Archive for the ‘Strengthening Families and Communities’ Category

Tip Sheets for Parents and Caregivers Teen Parents… You’re Not Alone!

Bookmark and Share Saturday, November 20th, 2010

Childrens Trust of South CarolinaWhat’s Happening??

Being a parent is a 24-hour-a-day job, and sometimes it can feel overwhelming. You may be juggling the demands of a baby, your family, school, and work. Chances are you’re not able to do all of the things you enjoyed before your baby was born.

Many teen parents sometimes feel…

  • Confused and uncertain—about their future or their skills as a parent
  • Overwhelmed—they don’t know where to begin or they feel like giving up
  • Angry—at the baby’s other parent, their friends, or even their baby
  • Lonely—like they are the only person dealing with so many problems
  • Depressed—sad and unable to face their problems

These feelings do not mean you are a bad parent!

What Can I Do??

Every parent needs support sometimes. If you think stress may be affecting how you treat your baby, it’s time to find some help. Try the following:

  • Join a support group. A group for young moms or dads could give you time with new friends who have lives similar to yours. Your children can play with other children, and you can talk about your problems with people who understand. Look on the Internet or call your local social services agency for information about support groups in your community.
  • Find ways to handle stress. Take a break while someone reliable cares for your baby. Take a walk with the baby in a stroller, or rest while your baby naps. A social worker or nurse can help you learn other ways to manage stress.
  • Finish school. Even though it may be difficult, finishing high school (or getting a GED) is one of the most important things you can do to help your baby and yourself. A diploma will help you get a better job or take the next step in your education (such as vocational training or college).
  • Improve your parenting skills. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice from experienced parents. Classes for parents can also help you build on what you already know about raising a happy, healthy child.
  • Call a help line. Most States have help lines for parents. Childhelp® runs a national 24-hour hotline (1.800.4.A.CHILD) for parents who need help or parenting advice.

Authors: Child Welfare Information GatewayChildren’s BureauFRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention

Tip Sheets for Parents and Caregivers Connecting With Your Teen

Bookmark and Share Friday, November 19th, 2010

Childrens Trust of South CarolinaWhat’s Happening

Many teens spend less time with their families than they did as younger children. As they become more independent and learn to think for themselves, relationships with friends become very important. Sometimes it may feel like your teen doesn’t need you anymore. But teens still need their parents’ love, support, and guidance.

What You Might Be Seeing

Normal teens…

  • Crave independence
  • Question rules and authority
  • Test limits
  • Can be impulsive
  • Make mature decisions at times, and childish ones at others

What You Can Do

Simple, everyday activities can reinforce the connection between you and your teen. Make room in your schedule for special times when you can, but also take advantage of routine activities to show that you care.

Tips to keep in mind:

  • Have family meals. If it’s impossible to do every night, schedule a regular weekly family dinner night that accommodates your child’s schedule.
  • Share “ordinary” time. Look for everyday opportunities to bond with your teen. Even times spent driving or walking the dog together offer chances for your teen to talk about what’s on his or her mind.
  • Get involved, be involved, and stay involved. Go to games and practices when you can. Ask about homework and school projects. Look for chances to learn about your teen’s latest hobby.
  • Be interested. Make it clear that you care about your teen’s ideas, feelings, and experiences. If you listen to what he or she is saying, you’ll get a better sense of the guidance and support needed. Get to know your teen’s friends and their parents, too, when possible.
  • Set clear limits. Teens still need your guidance, but you can involve your teen in setting rules and consequences. Make sure consequences are related to the behavior, and be consistent in following through. Choose your battles. Try to provide choices in the matters that are less important.

Your words and actions help your teen feel secure. Don’t forget to say and show how much you love your teen!

Authors: Child Welfare Information GatewayChildren’s BureauFRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention

Tip Sheets for Parents and Caregivers Dealing With Temper Tantrums

Bookmark and Share Thursday, November 18th, 2010

Childrens Trust of South CarolinaWhat’s Happening

Two- and three-year-olds have many skills, but controlling their tempers is not one of them. Tantrums are common at this age because toddlers are becoming independent and developing their own wants, needs, and ideas. However, they are not yet able to express their wants and feelings with words. Take comfort in the fact that most children outgrow tantrums by age 4.

What You Might Be Seeing

Normal toddlers:

  • Love to say “no!” “mine!” and “do it myself!”
  • Test rules over and over to see how parents will react
  • Are not yet ready to share
  • Need lots of fun activities, play times, and opportunities to explore the world
  • Respond well to a routine for sleeping and eating (a regular schedule)
  • Like to imitate grownups and to “help” mom and dad

What You Can Do

It is often easier to prevent tantrums than to deal with them once they get going. Try these tips:

  • Direct your child’s attention to something else. (“Wow, look at that fire engine!”)
  • Give your child a choice in small matters. (“Do you want to eat peas or carrots?”)
  • Stick to a daily routine that balances fun activities with enough rest and healthy food.
  • Anticipate when your child will be disappointed. (“We are going to buy groceries for dinner. We won’t be buying cookies, but you can help me pick out some fruit for later.”)
  • Praise your child when he or she shows self-control and expresses feelings with words.

If you cannot prevent the tantrum, here are some tips for dealing with it:

  • Say what you expect from your child and have confidence that your child will behave.
  • Remain calm. You are a role model for your child.
  • Holding your child during a tantrum may help a younger child feel more secure and calm down more quickly.
  • Take your child to a quiet place where he or she can calm down safely. Speak softly or play soft music.
  • Some children throw tantrums to seek attention. Try ignoring the tantrum, but pay attention to your child after he or she calms down.
  • Resist overreacting to tantrums, and try to keep your sense of humor.

When your child is having a floor-thumping tantrum, the most important thing you can do is remain calm and wait it out. Do not let your child’s behavior cause you to lose control, too.

Authors: Child Welfare Information GatewayChildren’s BureauFRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention

Tip Sheets for Parents and Caregivers Bonding With Your Baby

Bookmark and Share Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

Childrens Trust of South CarolinaWhat’s Happening

Attachment is a deep, lasting bond that develops between a caregiver and child during the baby’s first few years of life. This attachment is critical to the growth of a baby’s body and mind. Babies who have this bond and feel loved have a better chance to grow up to be adults who trust others and know how to return affection.

What You Might Be Seeing

Normal babies:

  • Have brief periods of sleep, crying or fussing, and quiet alertness many times each day
  • Often cry for long periods for no apparent reason
  • Love to be held and cuddled
  • Respond to and imitate facial expressions
  • Love soothing voices and will respond with smiles and small noises
  • Grow and develop every day; they learn new skills quickly and can outgrow difficult behaviors in a matter of weeks

What You Can Do

No one knows your child like you do, so you are in the best position to recognize and fulfill your child’s needs. Parents who give lots of loving care and attention to their babies help their babies develop a strong attachment. Affection energizes your child to grow, learn, connect with others, and enjoy life.

Here are some ways to promote bonding:

  • Respond when your baby cries. Try to understand what he or she is saying to you. You can’t “spoil” babies with too much attention—they need and benefit from a parent’s loving care even when they seem inconsolable.
  • Hold and touch your baby as much as possible. You can keep him close with baby slings, pouches, or backpacks (for older babies).
  • Use feeding and diapering times to look into your baby’s eyes, smile, and talk to your baby.
  • Read, sing, and play peek-a-boo. Babies love to hear human voices and will try to imitate your voice and the sounds you make.
  • As your baby gets a little older, try simple games and toys. Once your baby can sit up, plan on spending lots of time on the floor with toys, puzzles, and books.

The best gift you can give your baby is YOU. The love and attention you give your baby now will stay with him or her forever and will help your baby grow into a healthier and happier child and adult.

This tip sheet was created with input from experts in national organizations that work to protect children and strengthen families. To download this tip sheet or for more parenting tips, go to www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/promoting/parenting or call 800.394.3366.

Tip Sheets for Parents and Caregivers

Bookmark and Share Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

Childrens Trust of South CarolinaThis section of the Resource Guide provides tip sheets on specific parenting issues. Each is designed for service providers to distribute to parents and caregivers in the context of a particular concern or question. The tip sheets are not intended to tell the whole story, but merely to provide a starting point for a discussion between parent and provider that is grounded in the five protective factors.

The information is easy to read and focuses on concrete steps that parents and caregivers can take to care for their children and strengthen their family. A Spanish version appears on the back of each tip sheet. The Spanish versions convey similar messages to the English versions, but they have been adapted slightly for readability and cultural appropriateness.

We encourage you to make additional copies of the tip sheets that are most useful to the families with whom you work.

The tip sheets address the following topics:

  • Bonding With Your Baby—Written to help new parents understand the importance of early and secure attachment.
  • Dealing With Temper Tantrums—Includes tips on how to prevent and handle toddler tantrums while modeling calm behavior.
  • Connecting With Your Teen—Designed to help parents maintain strong bonds with their teens as they move toward independence.
  • Teen Parents… You’re Not Alone—Tips to help teen parents cope with the challenges of raising a new baby and find support.
  • Ten Ways to Be a Better Dad—Encourages fathers to be involved and help their children live happy, healthy lives.
  • Raising Your Grandchildren—Written to help caregivers deal with some of the unique challenges of parenting grandchildren and find concrete supports in the community.

These tip sheets, like the other resources in this guide, were created with input from experts from national organizations that work to protect children and strengthen families. Additional resources are available through the national organizations listed in our Resource Guide.

Authors: Child Welfare Information GatewayChildren’s BureauFRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention

More information about the Work Group and its members can be found on the Children’s Bureau website: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/fediawg

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
Children’s Bureau
Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF)
Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/

The Children’s Bureau seeks to provide for the safety, permanency and well-being of children through leadership, support for necessary services, and productive partnerships with States, Tribes, and communities.

The Office on Child Abuse and Neglect provides leadership and direction on the issues of child maltreatment and the prevention of abuse and neglect under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and the Children’s Justice Act. The Director of the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect chairs the Federal Interagency Work Group on Child Abuse and Neglect and coordinates the Work Group’s activities.

Also participating on the Federal Interagency Work Group on Child Abuse and Neglect are the Children’s Bureau Divisions of Research and Innovation, Child Welfare Capacity Building, and Program Implementation.

Child Welfare Information Gateway
ACYF, ACF

www.childwelfare.gov

A service of the Children’s Bureau, Child Welfare Information Gateway promotes the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families by connecting child welfare, adoption, and related professionals, as well as concerned citizens to timely, essential information.

Family Violence Prevention and Services Program
Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB)
ACYF, ACF

www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/

FYSB provides national leadership on youth and family issues. FYSB promotes positive outcomes for children, youth, and families by supporting a wide range of comprehensive services and collaborations at the local, Tribal, State, and national levels. Through the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program, FYSB awards grants to State agencies, Territories, and Indian Tribes for the provision of shelter to victims of family violence and their dependents, and for related services, such as emergency transportation and child care.

Child Care Bureau
Office of Family Assistance, ACF

www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb

The Child Care Bureau supports low-income working families through child care financial assistance and promotes children’s learning by improving the quality of early care and education and after-school programs.

Division of Child and Family Development
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), ACF

www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/

OPRE is responsible for advising the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families on increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of programs to improve the economic and social well-being of children and families. In collaboration with ACF program offices and others, OPRE is responsible for performance management, conducts research and policy analyses, and develops and oversees research and evaluation projects to assess program performance and inform policy and practice.

Office of Refugee Resettlement, ACF
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr

Founded on the belief that newly arriving populations have inherent capabilities when given opportunities, the Office of Refugee Resettlement provides people in need with critical resources to assist them in becoming integrated members of American society.

Office of Human Services Policy
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)

http://aspe.hhs.gov/_/office_specific/hsp.cfm

ASPE advises the Secretary of HHS on policy development in health, disability, human services, data, and science, and provides advice and analysis on economic policy. ASPE conducts research and evaluation studies, develops policy analyses, and estimates the cost and benefits of policy alternatives under consideration by the Department or Congress. The Office of Human Services Policy is HHS’s chief economist on welfare, service delivery issues, and policies affecting children, youth, and families.

Division of Behavioral Health
Indian Health Service (IHS)
www.ihs.gov/MedicalPrograms/Behavioral

IHS raises the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level to assure that comprehensive, culturally acceptable personal and public health services are available and accessible to American Indian and Alaska Native people. The IHS Division of Behavioral Health strives to support Tribal and urban native communities to eliminate behavioral health diseases and conditions and to promote health, resilience, and strength in all native communities.

Office of Minority Health
www.omhrc.gov

The mission of the Office of Minority Health is to improve and protect the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that eliminate health disparities. It advises the Secretary and the Office of Public Health and Science on public health program activities affecting American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Blacks/African-Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders.

Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research
National Institutes of Health, NIH

obssr.od.nih.gov

The mission of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research is to stimulate behavioral and social science research throughout NIH and integrate this research with other NIH initiatives to improve understanding, treatment, and prevention of disease.

Child Development and Behavior Branch
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH

www.nichd.nih.gov/about/org/crmc/cdb

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development conducts and supports research on all stages of human development, from preconception to adulthood, to better understand the health of children, adults, families, and communities.

The Child Development and Behavior Branch develops scientific initiatives and supports research and training relevant to the psychological, psychobiological, language, behavioral, and educational development of children.

Child Abuse and Neglect Program
Division of Developmental Translational Research (DDTR)
National Institute of Mental Health, NIH

www.nimh.nih.gov/about/organization/ddtr

The mission of the National Institute of Mental Health is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure.

DDTR supports programs of research and research training with the goal of preventing and curing childhood psychopathology. The Child Abuse and Neglect Program within DDTR supports research that addresses child abuse and neglect and familial aspects of traumatic stress as risk factors for psychopathology in children and adolescents.

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)
Office of Policy, Coordination and Planning
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

csat.samhsa.gov

CSAT promotes the quality and availability of community-based substance abuse treatment services for individuals and families who need them. CSAT works with States and community-based groups to improve and expand existing substance abuse treatment services under the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Program.

Maternal and Child Health Bureau
Division of Healthy Start and Perinatal Services
Health Resources and Services Administration

mchb.hrsa.gov

The Maternal and Child Health Bureau has the primary responsibility for promoting and improving the health of our nation’s women, children, and families.

Division of Violence Prevention
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/CMP

CDC’s child maltreatment program is coordinated by the Division of Violence Prevention. The division’s mission is to prevent violence-related injuries and deaths through surveillance, research and development, capacity building, communication, and leadership. CDC’s efforts to prevent child maltreatment focus on developing, evaluating, and disseminating evidence-based interventions that support safe, stable, and nurturing relationships for children.

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U.S. Department of Agriculture

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
www.csrees.usda.gov

NIFA, formerly the Cooperative Extension System, is a nationwide educational collaboration of Federal, State, and local governments and State land-grant universities. NIFA’s mission is to advance knowledge of agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and communities by supporting research, education, and extension programs in the Land-Grant University System and other partner organizations.

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U.S. Department of Defense

Family Advocacy Program (FAP)
Military Community and Family Policy
Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense

www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil

FAP provides social services to prevent, identify, intervene in, and treat child abuse and neglect and domestic abuse, including domestic violence, at each installation with command-sponsored families around the world. FAPs coordinate with civilian child welfare and domestic violence agencies when abuse or neglect is identified. FAPs teach parenting skills, provide extra support for first-time parents, teach stress management, offer counseling, and conduct public awareness activities related to family maltreatment. FAPs also operate the New Parent Support Program, a secondary prevention program that uses an intensive, voluntary home visitation model developed specifically for at-risk parents to reduce the risk of child abuse.

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U.S. Department of Education

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
Office of Special Education Programs

www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services provides a wide array of supports to parents and individuals, school districts, and States in three main areas: special education, vocational rehabilitation, and research.

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U.S. Department of the Interior

Bureau of Indian Affairs
www.doi.gov/bia

The Bureau of Indian Affairs works to enhance the quality of life, promote economic opportunity, and carry out the responsibility to protect and improve the trust assets of American Indians, Indian Tribes, and Alaska Natives.

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U.S. Department of Justice

Victim and Victimization Research Division
Office of Research and Evaluation
National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij

NIJ is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to meet the challenges of crime and justice, particularly at the State and local levels. The Office of Research and Evaluation develops, conducts, directs, and supervises research and evaluation activities across a wide variety of issues.

Office for Victims of Crime
OJP

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) was established by the 1984 Victims of Crime Act to oversee diverse programs that benefit victims of crime. OVC supports training for criminal justice and allied professionals regarding the rights and needs of crime victims and provides substantial funding to State victim assistance and compensation programs.

Office on Violence Against Women
OJP

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/topics/crime/violence-against-women

The mission of the Violence Against Women and Family Violence Research and Evaluation program is to promote the safety of women and family members and to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system’s response to crimes against these populations.

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
OJP

ojjdp.ncjrs.gov

OJJDP accomplishes its mission by supporting States, local communities, and Tribal jurisdictions in their efforts to develop and implement effective programs for juveniles. OJJDP strives to strengthen the juvenile justice system’s efforts to protect public safety, hold offenders accountable, and provide services that address the needs of youth and their families. OJJDP sponsors research, program, and training initiatives; develops priorities and goals and sets policies to guide Federal juvenile justice issues; disseminates information about juvenile justice issues; and awards funds to States to support local programming.

Child Protection Division (CPD)
OJJDP, OJP

ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/about/DivProgram.asp?di=5&pp=division

CPD administers projects, programs, and initiatives related to crimes against children and children’s exposure to violence. It provides leadership and funding in the areas of prevention, intervention, treatment, and enforcement. CPD promotes research and effective policies and procedures to address the problems of abused, neglected, missing, and exploited children and children who have been exposed to domestic or community violence.

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U.S. Department of State

Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs

www.state.gov/g/tip

The Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons provides the tools to combat trafficking in persons and assists in the coordination of anti-trafficking efforts both worldwide and domestically.

Talking Points

Bookmark and Share Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Children's Trust of South CarolinaThe following talking points might be useful to those just starting a community wide strengthening families initiative, or when inviting new partners to join. They can be used with community groups or the media. Tailor your presentation to fit the unique circumstances. Engage your audience by inviting them to contribute their own ideas about how your community can better support families, and close with a clear call to action.

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What do we know about protecting children?

  • We all want to live in a prosperous, innovative, and healthy nation.
  • Investing in child development is an investment in community and economic development.
  • Getting prevention right early is less costly to society, and to individuals, than trying to fix things later.
  • When a parent treats a child with respect, love, and understanding, it affects the child for a lifetime—making it easier to develop and keep friendships, succeed in school and work, sustain a happy marriage, and parent effectively.
  • Unfortunately, many factors can limit parents’ ability to protect and nurture their children. These can put families at risk for abuse and neglect.
  • Certain factors have been shown to serve as buffers against these risks, enhancing parents’ coping skills and helping them to raise happy, healthy children, even under stress.

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What are the protective factors that strengthen families?

The best thing our community can do to protect children is to help strengthen families by promoting the following five protective factors:

Nurturing and attachment
Parents and caregivers who bond with and respond to the basic needs of their babies and young children lay the foundation for a positive and loving relationship. They also stimulate the growth of their child’s brain and help their child learn how to interact in positive ways with others.

Ways our community can promote parental nurturing and attachment:

  • Sponsor workshops for caregivers on playing with infants and young children.
  • Provide quiet, private places for mothers to breastfeed and for all caregivers to tend to their babies’ needs.
  • Recognize local businesses with family-friendly policies, such as flexible work schedules, paid maternity/paternity leave, and paid family sick leave, that give parents time to bond with or care for their children.

Knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development
Helping parents learn about normal infant, childhood, and teen development will help them understand what to anticipate as their children grow and develop, and what types of support and discipline may work best at each stage.

Ways our community can enhance knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development:

  • Supply local pediatricians with reproducible factsheets about child development that can be given to parents during well-child exams.
  • Sponsor classes and support programs for new parents.
  • Offer trainings for child care providers and teachers about key aspects of child development and the relationship between effective parenting and brain development.
  • Disseminate information to the community about normal crying and activity levels of children at different ages to increase understanding and help reduce pressures on parents.

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Parental resilience
Parenting can be stressful, especially when parents are also managing work demands or unemployment, financial worries, illness, or difficulties with a spouse or others. Parents who have support and skills for managing stress will be better able to cope with day-to-day challenges.

Ways our community can strengthen parental resilience:

  • Explore how local faith communities organize members to support new parents or other families under stress. Share effective models with other groups.
  • Offer free or low-cost stress management classes at local community centers, businesses, or schools.
  • Sponsor communication and conflict resolution classes for couples.
  • Provide brochures and other resources for teachers and child care providers to share with parents who are under significant stress.

Social connections
For most of us, family, friends, and neighbors form a network that provides social interaction, recreation, advice, and help. When parents have the opportunity to interact with, learn from, and seek the support of other adults, their children benefit.

Ways our community can help parents build social connections:

  • Sponsor multigenerational activities like picnics and street fairs that reflect the community’s culture through music, food, and games. Involve parents in organizing these events.
  • Recruit volunteers for mentoring programs such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Befriend-a-Child, or Family to Family.
  • Provide safe, accessible venues for young families to meet and socialize, such as libraries, parks, and preschools.

Concrete supports for parents
When parents are not employed or face other challenges, they may need assistance in order to provide adequate food, clothing, housing, and medical care for their children. These supports may reduce the stress parents feel in difficult circumstances, giving them more energy to nurture and support their children.

Ways our community can help ensure adequate concrete supports for families:

  • Provide a communitywide “system of care” for families needing services, to ensure they do not fall through the cracks.
  • Make information about accessing community resources (e.g., housing, health care, employment assistance) readily available no matter where families initially turn for services.
  • Educate candidates and elected officials about issues in our community and the need for services and programs that support healthy and safe children and families.
  • Encourage service providers to collaborate, leverage funding, and share resources to address specific needs.

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Call to action: How can we work together to strengthen our community?

Mention some of the supports currently available in your community, including the efforts of your communitywide family strengthening partnership, if applicable.

Anything we do to strengthen and support families in our community helps reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. This month and throughout the year, let’s focus our attention on prevention efforts that support parents and create healthier communities for children.

  • Which needs are most urgent in our community?
  • Which of the ideas we have talked about today would help address those needs?
  • How can you help?

Authors: Child Welfare Information GatewayChildren’s BureauFRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention

Tips for Working With Specific Groups

Bookmark and Share Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010

Children's Trust of South CarolinaEveryone has something to contribute to a community family strengthening effort. The following are suggestions for ways your partnership might engage and collaborate with specific groups.

Partnering With Faith Communities

  • Attend regularly or make a one-time presentation on protective factors to interfaith groups working on community needs and services. (See Talking Points.)
  • Listen and seek to understand the faith communities’ beliefs and values regarding protecting children and strengthening families. Demonstrating respect for their faith is important when approaching religious and lay leaders.
  • Train religious and lay leaders about the five protective factors, as well as how to recognize the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect, work with victims and their families, and make appropriate referrals.
  • Organize parent education and support group meetings at faith community facilities.
  • Support the development of mentoring programs within congregations for children and families under stress.
  • Encourage religious and lay leaders to publicly acknowledge child abuse and neglect as a major concern for the faith community, and affirm that they are dedicated to supporting families and protecting children.

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Partnering With Parents and Caregivers

  • Reach out to community parent councils or forums. Support the development of such councils where they do not currently exist.
  • Provide community-based family mentoring services to strengthen family relationships.
  • Organize workshops to teach parents how to access services to meet their families’ needs, including finding adequate medical care, pursuing educational opportunities, and accessing job information. Include parent leaders as presenters.
  • Create opportunities for parent volunteers to participate in community activities such as safety initiatives, after-school programs, mentoring programs, food drives, and other events.
  • Ask experienced parent leaders to serve as mentors for family members who are just joining the group.

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Partnering With the Courts

  • Provide information, tools, and training about protective factors to judges, guardians ad litem, and others involved in making best interests determinations for children.
  • Create substantive roles for parents and community stakeholders in the juvenile dependency court system to promote a better understanding of the challenges faced by those who come before the court.
  • Set up formal referral systems to direct parents to legal service providers within the community.
  • Create support groups among parents currently or previously involved with the court system.

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Partnering With the Media

  • Develop a clear communications plan that includes your initiative’s key messages, communication objectives, and targeted outreach to media outlets.
  • Plan a communitywide campaign that gives increased visibility to community partners and families being served by the community partnership. Use the sample press release and public service announcements.
  • Consider inviting media representatives to participate in your communitywide effort, and keep them informed regularly of your progress and challenges.
  • Propose an editorial briefing on the protective factors and how community members can help families stay healthy and strong.
  • Offer members of your community partnership as experts on family health and safety, protective factors, and child abuse prevention.

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Partnering With Early Childhood Centers and Schools

  • Attend parent meetings or conduct community forums or workshops with early childhood centers and schools to talk with parents about protective factors.
  • Schedule joint trainings with staff about the protective factors and child abuse prevention, and how this information can be incorporated into their work with parents.
  • Seek opportunities to sponsor joint events with early childhood centers and schools.
  • As these relationships develop, you may offer to provide onsite services to children and families. This can be an important first step in building families’ comfort with pursuing services.

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Partnering With Business Leaders

  • Recruit a high-profile community business leader to serve on the governance board for your community-based partnership. Encourage him or her to challenge other business leaders to contribute to the effort.
  • Publicly recognize companies with family-friendly services and policies, such as onsite child care, flexible scheduling, and telecommuting.
  • Identify ways that employee volunteer programs could work to support safe and healthy families in the community.
  • Partner with businesses to offer workshops for employees on the protective factors, child development, parenting skills, and stress reduction.
  • Ask businesses to consider including family-strengthening messages in their advertising or product packaging.

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Partnering With Policymakers

  • Write or call your local legislator and make him or her aware of the research demonstrating how the five protective factors help prevent child abuse and neglect. Briefly point out your community’s current strengths and needs.
  • Host a community event with your legislator at a local school or family center and invite community partners and families.
  • Organize a town hall meeting with your legislator and other community leaders to address issues affecting local families.
  • Build long-term relationships with your legislator and his or her staff; keep them informed of community issues.

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Partnering With Culturally Diverse Families and Communities

Partnering with families and communities of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, lifestyles, and beliefs requires an organizational investment in addressing differences in positive and productive ways. Here are a few examples:

  • Different cultures define the concept of “family” in very different ways. Respect each family’s own definition.
  • Begin a workshop or retreat with a demonstration of spirituality drawn from the culture of one or more of the families present. This can prepare participants emotionally and mentally for the activities of the day, while acknowledging a strength of that family’s culture to the entire group.
  • Classes that introduce traditional child-rearing practices from various cultures may help young parents raise their children in a positive and culturally knowledgeable manner.
  • Ethnic street fairs offer families a way to enjoy their cultural heritage in the company of others. Community organizations can provide prevention information and educational materials at booths and through family-friendly activities like parent-child art workshops and puppet shows.

For more information about culturally competent work with families, visit: www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/cultural/preventing.cfm

Authors: Child Welfare Information GatewayChildren’s BureauFRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention

Suggested Activities

Bookmark and Share Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010

Chidren's Trust of South CarolinaThe following activities may be useful in support of adopting a communitywide protective-factors framework:

  • Cross-training. Community partners each have their own ways of working with children and families. Training across disciplines can help to create a common understanding of what the protective factors are, which strategies are most effective for strengthening families, and how a protective-factors approach supports each partner’s work with children and families.
  • Adapting intake and assessment tools and protocols. Central to this process is moving from a needs-assessment approach to a more comprehensive assessment that looks at the family’s needs, strengths, and protective factors. Encourage community providers to integrate a common set of questions, based on the protective factors, into their intake and assessment tools and protocols. This can help ensure that strategies to build protective factors are an integral part of service planning with all families.
  • Creating a consumer voice in relation to protective factors. Many Strengthening Families sites have worked to build plain-language tools that help parents understand what the protective factors are, why they are important, and what families can expect from community partners that are committed to a protective-factors approach. These tools help to ensure that protective factors are built with families.
  • Creating service collaborations. While the protective factors are universal to all families, they may need to be augmented or adapted for families experiencing particular stressors or traumas. In these cases, collaborations based on the protective factors may yield the most effective support system for families. For example, an organization that understands social networking might work with a domestic violence shelter to develop a social-connections strategy that is sensitive to safety-planning issues.

Authors: Child Welfare Information GatewayChildren’s BureauFRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention

Tips for Working with Specific Groups

Bookmark and Share Monday, November 1st, 2010

Children's Trust of South CarolinaEveryone has something to contribute to a community family strengthening effort. The following are suggestions for ways your partnership might engage and collaborate with specific groups.

Partnering With Faith Communities

  • Attend regularly or make a one-time presentation on protective factors to interfaith groups working on community needs and services. (See Talking Points.)
  • Listen and seek to understand the faith communities’ beliefs and values regarding protecting children and strengthening families. Demonstrating respect for their faith is important when approaching religious and lay leaders.
  • Train religious and lay leaders about the five protective factors, as well as how to recognize the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect, work with victims and their families, and make appropriate referrals.
  • Organize parent education and support group meetings at faith community facilities.
  • Support the development of mentoring programs within congregations for children and families under stress.
  • Encourage religious and lay leaders to publicly acknowledge child abuse and neglect as a major concern for the faith community, and affirm that they are dedicated to supporting families and protecting children.

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Partnering With Parents and Caregivers

  • Reach out to community parent councils or forums. Support the development of such councils where they do not currently exist.
  • Provide community-based family mentoring services to strengthen family relationships.
  • Organize workshops to teach parents how to access services to meet their families’ needs, including finding adequate medical care, pursuing educational opportunities, and accessing job information. Include parent leaders as presenters.
  • Create opportunities for parent volunteers to participate in community activities such as safety initiatives, after-school programs, mentoring programs, food drives, and other events.
  • Ask experienced parent leaders to serve as mentors for family members who are just joining the group.

Authors: Child Welfare Information GatewayChildren’s BureauFRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention

Engaging Community Partners

Bookmark and Share Sunday, October 31st, 2010

Children's Trust of South CarolinaSuggested Activities

The following activities may be useful in support of adopting a communitywide protective-factors framework:

  • Cross-training. Community partners each have their own ways of working with children and families. Training across disciplines can help to create a common understanding of what the protective factors are, which strategies are most effective for strengthening families, and how a protective-factors approach supports each partner’s work with children and families.
  • Adapting intake and assessment tools and protocols. Central to this process is moving from a needs-assessment approach to a more comprehensive assessment that looks at the family’s needs, strengths, and protective factors. Encourage community providers to integrate a common set of questions, based on the protective factors, into their intake and assessment tools and protocols. This can help ensure that strategies to build protective factors are an integral part of service planning with all families.
  • Creating a consumer voice in relation to protective factors. Many Strengthening Families sites have worked to build plain-language tools that help parents understand what the protective factors are, why they are important, and what families can expect from community partners that are committed to a protective-factors approach. These tools help to ensure that protective factors are built with families.
  • Creating service collaborations. While the protective factors are universal to all families, they may need to be augmented or adapted for families experiencing particular stressors or traumas. In these cases, collaborations based on the protective factors may yield the most effective support system for families. For example, an organization that understands social networking might work with a domestic violence shelter to develop a social-connections strategy that is sensitive to safety-planning issues.

Authors: Child Welfare Information GatewayChildren’s BureauFRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention