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      • Philosophy and Key Elements of Family-Centered Practice
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  • Parent and Family Well-Being

Parent and Family Well-Being

The child welfare field has traditionally focused on providing services that address child and youth well-being. However, the well-being of parents and families strongly influences the well-being of children. When parents and families are equipped with the proper support and skills, they are better able to attend to their children’s needs and maintain healthy parent-child relationships. Use the resources on this page to learn about the importance of parent and family well-being and interventions that promote it. 

2021/2022 Prevention Resource Guide

Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway;Children's Bureau;FRIENDS National Resource Center For Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 12,219KB)
Order bound (Free)
Year Published
2021
The Prevention Resource Guide was developed to support service providers in their work with parents, caregivers, and their children to prevent child abuse and neglect and promote child and family well-being. It focuses on protective factors that build on family strengths to foster healthy child and youth development. The resources featured represent the work of a partnership of national organizations, Federal partners, and parents committed to strengthening families and communities.

Families Thrive Training
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau (2021) 
Children’s Bureau Express, 22(2) 
Presents a training for child welfare professionals who are working to strengthen parents' capacity to care for their children. The training covers each of the protective and promotive factors and teaches techniques for applying the framework. 

Family Support & Well-Being 
Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center
Provides resources and information to support families to become healthy, safe, and economically stable, including early care and education services, physical and mental health care, educational advancement opportunities, housing and food assistance, and more.

Investing in Families [Webinar]
Institute for Family 
Offers a two-part webinar on investing in families and producing better outcomes for parents and children. Episode one covers opportunities to strengthen families and improve family well-being, while episode two explores strategies leaders in the child welfare field are using to create change. 

Parent Education to Strengthen Families and Prevent Child Maltreatment

Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 319KB)
Order (Free)
Year Published
2019
Explores parent education programming for child welfare and highlights programs that have shown positive results or promise for strengthening families and preventing child maltreatment. The brief looks at the elements of effective parent education programs and research that demonstrate their benefit. It also includes examples of State and local parent education programs and a list of resources.

Protective Factors Framework
Center for the Study of Social Policy
Presents information on the five protective factors at the foundation of the Strengthening Families initiative that have been shown to increase well-being outcomes for youth and families and to reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. This webpage also includes links to additional resources, such as action sheets about each protective factor.

Supporting Child, Caregiver, and Family Well-Being in Times of Crisis: Strategies to Promote Effective Virtual and Phone Engagement

Series Title
Bulletins for Professionals
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway, Child Welfare Capacity Building Center for States
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 370KB)
Year Published
2020
This bulletin for child-serving professionals outside of child protective services discusses ways to support children and their caregivers and connect them with appropriate resources that may mitigate any risks for harm during crisis situations. This document is organized by the five protective factors that build on family strengths to foster child and youth well-being and development. Each section contains questions that professionals can address with parents/caregivers and with children/youth in the course of their work with families, with an emphasis on content appropriate for virtual visits.

Using Data to Strengthen Protective Capacities
Capacity Building Center for States (2021) 
Children’s Bureau Express, 22(2) 
Describes how data can be used along with family engagement strategies to understand the protective capacities of families and learn where additional supports may be needed.

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The webpages listed below act as a guide for where to find additional information on indicators of parent and family well-being.

Assessment

  • Assessing Needs and Strengths-Parents and Caregivers
  • Comprehensive Family Assessment

Safety & Security 

  • Employment and Training Services
  • Family Resource Centers
  • Housing Services

Relationships/Social Functioning

  • Parent Support Groups
  • Strengthening Marriages
  • Supporting Parent-Child Visits

Behavioral/Emotional Functioning

  • Behavioral Health and Wellness
  • Behavioral Health Resources for Children and Families
  • Helping Children and Families With Separation and Loss

Physical Health and Development

  • Health Services

Find more information about how to support overall parent well-being by choosing a topic below.

  • Fatherhood Resources
  • Parent and Caregiver Well-Being
  • Parent Education Programs
  • Protective Factors
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