Parents want to protect their children, but it’s hard. Parents are challenged to keep their children’s small setbacks, like skipping household chores or not doing homework, from leading to serious behavior problems like drug and alcohol abuse.

And, kids need skills to help them resist the peer pressure that leads to dangerous behaviors.

The Strengthening Families Program 10–14 can help. It is designed for parents or caregivers and their children ages 10 to 14. The goal of the program is to prevent substance abuse in youth by building youth skills and giving parents more tools to help their children become responsible young adults.

The program consists of seven sessions that help:
•      parents build on their strengths in showing love and setting limits,
•      youth develop skills in handling peer pressure and building a positive future, and
•      families grow together.

Prevention works
The Strengthening Families Program 10–14 helps families reduce risk factors that:
•      expose youth to dangerous situations, and
•      contribute to dramatic increases in substance use and antisocial activities.

The program also helps families build strong family relationships. Research shows that protective parenting improves the relationship between parents and youth and decreases the level of family conflict, contributing to lower levels of substance use.

This program gets results
The Strengthening Families Program 10–14 has been evaluated with hundreds of families by research institutes at Iowa State University. Analysis of data has shown positive results for both parents and their children.
•      Youth had significantly lower rates of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use compared to youth who were not in the program.
•      Youth had significantly fewer conduct problems in school.
•      Parents improved skills including building a positive relationship with their youth, setting appropriate limits, and following through on consequences.

In addition, research has shown that these positive influences continue with youth years after they have completed the program.

The program has been used with thousands of families throughout the United States and in several other countries. It also has been recognized by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Education.