BAY Team Series 'Strengthens Famlies'

The BAY Team, Barrington's prevention coalition, is hosting a Parent2Parent workshop series for parents to introduce the Strengthening Families Program (SFP).

"The Strengthening Families Program is a nationally and internationally recognized family skills-training program found to significantly reduce problem behaviors, delinquency, and alcohol and drug abuse in children and to improve social competencies and school performance," said Kathy Sullivan, program director for The BAY Team.

The free program will take place in the Barrington Public Library starting tomorrow, Jan. 15, and then running Jan. 22, Jan. 29, Feb. 5, and Feb. 12 at 6:30 pm.

Sullivan urges parents to attend all five sessions, "but they need not attend every one to experience the benefits of the program," she said.

The program has been proven effective in 50 states and 17 foreign countries, Sullivan said.

"The Strengthening Families Program Home Use DVD contains the same research-proven skills and will be given to all participants," she said.

In the workshops, she said, parents are provided entertaining and instantly available tools to improve family communication, problem solving, positive discipline—all helping kids make healthy choices to stay alcohol and drug free.  Reaching parents and kids together results in a huge increase in family bonding and a dramatic decrease in alcohol and drug use.