Building Capacity in Military-Connected Schools

SAFE Children

http://nrepp.samhsa.gov

Goals:To help young children make a successful transition to elementary school and create a solid base for the future.

Target Outcomes:Reductions in problem behaviors in the future and a strong school and community for young children in at risk areas.

Target Populations:

• Children ages 5 to 6
• Children’s parents

Problem:At risk young children for future problems.

Personnel:

Intervention:

• 5 to 24 weeks
• 20 weeks of family group session lasting 2 to 2.5 hours
• 30 sessions of 2 to 3 times a week tutoring lasting 30 minutes
• Individual:
  • Designed to be culturally sensitive
  • Builds social and personal skills
• Family:
  • Helps develop bonds among parents in the program
  • Develops parenting skills
  • Task-oriented family session to improve family/social interaction
• School:
  • Help youths keep skills through booster sessions
  • Involves parents in school-based approaches
• Community:
  • Education to change societal norms and expectations regarding school and academic achievement

Setting:

• Urban

Resources:

• Cost and budget info under development

Results:

• Improvements in academic achievement
• Reading scores reached the national averages
• Parents maintained involvement in child’s school life
• Parents used more effective parenting skills
• Higher rates if grade level achievement and school completion
• Improved self regulation in children and social competence in adolescence
• Decreased substance abuse in adolescence
• Decreased delinquency and violence during adolescence