Strengthening Families Program

(V.D.10) Vulnerable Families

The Strengthening Families Program is a methodology for preventing risky behaviors aimed at families with children and adolescents aged 10 to 14. It is necessary for each young person to be accompanied by a responsible adult, but ideally each participant should have two adults who are part of their family unit. The responsible adult may be one of the parents, grandparents, uncles, siblings (over 18 years old) or someone close to the family who is responsible for the upbringing and education of the participant.

The Strengthening Families Program aims at the well-being of family members by strengthening family bonds and developing life skills. This objective is based on the fact that a positive relationship between family members creates favorable conditions for the healthy development of children and tends to keep them away from risky behaviors, such as the use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Strengthening family bonds, in addition to being part of public service policies and guidelines, is also one of the appropriate measures to achieve objectives related to the prevention of the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

Official Name of Signatory

São Carlos

Delegation

Brazil

Website of the Signatory

Click Here

Name of the person presenting the Good Practice

Felipe Neves

Position/Job Title of person presenting the Good Practice

Municipal Secretary of the Municipal Secretariat for Families

Aim of the Good Practice

In 2013, the Ministry of Health, together with UNODC Brazil (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Brazil), decided to carry out the cultural adaptation and implementation of the SFP program version developed by Oxford Brookes University in the United Kingdom, called SFP10-14. The program consists of 7 weekly face-to-face meetings of 2 hours each. In the first hour, parents/guardians and children and adolescents (10 to 14 years old) participate separately, in structured workshops for the development of parenting skills, in the case of parents, and socio-emotional skills, in the case of children and adolescents. In the second hour, they come together to carry out family activities. The Strengthening Families Program aims at the well-being of family members by strengthening family bonds and developing life skills. Other objectives of the Strengthening Families Program include: • Teaching parents and children to develop effective ways of communicating and relating; • Showing parents the importance of supporting their children; • Helping parents discipline and guide their children effectively; • Guiding children on how to understand and value their parents; • Teaching children how to cope with stress and peer pressure; and • Promoting a positive outlook on the future for young people.

Target Group of the Good Practice

Family Unit

Annual Monitoring Report

2026

Implementation period

2025-2026

Consistency over time

Since this is a policy still being implemented, we do not yet have this information.

Evaluation of the Good Practice

Results of the effectiveness evaluation of the Strengthening Families Program, conducted by UNIFESP (SANCHEZ, Zila van der Meer et al. 2022) a. Reduces the chance of parents exhibiting a neglectful parenting style by 60%; b. Doubles the chance of parents exhibiting more responsiveness skills (parents who support and show affection for their children); c. Increases non-violent discipline practices (those involving positive parenting strategies) by an average of 10%; d. Reduces conflicts in the family environment by 5%; e. Increases the chance of parents exhibiting more demanding skills (parents who establish rules and supervise their children's behavior) by 90%.

Key stakeholders and partnerships

Governments (national, regional, local), Public administration, Social protection system, NGOs, Religious organizations

Future Goal 1

To hold 20 classes annually by 2027, benefiting up to 300 families.

Future Goal 2

To hold 30 classes annually by 2028, benefiting up to 450 families.