1. EVIDENCE BASED PARENTING
PROGRAMMES AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
SEPTEMBER 2012
The Strengthening Families
Programme 10-14 (UK)
Debby Allen and Lindsey Coombes
2. 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
3. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 10-14 (UK)
Evidence based programme
Programme that builds Culturally adapted
sustainability for the UK
A UK wide network of My Strong Highly qualified,
SFP10-14 facilitators Family Centre experienced trainers
Expert guidance in setting Provide comprehensive
up and establishing advice on all aspects of
programme delivery working with families
4. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 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,
The SFP10-14(UK) is which is based in the
an evidenced based School of Health and
programme, which Social Care at Oxford
has been highlighted SFP 10-14(UK) Brookes University has the
and recognised by sole license to adapt and
bodies such as: develop the SFP 10-14
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)
5. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 10-14 (UK)
Original research was funded by the Home Office,
Alcohol Education Research Council, Diageo
We have trained over Following adaptation the
1,600 practitioners UK DCSF (DfE) funded us to
wide. The programme My Strong deliver the programme to
is also running in Family Centre FIPs across the UK
Scotland, Northern
Ireland and Wales (and
we are involved with a
larger European study)
Subsequent funding has been from NAPP
(PEIPs), multiple LAs, and the CWDC
6. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 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
SFP and young people. Parents
Three SFP10-14(UK) 10-14 (UK)
trained facilitators are and youth meet separately for
required to facilitate the the first hour, then spend the
programme (+ helper second hour together in family
support as appropriate) activities.
Group size can range from about 8 to 13 families,
for a total of 20 to 30 individuals
7. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 10-14 (UK)
The SFP is a whole family
approach that aims to:
Reduce alcohol and
Objectives are to: substance misuse and other
Increase parenting
SFP behaviour problems during
skills adolescence
Build life skills in 10-14 (UK)
young people
Strengthen family
bonds This is achieved through
improved skills in nurturing and
child management by parents
and improved interpersonal and
personal competencies
amongst young people
8. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 10-14 (UK)
A substance misuse programme?
In the process, it
recommends itself not just …by defocusing almost
(or not even) primarily as SFP entirely from substance
a substance misuse misuse to concentrate
programme, but as a 10-14 (UK)
instead on the processes
generic approach of equal which sustain family life
interest to mental health, and promote healthy
crime prevention, development
education, child welfare
and family services.
9. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 10-14 (UK)
Reducing risk and building protective factors
And the ‘family process The biopsychosocial
model’ which theorises that vulnerability model, which
the impact of ‘economic suggests that the skills and
stress’ on parents and its SFP resources possessed by
subsequent effects on
mental health wellbeing, 10-14 (UK) families can ‘buffer’ other
stresses (e.g. conflicts
can have negative impacts within the family)
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
10. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 10-14 (UK)
How it Works:
Parent Sessions
Family Sessions that consisting of
use specially designed presentations,
games and projects to role-plays, group
increase family SFP discussions, and other
bonding, build positive 10-14 (UK) skill-building activities
communication skills,
and facilitate learning to
solve problems
together
Youth Sessions that engage each youth in small
and large group discussions, learning games,
group skill practice, and social bonding activities
11. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 10-14 (UK)
Having dreams and goals for the future
The parent and family In week 1 the young people
sessions are used to think about their hopes and
support and reinforce aspirations for future
the activities in the youth
session
SFP
10-14 (UK)
In week 3 the young people
In weeks 5+6 the young
learn about stress, how it makes
people use role play to practice
them feel and how they can
steps to keep them out of trouble.
manage it in ways that do not get
They think back to week 1 and consider
them into trouble
the goals and dreams they may not
reach if they get into trouble with drugs
and alcohol – or any other trouble,
shoplifting etc.
12. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 10-14 (UK)
Discussing goals and dreams for Simply playing and having fun
the future
Learning to listen to one another Strengths based family trees
13. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 10-14 (UK)
Studies showed that young people, who participated in the
programme are significantly less likely to have problems with:
The difference
alcohol, substance use,
between the two
aggressive and hostile
groups (SFP 10-14 SFP behaviour, truancy,
group and control
group) becomes more 10-14 (UK) cheating, peer pressure
significant over the
They also have improved
years, up to four years
school attendance and
after the intervention
attainment
14. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 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)
15. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 10-14 (UK)
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.
16. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 10-14 (UK)
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.
17. STRENGTHENING FAMILIES
PROGRAMME 10-14 (UK)
All research publications are available on request:
dallen@brookes.ac.uk
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