Protective Factors and Promoting Resilience in Early Childhood

Contact Hrs: 1.5                             CEU’s: 1.5

Enrollment Limited to: No limit

Method: Lecture, discussion.

Description: A groundbreaking study by the CDC and Keiser Permanente in 1995 revealed the prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACES, and their impact on long term health. Risk factors such as ACES are not however predictive factors, because there are protective factors that can lower the risk of exposure to ACES as well as serve as a buffer against their impact on health and wellbeing. The Center for the Study of Social Policy developed the Strengthening Families and Protective Factors Framework that outlines five interrelated protective (and promotive) factors. Studies show that each of these five factors are related to a decreased likelihood of child abuse and neglect, as well as to the promotion of family strengths and optimal child development, and they are:

1. Parental Resilience
2. Social Connections
3. Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development
4. Concrete Support in Times of Need
5. Social and Emotional Competence of Children.

This training will seek to inform participants about the major findings of the ACES study, the theoretical foundations for the Protective Factors Framework, and each of the five protective factors. This course will further address practical strategies to integrate the Protective Factors Framework approach into existing practices, as well as the use of a screening tool known as the Protective Factors Index, or PFI.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the prevalence and impact of ACES on health outcomes
• Understand the theoretical framework for the Strengthening Families Protective Factor Framework approach
• Become familiar with the five protective factors that counter the effect of exposure to risk factors and ACES
• Identify ways to implement each of the five Protective Factors in practice
• Learn about the Protective Factors Instrument (PFI) as a screening tool

Instructor: Tally Palefski, LCSW & Jessica Piecyk, MPA, LCSW

Location: Zoom

Cost: $75

Westchester Jewish Community Services is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0101, and by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW0067, and by The New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0313

Please note: To receive CE credits, one must attend the entirety of the class. Partial credit will not be awarded to those who attend only a portion of the class. Therefore, late arrival or an early departure of greater than 10 minutes constitutes not attending a class in its entirety. To document attendance, participants must sign in and out of the class and complete an evaluation at the end of each class.