R Family Support Programs Strengthening Families Program is a

R Family Support Programs Strengthening Families Program is a groupbased parent training program that offers concurrent parent and child skills training with an opportunity for families to practice skills together. SFP 6-11(for families with elementary school children) and SFP 10-14 (for families with middle school children) have been rigorously researched and replicated multiple times, consistently showing multiple positive outcomes for families. More information is available at www.strengtheningfamiliesprogram.org or contact Sarah Currier, Director of EvidenceBased Programs at Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina at scurrier@preventchildabusenc.org. The Incredible Years offers parent training groups, child treatment groups/classroom curriculum, and teacher training in classroom managment skills. Designed to address the needs of children ages 3-12 with behavioral problems, The Incredible Years has been rigorously researched in schools and has demonstrated significant outcomes including reductions in difficult behaviors and increased positive relationships between parents and teachers. For more information, please contact Stephanie Pavlis, Incredible Years Coordinator at Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina at spavlis@preventchildabusenc.org. esearch shows a clear link between family functioning and student academic success. Schools are a vital bridge between families and supportive resources, whether schoolbased programs are available or families are referred to community-based services. There are a variety of different programs designed to support families and children, ranging from parent training groups to support groups to school-based interventions. The diversity of programming is important - after all, different families have different needs. However, organizations implementing family support programs are beginning to ask a critical question: “How do we know this program works?” An essential part of the program selection process is evaluation of the research. Many programs have been rigorously resarched and are proven to benefit diverse groups of children and families in diverse settings. We can say with great assurance that these programs, when implemented as designed, will result in positive outcomes for families. The programs featured in these pages are examples of effective programs available. CONTINUED 1-800-CHILDREN WWW.PREVENTCHILDABUSENC.ORG Family Support Programs Circle of Parents is a mutual self-help support group designed to empower parents and provide opportunities to both give and receive support. Circle of Parents offers weekly group meetings for families with children prenatal-18, the agenda of which is driven by the parents themselves. Recent research, including NC’s outcome evaluation, has been published in Social Work with Groups: A Journal of Community and Clinical Practice, Vol. 31(2). For more information contact Katrina Gay, Circle of Parents Program Coordinator at Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina at kgay@preventchildabusenc.org. Families and Schools Together (FAST) is a group intervention, designed to reduce agression and anxiety, while improving social skills and attention spans of children ages 5-14. Services, including individual home visits, multi-family support groups, and ongoing monthly supports, are delivered by a collaborative team of parents, trained professionals, and school personnel. FAST has been rigorously researched and has shown positive outcomes for both children and families. For more information, visit www.fastnational.org. The Nurturing Parenting Program is a series of interventions designed to reduce child maltreatment by teaching nurturing parenting skills through a group-based or home-based format. The programs serve families with children prenatal-18. The group-based programs consist of concurrent parent and child groups followed by family time. The Nurturing Parenting Program has been evaluated primarily with pre/post-test design and have consistently shown significant positive outcomes for families. For more information, visit www.nurturingparenting.com. Other Resources The programs featured on these pages are just some of the effective programs available in North Carolina and nationally. More information on family strengthening programs can be found on the following websites: • United States Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: http://modelprograms.samhsa.gov The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse: www.cachildwelfareclearinghouse.org University of Colorado Center for the Study of Prevention of Violence www.colorado.edu/csvp/blueprints/model/ overview United States Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention www.dsgonline.com/mpg2.5/mpg_ index.html Strengthening America’s Families Project www.strengtheningfamilies.org/index.html • • • • For more information on these or other programs in your community, please contact Sarah Currier, Director of Evidence Based Programs at Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina at scurrier@preventchildabusenc.org 1-800-CHILDREN WWW.PREVENTCHILDABUSENC.ORG