At-risk families must contend with many challenges, such as unemployment, poverty, drug abuse, domestic violence, and mental illness. These obstacles have a significant impact on childhood development, making it more likely that the children in these families will repeat the same harmful patterns when they become adults. To prevent this from happening, family education programs aim to help at-risk families improve their coping skills and develop better relationships. These are just a few of the benefits associated with this type of family intervention.
Better Parenting Skills
Survivors of childhood trauma tend to have low self-esteem and other problems that make it difficult to develop effective parenting skills. They may even repeat some of the negative patterns their parents displayed, which interferes with the ability to establish positive family dynamics. Family education programs help parents learn how to nurture their children and discipline them in a loving way. As a result, participants have a chance to develop better parenting skills.
Substance Abuse Recovery
When a family member abuses drugs or alcohol, their behavior changes. They may become preoccupied with substance use, causing them to neglect their household responsibilities. Many substances also cause irritability, confusion, and other effects that make it difficult to carry on a conversation or perform basic tasks. Family education programs help participants understand how their substance use affects other family members, providing a solid foundation for long-term recovery. Participating in one of these programs can also help children understand that they’re not to blame for a parent’s or sibling’s substance use.
Reduced Risk of Teen Pregnancy
Children from at-risk families are more likely to engage in behavior that leads to teen pregnancy. Giving birth as a teen is a stressful experience, especially when the teen doesn’t have the skills and resources needed to nurture their child. During this type of family intervention, participants learn how to set appropriate boundaries, giving them a stronger sense of self-worth. When teens value their bodies, they’re less likely to engage in high-risk behavior, reducing the risk of teen pregnancy.
Stronger Family Relationships
Members of at-risk families spend much of their time worrying about things like poverty, mental illness, and drug abuse. When you don’t know where your next meal is coming from or whether your parent will spend the night drinking and getting aggressive, it’s difficult to focus on building relationships or planning fun activities. Family intervention services help participants improve their coping skills and overcome some of their most pressing challenges, making it possible to build stronger bonds.
Healthier Communities
Family problems have a significant impact on local communities. For example, when someone reports a case of domestic violence, police officers need to take the report, prosecutors file charges against the perpetrator, and judges must hear each case. Untreated mental illness puts a strain on social service agencies and mental health clinics. Poverty affects the amount of tax revenue able to be collected and used to pay for road maintenance, parks, and other community resources. Family education programs produce stronger families, improving the quality of life in each community.
Increased School Readiness
Several factors help determine whether a child is prepared to succeed in school, including literacy, language skills, social-emotional well-being, and motor skills. Children in at-risk families may be behind on some of these skills, making it difficult to succeed in preschool or kindergarten. Fortunately, family education programs include activities to help children overcome their skill deficits and prepare for academic success.
Academic Success
Getting a child ready for school is an important first step, but it’s not the only step parents need to take to ensure their children succeed in primary school and beyond. Family resource programs help the parents of at-risk children understand the importance of education and find out what they can do to encourage each child.
Reduced Rates of Child Abuse
Parents who were abused as children sometimes go on to abuse their own children because they don’t know what it’s like to have a healthy parent-child relationship. Participating in a family education program helps these parents learn how to relate to their children in a healthy way. As a result, these programs may result in reduced rates of child abuse and neglect.
Access High-Quality Family Resources
Nurturing Parenting offers more than a dozen family education programs to help parents, children, and other family members strengthen their relationships. If you come from an at-risk family or you are a facilitator to help at-risk families, you could benefit from one of these programs. Visit our website to learn more.