This course will provide an overview of the Strengthening Families movement and the protective factors framework and ideas for how you can apply these concepts in your work. This training is designed to be used by anyone who works with children and families – in any field. We use a mix of examples from early care and education settings, child welfare settings, and family interactions. While this may not reflect the work you do every day, the training may open your eyes to what can be done in the context of high quality early care and education, and how those providers can be your partners in the community, an “extra set of eyes” on a child, and a key supporter of a family going through difficult times.

After participating in this course, you will be able to:

·         List five protective factors that help keep families strong and prevent child abuse and neglect

·         Identify everyday strategies that help families to build those protective factors

·         Understand what it means to work with families in a strength-based way

·         Become familiar with existing tools and resources that assess and support the building of protective factors