Strengthening Families Program

Strengthening Families for the Future is a prevention program for families with children between the ages of 7-11. This program utilizes strategies to help prevent children from developing problems with alcohol, other drugs, and gambling or mental health problems.

Strengthening Families is unique because it was designed specifically to:

  • Reduce risk factors
  • Build individual resilience
  • Enhance family protective factors

How Does Strengthening Families Work?

The strengthening Families for the Future Program is presented for a total of 10 weeks. Families meet for 3 hours each week. In the first hour, dinner is provided. For the second hour, parents and children meet in separate rooms to learn various skills. In the third hour, parents and children come back together in a family session, to practice what they learned in their separate parent child sessions. This helps families to make real and sustained changes in their interactions. The parent and child sessions are each led by two co-facilitators. All four facilitators are present for the family sessions. This structure allows for a fun and stimulating program. There is no cost to participate.

Strengthening Families enhances family relations by:

  • Improving family communication
  • Improving family organization and planning
  • Increasing positive attention and praise
  • Increasing parents empathy for the child
  • Increasing effective parenting skills
  • Increasing communication, problem solving and self-efficacy
  • Improving recognition of feelings
  • Reducing use of alcohol and other drugs, and intention to use

If you would like to hear more about the program or are interested in talking to someone about participating, please contact Addiction Services – Health Promotion & Prevention at (902) 563-8646.

Here is what some of our participants said about the program:

"I was quite impressed with the way the program was organized and how much we have learned, I defiantly hope the program will always be available to other families, it makes a big impact"

"We talked about a lot of very important, useful things we can incorporate into everyday life and be beneficial to me and my child."

"I hope many more families are able to take advantage of the program, it will be a great benefit to any family. I had such an awesome time, learned so much, thanks you everyone!!!"

"I wish it could be longer"