Strengthening Families

5 Protective Factors

Strengthening Families is an effort to help families give their children what they need to thrive. It’s about taking advantage of your unique strengths as a parent and ensuring you have the skills and supports you need to make sure your child — and your family as a whole — is safe, secure and happy.

Strengthening Families is a research-informed approach by the Center for the Study of Social Policy that has proven to increase family strengths, enhance child development and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. It is a powerful and easily implemented framework that is based on engaging families, programs and communities in building five protective factors. Protective factors help families succeed and thrive, even in the face of risk and challenges.

Parental Resilience

Be Strong Even When You Are Stressed!

Being resilient as a parent means:

Taking care of yourself and asking for help when you need it.
Feeling good about yourself and hopeful about your future.
Planning for the future for what you will do in situations that you know are challenging you.
Not allowing stress to get in the way of providing loving care for your child.
Taking time to really enjoy your child and what you like about parenting.

Parental Resilience Tune-Up Tips

Write down all the things you love to do with your child and make a plan for what you will do.
Identify your most challenging parenting moments and make a plan for what you will do when these moments come up.
What helps you feel less stressed? Create a list of stress-buster activities to use on those difficult days.
Make time each day to do one thing you are good at.

Resource Library & Blog

Find more information about child development, tools for providers, tips for parents, and read our blog.