Protective factors

The following factors are from Strengthening Families™ Protective Factors Framework:

• Parental resilience: Managing stress and functioning well when faced with challenges, adversity, and trauma 
• Social connections: Positive relationships that provide emotional, informational, instrumental, and spiritual support 
• Knowledge of parenting and child development: Understanding child development and parenting strategies that support physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional development 
• Concrete support in times of need: Access to concrete support and services that address a family’s needs and help minimize stress caused by challenges 
• Social and emotional competence of children: Family and child interactions that help children develop the ability to communicate clearly, recognize and regulate their emotions, and establish and maintain relationships

See Protective Factors Framework from the Center for the Study of Social Policy and HOPE: Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences. Pediatricians often combine this topic with early literacy promotion when discussing with families and offer books that foster family strengths.