Free To Grow Healthy Child Development through Strengthening Families and their Communities

2. Free To GrowHealthy Child Developmentthrough Strengthening Families and their Communities

3. Principles • Changing known risk and protective factors will lead to decreases in risks for later substance use and abuse and other high-risk behaviors. • The primary strategy for prevention in the preschool years is to strengthen the young child’s immediate environment. Therefore, the main targets for intervention are the family and neighborhood, not the child.

4. Principles • Families will be better able to nurture and protect their children if they have a wide range of supports. • Strengthened and supported families will be more likely to resist the abuse of alcohol and use of other drugs.

5. Principles • A more stable and protective living environment in safer, less chaotic neighborhoods will help reduce the impact of substance abuse and other high-risk behaviors on young children.

6. Free to Grow:Healthy Child Developmentthrough Strengthening Families and their Communities Risk Factors Community • Crime and Violence • Blight • Alcohol and Drug Availability • Neighborhood Social Isolation Family • Substance Abuse • Child Abuse • Domestic Violence • Lack of Parenting Skills • Protective Factors • Community • Safe Streets • Adequate and Affordable Housing • Low Levels of Alcohol and Drug Availability • Organized Neighborhoods • Family • Family Stability and Cohesiveness • Adequate Family Income • Parents Who Promote Learning • Close, Stable Relationship with Parents and Other Adults

7. Domains of Intervention • Blight • Housing • Crime and Safety Modification of the Physical Environment • Social Isolation • Parent Support • Crime and Safety Development of Social Capital • Availability of Social Services • Substance Abuse Treatment • Domestic Violence Service • Child Abuse and Neglect Services Development of Human Capital

8. Examples of Partner Organizations, Groups and Individuals Addressing these Issues • Blight • Housing • Crime and Safety • Police • Code Enforcement • Residents Modification of the Physical Environment • Neighborhood Groups • Family Resource Centers • Police • Schools • Social Isolation • Parent Support • Crime and Safety Development of Social Capital • Availability of Social Services • Substance Abuse Treatment • Domestic Violence Service • Child Abuse and Neglect • Services • Head Start • Dept. Social Services • Treatment Providers • Schools Development of Human Capital

9. Examples of Free to Grow StrategiesModification of Physical Environment • Blight • Housing • Crime and Safety • Police • Code Enforcement • Residents Modification of the Physical Environment • Neighborhood Revitalization • Community Assessment (including property assessment) • Community Awareness • Community Action (support for increased code enforcement and policing)

10. Examples of Free to Grow StrategiesDevelopment of Social Capital • Social Isolation • Parent Support • Crime and Safety • Neighborhood Groups • Family Resource Centers • Police Development of Social Capital • Leadership Development • Local Action Groups (block watch, neighborhood assns, etc) • Family Support and Parent Education

11. Examples Free to Grow StrategiesDevelopment of Human Capital • Availability of Social Services • Substance Abuse Treatment • Domestic Violence Service • Child Abuse and Neglect • Social Services • Head Start • Dept. Social Services • Treatment Providers Development of Human Capital • Family Assessment • Case Management • SA & MH Treatment

12. Moving to an Integrated Family Community Strategy – Concurrent Action in all Three Domains Modification of the Physical Environment Community Partners Implementing Free to Grow Strategies Development of Social Capital Development of Human Capital

13. The Faces of Free to Grow

14. Improving the Physical Environment Code Enforcement and Sheriff partnering to improve housing conditions Residents helping residents in a neighborhood clean up

15. Building Social Capital Family support groups Developing a block watch

16. Building Human Capital Improved family interaction Family Assessment