Strengthening Families Approach and Protective Factors Framework (3 CE)

Course Level: Advanced

Course By: Jennifer Kolb, LCSW

Jennifer Kolb, LCSW; Social Work Consultant, reviewed and determined the course meets requirements for continuing education in the field of social work. This course is appropriate for masters and clinical level social workers. Jennifer graduated with a Master’s degree in Social Work with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Louisville, Kentucky. She specializes in school-based psychotherapy with children and adolescents, as well as licensing exam coaching and preparation.

Content By: Charlyn Harper Browne, PhD (Center for the Study of Social Policy) This publication was developed by Charlyn Harper Brown, Ph.D., through the Center for the Study of Social Policy.

Course Delivery: Online, Self-Paced

Course Description: The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) introduced its Strengthening Families Approach and Protective Factors Framework™ as a research-informed, strengths-based initiative for preventing child abuse and neglect in families of children from birth to 5 years old. At the foundation of the Strengthening Families approach are five interrelated protective factors that studies show are related to a decreased likelihood of child abuse and neglect, as well as to the promotion of family strengths and optimal child development. The five protective factors are (1) parental resilience, (2) social connections, (3) knowledge of parenting and child development, (4) concrete support in times of need, and (5) social and emotional competence of children.

This course provides a synthesis of the ideas and research from the neurobiological, behavioral, and social sciences that further inform the evidence base of CSSP’s Strengthening Families Approach and Protective Factors Framework. This synthesis reflects CSSP’s theory of change which affirms the necessity of working in all domains of the social ecology—individual, family and relational, community, societal, and policy—in order to make a difference in the lives of families and children.

Learning Objectives:

1. Summarize the ideas and research that serve as the foundation of the Strengthening Families approach.
2. Synthesize the research that provides the evidence base for the theoretical articulation of the Strengthening Families protective factors.
3. Describe the broad uptake and diverse implementation of the Strengthening Families approach in policy and practice.

Course Outline:

• Background Information
• National Findings on Victims of Child Maltreatment
• Purpose of Report
• The Foundational Ideas of Strengthening Families Approach
• The Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework
• The Strengthening Families Approach in Policy and Practice Across the U.S.

Course Format:

Course materials can be downloaded or read online. To receive a certificate of completion, you must complete an online multiple-choice post-test with a score of 75% or better and complete an online course evaluation.

Approvals: