The Resilient Children and Families Program (RCFP) is a multi-generation coaching model that promotes the social and emotional wellness and resilience of young children and their families. Based upon resiliency research and the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework, RCFP supports early childhood professionals in their use of strength-based universal approaches proven to promote protective factors and alleviate family stress. In addition, RCFP provides targeted early childhood mental health consultation services for children demonstrating intensive emotional and behavioral needs.

Research has shown that the presence of Protective Factors lessens the long-term impact of trauma and stress.  Protective Factors supported through RCFP include:

• Parental Resilience-the ability to bounce back and manage the stress of daily life, challenges, and crises that occur, despite current or past trauma.
• Social Connections-having positive, reliable relationships that provide support, buffer stressors, and encourage positive parenting.
• Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development-understanding child development and developing alternative parenting strategies from that knowledge.
• Concrete Support in Times of Need-access to support and services related to the family’s needs that help minimize stress caused by challenges that arise.
• Nurturing and Attachment-the child’s connection and experiences with a caring adult that helps the child feel safe and secure in his/her world.
• Social and Emotional Competence of Children-children’s ability to communicate clearly, recognize and regulate their emotions, and form and keep relationships.

RCFP is delivered to organizations serving families with young children. Assigned RCFP coaches provide an array of professional development services tailored to meet the needs of each organization. By promoting protective factors, organizations ensure families have access to resources and supports needed to respond to day-to-day challenges, meet the emotional and early learning needs of their children and maintain a hopeful outlook. RCFP reaches families and young children through providers located in Butler, Clermont and Hamilton Counties in Southwest Ohio and Kenton, Campbell, Boone and Grant Counties in Northern Kentucky.

RCFP professional development activities include: 

• Family and Program Assessments are used to assess the effectiveness of services and measure children’s social and emotional development and family wellness. Data collected from these assessments inform training and coaching priorities and measure program impact.
• Transition and Action Planning assists family-serving organizations in identifying and implementing strategies that advance protective factors.
• RCFP Training offers specialized workshops focused on advancing the Protective Factors Framework through the child and family-centered practices.
• Observation and Coaching is offered on-site and provides professionals with guidance and instruction in implementing classroom practices that promote children’s resiliency, address challenging behaviors, engage families, and nurture their protective factors.
• Individual Child Consultation is offered for children in need of targeted interventions to address their challenging behaviors, developmental delays, or social-emotional needs.
• Family Consultation is offered for families reporting possible toxic stress. Using Motivational Interviewing techniques, early childhood professionals engage families in conversation, identify strengths and need, and link to additional resources as indicated.