: find and use the levers for change in what agencies already do

http://www.strengtheningfamilies.net

Contact:Kate Stepleton

kate.stepleton@cssp.org773-857-3653

C E N T E R F O R T H E S T U D Y O F S O C I A L P O L I C Y