Strengthening Families 10-14 Workshop

EVIDENCE BASED PARENTING PROGRAMMES AND SOCIAL INCLUSION

SEPTEMBER 2012

The Strengthening Families Programme 10-14 (UK)

Debby Allen and Lindsey Coombes

STRENGTHENING FAMILIES PROGRAMME 10-14 (UK)

My Strong Family Centre and the SFP10-14(UK) Overview of the Strengthening Families Programme A substance misuse programme? Reducing risk and building protective factors How it all ‘fits together’ Research findings


My Strong Family Centre

Highly qualified, experienced trainers

Programme that buildssustainability

Expert guidance in setting up and establishing programme delivery

Evidence based programme

Culturally adapted for the UK

A UK wide network of SFP10-14 facilitators

Provide comprehensive advice on all aspects of working with families


SFP 10-14(UK)

SFP 10-14 (UK) development in the UK resulted from high quality scientific research studies from Iowa State University in the United States that examined the original US programme effectiveness

My Strong Family Centre, which is based in the School of Health and Social Care at Oxford Brookes University has the sole license to adapt and develop the SFP 10-14

The SFP10-14(UK) is an evidenced based programme, which has been highlighted and recognised by bodies such as:

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)Department for Children Families and Schools (DfE)Children's Workforce Development Council World Health Organisation (WHO)Alcohol Education and Research Council (AERC)


My Strong

Family Centre

Original research was funded by the Home Office, Alcohol Education Research Council, Diageo

Following adaptation the DCSF (DfE) funded us to deliver the programme to FIPs across the UK

Subsequent funding has been from NAPP (PEIPs), multiple LAs, and the CWDC

We have trained over 1,600 practitioners UK wide. The programme is also running in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales (and we are involved with a larger European study)


SFP 10-14 (UK)

SFP 10-14 (UK) is a 7-week evidence based programme to help families with young people aged 10-14 to prepare for teenage years

SFP 10-14 (UK) has seven two hour sessions for parents and young people. Parents and youth meet separately for the first hour, then spend the second hour together in family activities.

Group size can range from about 8 to 13 families, for a total of 20 to 30 individuals

Three SFP10-14(UK) trained facilitators are required to facilitate the programme (+ helper support as appropriate)


SFP 10-14 (UK)

The SFP is a whole family approach that aims to:

Reduce alcohol and substance misuse and other behaviour problems during adolescence

This is achieved through improved skills in nurturing and child management by parents and improved interpersonal and personal competencies amongst young people

Objectives are to: Increase parenting

skills Build life skills in

young people Strengthen family

bonds


SFP 10-14 (UK)

A substance misuse programme?

…by defocusing almost entirely from substance misuse to concentrate instead on the processes which sustain family life and promote healthy development

In the process, it recommends itself not just (or not even) primarily as a substance misuse programme, but as a generic approach of equal interest to mental health, crime prevention, education, child welfare and family services.


SFP 10-14 (UK)

The biopsychosocial vulnerability model, which suggests that the skills and resources possessed by families can ‘buffer’ other stresses (e.g. conflicts within the family)

And the ‘family process model’ which theorises that the impact of ‘economic stress’ on parents and its subsequent effects on mental health wellbeing, can have negative impacts on parenting, which in turn has implications for young people

Kumpfer’s and Richardson’s resiliency model, which is concerned with ‘protective processes’, and the nurturing of life skills in young people in areas such as managing emotions, planning and solving problems

Reducing risk and building protective factors


SFP 10-14 (UK)

Parent Sessions consisting of presentations, role-plays, group discussions, and other skill-building activities

Family Sessions that use specially designed games and projects to increase family bonding, build positive communication skills, and facilitate learning to solve problems together

How it Works:

Youth Sessions that engage each youth in small and large group discussions, learning games, group skill practice, and social bonding activities


Having dreams and goals for the future

In week 1 the young people think about their hopes and aspirations for future

In week 3 the young peoplelearn about stress, how it makes them feel and how they can manage it in ways that do not get them into trouble

In weeks 5+6 the young people use role play to practicesteps to keep them out of trouble. They think back to week 1 and considerthe goals and dreams they may notreach if they get into trouble with drugs and alcohol – or any other trouble, shoplifting etc.

The parent and family sessions are used to support and reinforcethe activities in the youth session

SFP 10-14 (UK)


Discussing goals and dreams for the future

Simply playing and having fun

Learning to listen to one another Strengths based family trees


Studies showed that young people, who participated in the programme are significantly less likely to have problems with:

alcohol, substance use, aggressive and hostile behaviour, truancy, cheating, peer pressure

They also have improved school attendance and attainment

The difference between the two groups (SFP 10-14 group and control group) becomes more significant over the years, up to four years after the intervention

SFP 10-14 (UK)


Lifetime alcohol use without parental permission:At the 8th grade, young people who attended the SFP10-14 showed a 49% relative reduction in alcohol use and at 10th grade, a 32% relative reduction in alcohol use compared to those in the control group (p<.01)


Lifetime Marijuana Use:Young people who attended the SFP10-14 were 53% less likely than those in the control group to use marijuana at a follow-up evaluation four years later.


Cigarette Use:Young people who attended the programme were approximately half as likely as those in the control group to smoke cigarettes at follow-up evaluations two years and four years later.


All research publications are available on request: [email protected]

Please feel free to contact me at that address for any other information you would like

Key publications and more information can be found on the website: www.mystrongfamily.co.uk

http://www.mystrongfamily.co.uk/

Health & Medicine

Strengthening Families 10-14 Workshop