Strengthening Families, developed by the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), is a research-informed, strength-based approach that helps families, programs, and communities increase family strengths, enhance child development, and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. The framework is centered around helping families build five Protective Factors:
- Parent resilience
- Social connections
- Knowledge of parenting and child development
- Concrete support
- Social and emotional competence of children
These key protective factors work on the program level where workers can better serve families through small but significant changes to daily practice. Across the United States, the framework has been implemented in over 30 states. The HOPE National Resource Center is a proud partner of the Strengthening Families National Network.