Strengthening Families for the Future

Strengthening Families for the Future (SFF) is a prevention program for families with children between the ages of 7 and 11 who may be at risk for substance use problems, depression, violence, delinquency and school failure. The Strengthening Families program is unique because it was designed specifically to: reduce risk factors, build individual resilience and enhance family protective factors. Together, these strategies help prevent children from developing problems with alcohol or other drugs, or mental health problems. SFF is a powerful family change program because it involves the whole family, not just the parents or the children alone. The goals of the program are to: reduce children’s or adolescents’ intention to use alcohol or other drugs, and to reduce other behaviour problems, increase children’s resilience and life skills, including communicating, resisting peer pressure, recognizing their feelings and solving problems, increase positive and effective parenting skills and improve family communication.

SFF program is presented in 14 consecutive weekly sessions, plus a “booster” session intended to be offered several months after the program ends. Sessions last about three hours, and include a communal meal. SFF includes: a parent program, a child program and a family program. At the beginning of each session, parents and children meet together to share a meal. This is followed by separate one-hour sessions for parents and children. Finally, the families come back together for the family session, where they practice skills they learned in their separate sessions. The sessions are fun and are activity based. Practicing new skills together helps families make real and sustained changes in their interactions.

This program is a funded strategy through the United Way Windsor-Essex County and runs twice annually: January - April and September - December. Currently, referrals to this program are made through the Windsor Essex Children’s Aid Society. For more information, please call 519-253-8481 ext. 285.