Strengthening Families Program(6-11)
A Community Overview for ImplementationSeptember 17, 2015
Presented by:Karen Dukes-Smith
Sherri Caldwell
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FAMILY FUN ACTIVITY
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Strengthening Families Program
1st research-based family program designed specifically for substance abusing parents and their children
Developed on NIDA grant, 1982-1988 Developed for elementary school-aged youth,
ages 6-11 Adapted for 3-5 and 12-16 age groups Selective prevention for at-risk groups of youth
but also successful as universal Ahearn Greene Associates, LP, Olney, Maryland, copywrite 2013, to be used only with express written permission of AGA. personnel.
SFP: Four Age-Appropriate
ProgramsFamilies with Children Birth– 3
Families with Children 3-5Families with Children 6-11Families with Children 12-16
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SFP: Goals and Settings SFP is therapeutic, but not therapy;
personal disclosure is not required Strong families reduce risk for many adverse
behaviors in children & teens SFP makes family life less stressful and more rewarding for parents under stress. SFP is delivered by schools,
faiths, and community agencies for voluntary, referred, required and mandated families
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SFP: Important Points
SFP is three skills courses: Parenting, Children’s, & Family Skills.
SFP skills are for all families; they are not special skills for deficient families.
SFP makes learning “Life Skills”easier for high-stress families.
SFP: a “family” is one or more adults with long-term responsibility for one or more children; a “parent” has that responsibility.
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SFP: An Evidence-Based
Practice
Evidence-based Programs (EBP)
• EBPs or Empirically Supported Treatments (ESTs) have positive research results.
• The best EBPs are replicated programs with
large effect sizes.
Jeanie Ahearn Greene, Ahearn Greene Associates, Olney, Maryland, copy write 2012, to be used only with express written permission of
author.
SFP:How and Why
It Works
Skills Training CurriculumOverview
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SFP: Three Age-Appropriate
ProgramsFamilies with Children 3-5Families with Children 6-11Families with Children 12-16
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SFP (3-5/6-11/12-16): Core Curriculum Components
• Parent/youth Attachment and Bonding (Weeks 1-4)
• Parent/youth Communication/Family Organization (Weeks 5-10)
• Parental Supervision, Building Discipline (Weeks 11-13)
• Graduation
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FAMILY RITUAL ACTIVITY
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Family Environment Risks• Family conflict• Lack of love, care, & support• Lack of supervision or discipline• Lack of family rituals• Low expectations for school success• Lack of communication • Sexual or physical abuse
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• No • Substance
• Use
• Family • Supervision
• Family • and Peer
• Norms
• Female: (n=5,488)• Male: (n=3,023)
• Family • Bonding
• Academic • Self-Efficacy
• Self-Control
• Social and • Community • Prevention • Environment
SFP Expected to Strengthen Major Protective Factors for
Drug Use
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Family Protective Processes• Parent/child attachment • Parental monitoring and discipline • Consistent, predictable parenting• Parents’ communication of values
and expectations not to use drugs
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SFP Teaches Resiliency Skills• Social skills: speaking and listening• Planning & organizing: family
meetings• Problem solving• Peer resistance• Restoring self-esteem• Identifying feelings, taking criticism• Emotional management, coping with
anger
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SFP Enhances Resiliency Factors
• Stresses importance of one caring adult
• Increases opportunities to help others
• Increases social skills for home & away
• Increases self-discipline Increases communication of family expectations about drugs & alcohol
• Stresses parents should help children with critical life decisions
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SFP MAJOR OBJECTIVES
• Improve Family Relations• Increase Parenting Skills• Increase Children’s Skills
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SFP Component Outcomes
• Parent Training: increases parenting skills and decreases children’s conduct disorders and decreased family conflict
• Children’s Skills Training: Increased children’s social skills
• Family Skills Training: Increased family cohesion and organization; reduced parent & child alcohol/drug useAhearn Greene Associates, LP, Olney, Maryland, copywrite 2013, to be used only with express written permission of AGA. personnel.
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SFP 5-Year Follow-up Results97% More quality spent time with child95% More appropriate consequences94% Increased enjoyment of the child84% Better problem solving with child75% Reduced family stress & conflict68% Holding family meetings monthly37% Holding a family meeting weekly
SFP Set-up and Staffing
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SFP in Practice • SFP: 3 Life Skills Courses:
Parents, Children’s & Family Skills• All three are taught together,
typically over 14 weeks.
** Courses can be “unbundled,” but are most effective when taught together.
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Family Eligibility• Youth Between Ages 6-11• Parent Willing to Participate in the
Program• Primary Care Giver- Responsible
Adult• Able to participate in a group• Can Add New Families up to Session
3, then group is closed
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A Typical Weekly Session • Dinner - families sit together, with other
families & Group Leaders• 1st Class Hour: Parents’ Group and
Children’s Group• 2nd Class Hour: families rejoin & divide
into Family Group(s)• Baby-sitting: for children under 6;
(ideally, activities for children not participating in child groups)
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SFP Typical Class Session
FAMILY STYLEMEAL
1 Hour Simultaneously+
1 Hour
CHILDGROUP
PARENTGROUP
FAMILYGROUP(S)
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Sailboat Activity
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Staffing• 2 Group Leaders in All Parent and Youth
groups• Site Coordinator on Site to Coordinate-
Does Not Lead a Group• Childcare for Younger Children• Quality: Leader’s effectiveness• Cultural Competence: Leader’s
relationship with group & Characteristics
• Able to work with individuals and groups• Understands SFP & How it Works
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Top Qualifications for Leaders
Sincere desire to help families learn SFP
Interpersonal skills: one-to-one & group
Understanding why and how SFP works
Balance teams to include men & women, ethnicities
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Site: Safe, Welcoming, Accessible
• 3 rooms minimum:– 1 large room for meals, baby-sitting– 2 smaller rooms for Parent’s & Children’s
groups and then Family groups • Agency site or community partner:
church, housing authority• Size: Ideally for 6-12 families. But how
big are your rooms? Your families?
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“Extras” - that aren’t extras
• Meals: remove an obstacle and provide an incentive to attend
• Transportation: know what you can do to get families there
• Baby-sitting: for children under 6, activities for children over 11 years
• Small rewards for attending, home practice, progress
• A BIG graduation & party
SFP SAMPLE BUDGET(10 Families)
Site Coordinator: (14 weeks x $20/hr x 10hrs/week) $2,800 Group Leaders: (4 x 14 weeks x $15/hr x 5 hrs/week) 4,200 Food: (14 sessions x 10 families x $10/family) 2,100 Child Care: (14 wks x 2 staff x $10/hr x 3 hrs) 840 Supplies: (paper products, toys) 500 In-Session Incentives: ($75 x 10 families) 750 Completion Incentives: ($75 x 10 families) 750 Graduation Celebration: 600 Handbook Duplication: (15 parents + 20 children x $8) 280 Transportation: (variable) 700 Manual Duplication: (4 trainers x $30/set – one time) 120
Total $13,540
**Costs vary by site and in-kind contributions
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Steps to Implementation• Identify and Engage Community Partners,
Stakeholders and Intended Participant Population• Purchase of Curriculum CD for intended SFP age
group• Group Leader Training• Recruit Families• Schedule Sessions in Keeping with Community
Calendar• Arrange Transportation and Childcare/ Remove
Barriers to Attendance• Provide all SFP Fidelity Benchmarks• Seek Technical Assistance Immediately if
problems emerge• Evaluate Program for Fidelity and Outcomes, if
budget permits
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Make the Program Fun!!!!!
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What’s Not Clear?
QuestionsConcerns
Comments
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How to Contact UsKaren Dukes-Smith, SFP Coach
Phone: 803.744.4045Email: [email protected]
Sherri L. Caldwell, SFP Coach Phone: 803.744.4024
Email: [email protected]