MARESA helps make strong families

MARQUETTE — Our families are our first support networks, and a strong family usually means a strong kid.

The Marquette–Alger Great Start Collaborative is trying to teach families the skills needed to be as strong as possible. The workshop teaches a movement called the Strengthening Families Protective Framework. It consists of five Protective Factors: parental resilience, concrete support in times of need, social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development and social and emotional competence of children.

“When we teach families these five protective factors it helps them thrive in times of adversity or large amounts of stress or any type of trauma that may have happened to them,” said Michele Chenier, who helped lead the workshop. Chenier is a Technical Assistance Specialist with the Early Childhood Investment Corporation.

The Strengthening Families Protective Framework is a national and international movement. It’s not just for parent’s either. Chenier says anyone who works with kids should learn more about the program.

“The whole purpose of the strengthening families frame work is to reduce child abuse and neglect. So by reducing stress in families we know that that will automatically help them be better parents and if you know a lot about your kids it helps you be a better parent,” Chenier added.

If you’d like more information on the Strengthening Families Protective Network, visit these links:

CTF Alliance

Early Childhood Investment Corporation