The Five Protective Factors
Parental Resilience |
Social Connections |
Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development |
Concrete Support in Times of Need |
Children's Social and Emotional Development |
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Parental Resilience
- Parental psychology plays an important role in both the causes and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Parents who are emotionally resilient are able to maintain a positive attitude, creatively solve problems, and effectively rise to challenges in their lives—and they are less likely to abuse or neglect their children.
- Parents who have experienced violence or abuse and neglect themselves or who have other risk factors for becoming abusers need caring relationships to help them develop and maintain positive relationships with their children.
- Parents who know and trust staff are more likely to reveal problems such as domestic violence or feelings of frustration and ask for assistance.
How Early Care and Education Programs Build It
- Programs set aside space for parents, have a welcoming atmosphere throughout, and offer coffee and snacks.
- Staff are trained and expected to create trusting relationships with families and the program provides time and opportunities for these relationships to flourish.
- Programs hire dedicated family support workers whose job it is to build trusting relationships with parents and employ mental health consultants who are available to parents when they need them.
- Staff watch for early signs of child or family distress and respond with encouragement, support, and help in solving problems.
