The Strengthening Families Program added four new sites in the Charleston area to start the new year, growing the number of counties being served by SFP to 27 in the state.
Children’s Trust awarded grant funding to four new partners in the Lowcountry to deliver the Strengthening Families Program (SFP). The grantees are Carolina Youth Development Center in Berkeley County; Dorchester Alcohol and Drug Commission in Summerville; Lutheran Services Carolinas in Charleston; and National Youth Advocate Program in North Charleston.
A group of children earned graduation certificates in a recent ceremony from the Strengthening Families Program, which is now being implemented in 27 counties across South Carolina.
Each partner is funded for two cycles of the 14-session evidence-based program this year. A recent story in the Summerville Journal Scene details how families are embracing the program in Dorchester County, where the S.C. Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services teamed with Children’s Trust for funding the program at Dorchester Alcohol and Drug Commission.
Chris Rollison, the Children’s Trust SFP coordinator in the Lowcountry, is excited by the level of coordination among the four grantees as they work to serve families in the broader Charleston area.
“The neat thing is they’re looking at this as an initiative or collaborative effort rather than four separate sites. They want to do everything together,” Rollison said.
SFP site coordinators and group leaders work closely with families with children ages 6 to 11 to develop positive discipline practices, stay resilient in tough times, reduce conflict, improve parenting skills, and assist children with social skills, relationships, and school performance. All of these factors play an important role in keeping families strong while protecting against potential child abuse or neglect.
Children’s Trust supports SFP in collaboration with local partners in 27 South Carolina counties after starting five years ago with four initial sites. The Duke Endowment and the S.C. Department of Social Services serve as the funding partners in this statewide effort.
