Resiliency in Children and Families

An Approach To Thinking About Those Who Need Our Help

Resiliency in Children and Families

In reading this you should learn:The definition of Resiliency The Protective/Risk Factors in the lives of students and familiesA balanced approach to thinking about how to best help students and families in need.

Resiliency Exercise

Describe things that were most helpful to you while you were growing up

Describe the things that were somewhat helpful to you while growing up

Describe challenges that you faced while growing up

Place yourself here

Questions to Think About?

How many things were you able to list in your red and blue circles?

How did those things help you deal with the things in your green circle?

How does your circle compare to that of your KHUSA students?

Does anyone have absolutely nothing in the red and blue circles?

What is Resiliency?

Recognized as depending on both individual and group strengths and is highly influenced by supportive elements in the wider environment.

Represents capacities for coping with, adapting to, and overcoming adversities as well as competence in developmental tasks.

What Are Risk Factors?

Risk factors are those things that affect the ability and/or capacity of an individual or group to achieve a certain level of functioning in life which would be considered normal and desirable.

Protective Factors vs. Risk FactorsFor each Protective Factor the exact opposite is the Risk Factor

Protective Factors

Risk Factors

How do Risk/Protective Factors Interact?

Risk/Protective Factors are on a continuum…for instance a lot of education is a protective factor for finding and keeping a living wage job while little or no education is a risk factor for finding and keeping a living wage job.

We must ask ourselves how do we increase protective factors and reduce risk factors.

What Are The Risk/Protective Factors We Are Talking About?

These factors are organized in three groups

Individual factors Family Factors Community Factors

Individual Factors

Internal Locus of Control (The belief that you have a say in what happens to you)

Emotional Regulation

Individual Factors continued

Belief System

Self Efficacy (One’s belief that they have what it takes to succeed in a particular situation)

Individual Factors continued

Effective Coping Skills

Education Skills and Training

Individual Factors continued

Health

Temperament

Gender

Family Factors

Family Structure

Partner Relationship Stability

Family Factors continued

Family Cohesion

Parent Child Interaction

Family Factors continued

Stimulating Environment

Social Support

Family Factors continued

Family of Origin Influence

Stable and Adequate Income

Adequate Housing

Community Factors

Involvement in Community

Peer Acceptance

Community Factors continued

Supportive Mentors

Safe Neighborhoods

Community Factors continued

Access to quality schools and childcare

Access to quality health care

How Can I Use This Information? Recognize every child has risk and

protective factors. Our work should be to enhance or encourage protective factors while at the same time helping to reduce risk facotrs.

We can be advocates for students to receive additional supports beyond what we can provide. Are their other opportunities you can make a family aware of?

Case Study…

Pick out the risks and strengths in the following story.

Anthony is a 8 year old male who lives with his grandparents in a four story apartment building. Everyday he walks a short distance to school with his 13 year old brother and 6 year old sister. Each walk to school comes with a different adventure. Traffic and bullies are just a few to name. At school he listens in class and respects his teacher, but still struggles with reading. Most days are a routine for Anthony, but Thursdays are special. Thursdays at lunch his KIDS HOPE USA mentor Ms. Susie comes and visits. Since Ms. Susie has started visiting Anthony he is even more attentive, comes to school almost everyday, and is improving in reading.

Risks Factors

What Risk Factors Did you find? Gender (Males are more at risk than

females) Education Skills and Training Adequate Housing Family Structure Parent Child Interactions Others…

Positive Factors

What Strengths did you find? Family Structure Adequate Housing Family Structure Family of Origin Influence Education and Training Skills Supportive Mentors Access to quality education Others…

Can You…

Define Resiliency? Identify some of the Protective/Risk

Factors in the lives of students and families?

Think in a balanced way (appreciating both strengths and challenges) about how to best help students and families in need?