Strengthening Families Program – Birth to Three

The Strengthening Families Program – Birth to Three (SFP B-3) is a parent and family skills training program designed to serve families with children birth through age three. The program is designed to serve the general population and at-risk families, including families experiencing parental substance use issues and child behavioral problems. SFP B-3 aims to help parents increase their children’s protective factors, such as coping skills, and reduce their children’s risk factors, such as behavioral problems.

SFP B-3 consists of multi-family group sessions. Before each session, families and trained group leaders have a sit-down meal together where group leaders provide support, guidance, and praise and get to know families on a more personal level. During the first half of each session, group leaders teach parents about child development and skills to promote positive child behavior. Skills taught include how to use rewards, set limits, communicate, and problem solve. Childcare is provided separately.

During the second half of each session, trained group leaders facilitate family playgroups. Playgroups are loosely structured and include activities such as singing songs, arts and crafts, and playing with other children and parents. Playgroups provide an opportunity for parents to practice the skills they learned during the first half of the session and receive support and guidance from group leaders. Additionally, parents are asked to practice these skills with their children in between group sessions, if possible.

SFP B-3 does not currently meet criteria to receive a rating because no studies of the program that achieved a rating of moderate or high on design and execution demonstrated a favorable effect on a target outcome.

Date Research Evidence Last Reviewed: Mar 2022

Sources

The program or service description, target population, and program or service delivery and implementation information were informed by the following sources: the program or service manuals, the program or service developer’s website, and the California Evidence Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare.

This information does not necessarily represent the views of the program or service developers. For more information on how this program or service was reviewed, visit the Review Process page or download the Handbook.

Target Population

SFP B-3 is designed to serve the general population and at-risk families with children birth to age three, including, but not limited to, families experiencing parental substance use issues and child behavioral problems.

Program or Service Delivery and Implementation

Dosage

SFP B-3 is delivered over 14 weekly multi-family group sessions of at least four families and no more than 14 families. The recommended group size is 6–12 families depending on site and implementation-specific factors. Each session lasts approximately 2 hours. Trained group leaders may offer optional booster sessions to families or facilitate ongoing family support groups once families have completed the 14-week program.

Location/Delivery Setting

Recommended Locations/Delivery Settings

SFP B-3 can be delivered in a range of settings, including schools, churches, community centers, and community-based organizations.

Education, Certifications and Training

During each session, two trained group leaders facilitate the parent skills training group, and at least two group leaders provide childcare. Group facilitation skills and experience working with or parenting children is recommended. It is also helpful for group leaders to have knowledge of behavioral psychology or token economies.

Group leaders are encouraged to complete a 2-day training prior to delivering SFP B-3. Trainings are authorized and facilitated by Master SFP Trainers. After training, it is recommended that SFP Purveyors conduct site visits to evaluate new group leaders’ fidelity to the program model. SFP Purveyors also provide implementation supports including technical assistance, program evaluation, fidelity monitoring, site visits, and quality assurance.

Program or Service Documentation

Book/Manual/Available documentation used for review

The Implementation Manual is implemented in conjunction with the Parent Skills Training Group Leader’s Manual.

Kumpfer, K. L. (2017). The Strengthening Families Program: Implementation manual. Alta Institute.

Kumpfer, K. L., & Taliaferro, W. (2017). The Strengthening Families Program Birth-3: Parent's skills training, group leader’s manual. Alta Institute.

Available languages

SFP B-3 manuals are available in English.

Other supporting materials

About the Strengthening Families Program

Frequently Asked Questions

For More Information

Website: www.strengtheningfamiliesprogram.org

Email: strengtheningfamiliestraining@gmail.com

Note: The details on Dosage; Location; Education, Certifications, and Training; Other Supporting Materials; and For More Information sections above are provided to website users for informational purposes only. This information is not exhaustive and may be subject to change.

Extent of Evidence

Results of Search and Review	Number of Studies Identified and Reviewed for Strengthening Families Program – Birth to Three
Identified in Search	2
Eligible for Review	1
Rated High	0
Rated Moderate	1
Rated Low	0
Reviewed Only for Risk of Harm	0

Summary of Findings

Outcome	Effect Size and Implied Percentile Effect	N of Studies (Findings)	N of Participants	Summary of Findings
Child permanency: Out-of-home placement	Not Calculated	1 (2)	1043	Favorable: 0 No Effect: 2 Unfavorable: 0

Individual Study Findings

Outcome	Effect Size and Implied Percentile Effect	N of Studies (Findings)	N of Participants	Summary of Findings	Months after treatment when outcome measured
Child permanency: Out-of-home placement	Not Calculated	1 (2)	1043	Favorable: 0 No Effect: 2 Unfavorable: 0	-
Study 12930 - Strengthening Families Program Birth to 3 (SFP B-3) vs. Child Welfare Services As Usual (Brook, 2021)
Any Reunification	Null not calculated	-	1043	-	9
Time to Reunification	Null not calculated	-	1043	-	9

*p <.05

Note: For the effect sizes and implied percentile effects reported in the table, a positive number favors the intervention group and a negative number favors the comparison group. Effect sizes and implied percentile effects were calculated by the Prevention Services Clearinghouse as described in the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Section 5.10.4 and may not align with effect sizes reported in individual publications. Effect sizes for some outcomes were not able to be calculated by the Prevention Services Clearinghouse.

Only publications with eligible contrasts that met design and execution standards are included in the individual study findings table.

Full citations for the studies shown in the table are available in the "Studies Reviewed" section.

Studies Reviewed

Sometimes study results are reported in more than one document, or a single document reports results from multiple studies. Studies are identified below by their Prevention Services Clearinghouse study identification numbers. To receive a rating of supported or well-supported, the favorable evidence for a program or service must have been obtained from research conducted in a usual care or practice setting.

Studies Rated Moderate

Study 12930

Brook, J., Liming, K., Coles, D. C., Smith, K., & Byers, K. (2021). Final report: Regional partnership grant - third round: Kansas Serves Substance-Affected Families (KSSAF). The University of Kansas School of Social Welfare.

This study was conducted in a usual care or practice setting (Handbook Section 6.2.2)

Studies Not Eligible for Review

Study 11408

Skerfving, A., Johansson, F., & Elgán, T. H. (2014). Evaluation of support group interventions for children in troubled families: Study protocol for a quasi-experimental control group study. BMC Public Health, 14, 76. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-76

This study is ineligible for review because it is not a study of the program or service under review (Study Eligibility Criterion 4.1.6).