The Strengthening Families Program The Charlottesville/Albemarle Prevention Coalition Region Ten Community Services Board

Program Structure: The Strengthening Families Program is a 14-week family skills training program It Is Different than parent education, or children’s social skills training in that children and parents are intensively trained together.

Curriculum contains three courses: Parent’s Skills Training Children’s Skills Training Family Life Skills Training

Program Night:  Starts with half an hour of dinner and socializing.  Each session is 2 hours in length.  1 st Hour: Children and Parents participate in separate classes, led by 1-2 trained bachelors or masters level facilitators.  2 nd Hour: Children and parents participate in Family Skills Training Session TOGETHER, led by 2-3 facilitators.

Strengthening Family Program Incentives:  Program is Free of Charge  Dinner provided  Transportation provided if necessary  Drawings for gift-certificates for parents each session  Regular social rewards for children; earned rewards at set session intervals  Incentives for attendance.  Graduation celebration to celebrate with other family and friends.

 Engage in therapeutic child play  Practice communication skills  Practice structured family activities  Learn to hold Family Meetings  Practice effective limit-setting  Plan family activities

Benefits Extended by: Weekly telephone coaching contacts with participant parents by program facilitators.Weekly telephone coaching contacts with participant parents by program facilitators. Formal booster session on family skills 3- months after program completion.Formal booster session on family skills 3- months after program completion. Support and camaraderie between parent participants and positive social interactions between child participants.Support and camaraderie between parent participants and positive social interactions between child participants.

DECREASED  parental distress  Parental perception of child as a difficult child  total parenting stress DECREASED parental reports of children’s problem behavior. Local Outcomes INCREASED parental reports of overall improvements in their child’s social skills.

Strengthening Families Program Recognitions Model Program: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Programs That Work: National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Promising Program: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice Exemplary Program: U.S. Department of Education