Each student will post to a private discussion forum visible only to the instructor and the student. Posts must be made after all assignments and videos are viewed and then provide a reflection of what was learned. These assignments are intended to provide each student a safe place to react to any course content which is felt by the student to trigger strong emotions, opinions, or experienceswhether you have ever been exposed to directly or indirectly to situations of child maltreatment. Whereas these assignments are not expected to be a source of self-disclosure, this is allowed with the understanding that the instructor, as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), is bound to report to the Child Protection Hotline at Louisiana DCFS any actively occurring incidence of child maltreatment or personal suggestions of self-harm or harm to others that may be discussed in these forums.
ISSUE BRIEFS | MARCH 2020
Protective Factors
Approaches in Child Welfare
Protective factors are conditions or attributes
of individuals, families, communities, and the
larger society that mitigate risk and promote
the healthy development and well-being of
children, youth, and families. Put simply,
they are the strengths that help to buffer
and support families. Examples of protective
factors include community support, parenting
competencies, and economic opportunities.
Protective factors help ensure that children
and youth function well at home, in school,
at work, and in the community. They also
can serve as safeguards, helping parents who
otherwise might be at risk find resources,
support, or coping strategies that allow them
to parent effectivelyeven under stress.
WHAT’S INSIDE
Why is a protective factors approach important?
Examples of protective factors approaches
Putting protective factors into practice
Conclusion
Additional resources
References
Children’s Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS | 800.394.3366 | Email: info@childwelfare.gov | https://www.childwelfare.gov
