Families and Schools Together

Middlesex University Thursday 20th September

2012

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Created by Professor Lynn McDonald in 1988

Universal programme

Early intervention/prevention strategies

Uses a family approach

Collaborative

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FAST Builds Protective Factors for the Child against Risk

Strengthens the family unit

Parent-child

Parent support group

Parent to community /school trust

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Parent-to-parent bond

Social Ecological Theory, Bronfenbrenner (1979)

Social Capital, Coleman 1990

Family Stress, Hill 1959, Boss 2002

Family Systems

Brain Development

FAST Underpinning Theories

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FAST Process

School identifies year group

Recruitment of Team and Families

8 Weekly Family Meetings

Graduation

Monthly Follow-up

Meetings (2 years)

FASTWORKS

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School Partners

Community

PartnerMental

Health

Partner

Parent

Partners

FAST TEAM

Family Table Lottery

Closing Circle, Announcements & RAIN

Siblings

continue

Kids’ Time

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Family Unit at Family Table•FAST Hello & Singing

•Meal

•Scribbles

•Feelings Charades

Parents’ Time•Buddy Time

•Parent Self-Help

Group

Kids’ TimeChildren divided by age

for group activitiesPeer Group

Time

Special Play

One-to-One Time

How is FAST different? Universal and voluntary participation

Delivered as multi hubs in UK

Strengthens parent involvement with school

High retention rates (2012 UK Aggregate shows 82% retention)

Multi-agency collaboration

Parent led monthly groups after graduation

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What are the FAST Short term outcomes?

Improve family functioning.

Reduce stress of daily living.

Increase parent social support.

Improve parent-child relationship.

Improve child behaviour at home and school

Increase parent involvement in education.

Expand parent social relationships.

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What are the FAST long term outcomes?

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• Increased child well being and parent relationships

• Alcohol and drug abuse.

• Violence and aggression• School truancy and failure.• Child abuse and neglect.• Mental health problems. • Youth delinquency and antisocial behaviour.

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The FAST evaluation uses a pre and post mixed methods evaluation design, with two independent reporters (parent and teacher), using standardised instruments with established validity and reliability.

Evaluation Process

Various measures are used to investigate changes in:

Improvement in family and parent child relationships

Improvement in behaviour of child at home

Improvement in behaviour & academic performance in

school

Improvement in social community relationships

Improvement in social support and reciprocal exchanges

Improvement in parent school relationship

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Evaluation Measures

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Programme Goals

Measures Used

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Family Environment Scale (FES) – Family Relationship Index (Moos & Moos,1981) X X X X

Parent-Child Relationship (McDonald & Moberg, 2002) X X X XSelf-Efficacy (Sherer, et al., 1982; Spoth et al, 1995; Coleman &Karraker, 2000) X X X

Parental Involvement in Education (Epstein & Salinas, 1993; Shumow etal, 1996) X

Academic Competence (Gresham & Elliott, 1990) X X

Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1997) X X X

Community Social Relationships (McDonald & Moberg, 2002) X X

Social Support (Sherbourne & Stewart, 1991) X

Reciprocal Parent Support (McDonald & Moberg, 2002) X XFamilies and School Together Program Evaluation (McDonald &Billingham, 1988; Meagher, 1996; McDonald 2009) X

What's next for FASTUK

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•Save the Children UK 2010-2014; 430 new FAST groups for 3-5 year olds run throughout the UK

•FAST is one of a menu of evidence based programmes being offered by the DfE in a pilot scheme. Parenting programme “Free vouchers” for parents in Middlesbrough, High Peaks and Camden.

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Families and Schools Together UK

Middlesex University

2-10 Highgate Hill,

London

N19 5LW

Telephone: 020 8411 6004

www.mdx.ac.uk/fast