1. Strengthening Families
101
2010
C E N T E R F O R T H E S T U D Y O F S O C I A L P O L I C Y

2. strengthening families began as a new
approach to child abuse prevention
that:
is systematic
is national
reaches large
numbers of
children
has impact long before abuse or neglect
occurs
promotes optimal development

3. What we know about child
maltreatment in the United States
• Abuse and neglect of children occurs across all ethnic,
socioeconomic, and religious groups.
• There is no single, identifiable cause of child
maltreatment; it occurs as a result of an interaction of
multiple forces impacting the family.
Thomas, D., Leicht, C., Hughes, C., Madigan, A., & Dowell, K. (2003). Emerging practices in the
prevention of child abuse and neglect. Washington, DC: Children’s Bureau’s Office on Child
Abuse and Neglect.

4. the scope of child maltreatment in the
United States
In 2006,
• Children ages birth to 1 year had the highest rates of
child maltreatment; 84% of victims were less than one
week old
• Children ages 1-3 had the 2nd highest rate of
victimization
• 905,000 children were victims of maltreatment; the
overwhelming majority experience it in the form of
neglect
• 1,530 children died from abuse and neglect
Morbidity Mortality and Weekly Report, April 4, 2008. www.cdc.gov/injury

5. impact of child maltreatment
• Immediate impact on the young victim includes physical
injury, sensory impairment, emotional trauma, and death.
• Long-term impact on the victim includes impairment of
brain circuitry, low threshold for stress, damage to the
area of the brain responsible for learning and memory,
intellectual and social deficiencies, increased risk for
depression, delinquency, and violent behavior.
• Reverberating impact across social systems including
medical, mental health, law enforcement, judicial
system, social services, and other helping agencies as
they respond to CAN and provide support to the victim.

6. adverse childhood experience (ACE)
study
An examination of the relationship between
adult health status (diabetes, heart disease,
depression and others) child maltreatment,
and family dysfunction
Categories of ACEs:
• emotional abuse
• physical abuse
• sexual abuse
• emotional neglect
• physical neglect
• household substance abuse
• household mental illness
• incarcerated household member
• mother treated violently
• parental separation or divorce

7. child abuse prevention efforts
Children under 5 – 20.6 million
4.2 million children in families below poverty line
($19,806 for 4)… 336,000 below 50% of
poverty…1,500,000 homeless
Child Abuse Prevention Programs = 2 million
children, including parent education and
training, self – help groups and family resource
centers
Home visiting – 550,000 children

8. child abuse prevention strategies
• Target families with risk factors such as
low income, race, age of parents
• Provide specialized interventions by
trained workers, such as home visiting
and parent education to targeted families
• Focus on reducing risk factors

9. The Strengthening Families Approach
• Focus on strengthening ALL families
• Go where families already are: start with
trusted organizations with close
neighborhood and cultural ties to families
• Measure results in growth of protective
factors/family strengths

10. significant beginnings
• National organizations and their leaders
Children’s Defense Fund, NAEYC, Zero to
Three, Children’s Trust Funds, Family Support
America, and others
• Recognized researchers in disparities,
cultural differences, early childhood, child
abuse prevention
• Respected practitioners with expertise in
working with diverse cultural groups

11. concerns about targeting
• May increases racial disparities, such as
children in foster care
• Does not register vast differences within
cultural and racial groups
• Disrespects the many strengths families
have and can build on
• Labels families and their children unfairly

12. the original (simple?) ideas:
Start with family strengths and link
them to reductions in child abuse
and increases in child outcomes.
Find out if universally available
places like early childhood
programs can help families and
prevent child abuse.
Influence national organizations,
states and federal systems to adopt
the approach.
Create greater safety and optimal
development for millions of
children and less stigma and
disrespect for families.

13. just the facts…
What does the research tell us about what
is RIGHT with families?
What are the characteristics that promote
children’s healthy development – and are
linked directly to a reduction in child abuse
and neglect?

14. the protective factors framework
parental resilience
social connections
knowledge of parenting and
child development
concrete support in times of
need
social and emotional
competence

15. going where the children are
Early care and education programs were the
original target for Strengthening Families.
daily contact with parents and children
unique, intimate relationships with parents
approach of positive encouragement and
education for all families+
an early warning and response
system to the first signs of trouble

16. since then,
strengthening families
has been used in a wide
variety of disciplines
that help young
children and their
families, from home
visiting to child welfare.

17. what
strategies do
quality
programs use
to help
families as
well as
children?
protective
factors
CAN
prevention
and optimal
development
how can states
and national
systems support,
disseminate and
sustain these
strategies and the
Protective
Factors in ECE
and other
systems?

19. seeking excellent examples –
exemplary programs study
Rural, urban, suburban
Small/large; standalone/multisite
Large-budget/small budget
ALL serving low-income families
ALL already high-quality programs by
other standards

21. excellent early childhood programs
(and many other child- and family-
serving programs) are already
building protective factors daily,
but often do not recognize their
impact on families

22. small but significant changes in
program practice can produce huge
results in preventing child abuse
and neglect for the youngest
children

23. An important clue
Arthur Reynolds, University of Wisconsin,
Chicago Parent Child Centers
Longitudinal study of children and families
in a program with similar elements to
those of programs identified by CSSP
Results: 52% reduction in substantiated
cases of abuse and neglect by age 17

24. organizational partners and funders
Finance Project
Midwest Learning Center for Family Support
National Black Child Development Institute
National Registry Alliance
Parents as Teachers
Parent Services Project
doris duke charitable
foundation
casey family programs
annie e. casey
foundation
a. L. Mailman family
foundation
arthur m. blank family
foundation

25. partners at the federal level:
Office of Child Abuse and Neglect
(Children’s Bureau, ACYF, ACF, HHS)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Administration
Child Care Bureau
Maternal and Child Health Bureau
Center for Disease Control and
Prevention, Division of Violence
Prevention

26. strengthening families has inspired an
approach to work with children and
families that is:
universally available – not targeted by risk
focused on development and growth –
not only on identified problems
delivered through new, powerful partners
not typically identified as CAN prevention
or family support agents.

28. what contributes to a “successful” family?
Dimensions Description
Basic needs Economic security, housing, health care, other
necessary resources are in place
Internal
resources
Education, life experience, skills
plus connections to extended family, neighbors,
co-workers and friends
Positive
family
climate
Nurturing parenting styles, effective
communication and warm interactions among
family members
Self
confidence
Sense of control over choices, being valued and
able to make a difference; faith that all will be well

29. protective factors are:
Characteristics that decrease the likelihood of a person
becoming a victim or perpetrator of abuse or neglect
because it provides a buffer against risk (Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention)
Conditions or attributes in individuals, families, and
communities that increase well-being
Buffers that help parents find resources, supports and
strategies to function effectively, even under stress

30. Love is not enough - Illinois
Parental Resilience = Be strong and flexible
Social Connections = Parents need friends
Knowledge of Parenting = Being a great parent is
part natural and part learned
Concrete Support = We all need help sometimes
Social and emotional development for children =
Help your children communicate and give them
the love and respect they need

31. Community Cafes - Washington
Parental Resilience = Courage
Social Connections = Community
Knowledge of Parenting = Health
Concrete Support = Freedom
Children’s Social and Emotional Development =
Compassion

32. parental
resilience

33. parental resilience
Psychological health. Parents feel supported and able to
solve problems; can develop trusting relationships with
others and are able
to reach out for help
Parents who did not
have positive child-
hood experiences or
who are in troubling
circumstances need
extra support and
trusting relationships

34. social connections

35. social connections
Relationships with
extended family, friends,
co-workers, other parents
with children similar ages
Community norms are
developed through social
connections
Mutual assistance
networks: child care,
emotional support,
concrete help

36. knowledge of parenting and
child development

37. knowledge of parenting and child
development
Basic information
about how children
develop
Basic techniques of
developmentally
appropriate
discipline
Alternatives to
parenting behaviors experienced of a child
Help with challenging behaviors

38. concrete
supports in
times of need

39. concrete supports in times of need
Response to a crisis –
food, clothing, shelter
Assistance with daily
needs, job opportunities,
transportation, education
Services for parents in
crisis: mental health,
domestic violence,
substance abuse
Specialized services for
children

40. social and emotional
competence

41. social and emotional competence
Normal child development (like using language to
express needs and feelings) creates positive parent-
child reactions
Challenging behaviors,
traumatic experiences, or
development that is not
on track require extra
adult attention
A surprise: what learning
in the classroom does
back at home

42. levers for change
parent partnerships
professional development
integration into policies
and systems

43. parent partnerships
ensure that prevention
strategies are
responsive to all kinds
of families, all kinds of
family needs and
choices
work best when parents are involved
consistently in meaningful ways, as decision-
making partners at all levels
help create consumer support for
Strengthening Families

44. professional development
is about infusing Strengthening Families
concepts into trainings that already exist
across systems
builds a workforce with common knowledge,
language, and goals
supports quality-improvement across
systems that help children and their families
needs to be offered at all levels (providers to
administrators) and accessible to people
with varying levels of competency

45. policies and systems
is about integrating Strengthening Families
into regulations and procedures that govern
everyday work in child- and family-serving
systems and their agencies
focuses on building Protective Factors,
promoting optimal child development, and
preventing maltreatment
facilitates alignment, coordination, and
collaboration across disciplines
creates a positive context for shifting
attitudes and practice toward more effective
family engagement and better outcomes

47. Center for the Study of Social Policy
1575 Eye Street NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 371-1575
www.cssp.org
www.strengtheningfamilies.net
Judy Langford, Senior Fellow, Center for the Study of Social Policy
judy.langford@cssp.org