Protective Factors

The Five Protective Factors

The five Protective Factors are the foundation of the Strengthening Families approach. Extensive research supports the common-sense notion that when these Protective Factors are present and robust in a family, the likelihood of child abuse and neglect diminish.

• Parental resilience: The ability to cope and bounce back from all types of challenges
• Social connections: Friends, family members, neighbors, and other members of a community who provide emotional support and concrete assistance to parents
• Knowledge of parenting and child development: Accurate information about raising young children and appropriate expectations for their behavior
• Concrete support in times of need: Financial security to cover day-to-day expenses and unexpected costs that come up from time to time, access to formal supports like TANF and Medicaid, and informal support from social networks
• Children’s social and emotional development: A child’s ability to interact positively with others and communicate his or her emotions effectively