Ballymun study finds family programme a huge success

A FOLLOW-UP study to determine the impact of a family programme in Ballymun on locals who graduated from it seven years ago has found lots of positive long term effects.

The Ballymun Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) is an evidence based, family skills programme for all family members including parents, caregivers and their teenagers or young children.

The programme originated in the USA and has been adapted in local communities worldwide.

Ballymun Local Drugs Task Force manage and fund the programme and local agencies and schools have worked together to bring it to families since 2008.

Evidence has shown that the SFP reduces family conflicts and improves communication, organization and parenting skills – and this is confirmed by the results of the follow-up study in Ballymun.

Overall, 53 families were consulted for the study, which accounts for 45.6 per cent of all families who have graduated from the Ballymun SFP.

Key findings included that 96 per cent of respondents felt the programme made a difference in their lives. Better communication was the most common impact on families followed by improved relationships.

A total of 97 per cent of parents thought their parenting skills improved as a result of taking part in the programme, and 100 per cent of teens agreed with them. Parents were most likely to still use communication skills and teenagers most likely to use listening skills learned on the programme.

Just over 98 per cent agreed or strongly agreed the programme had helped improve family relationships while 94.3 per cent agreed it helped their family get on better.

Encouragingly, 88.6 per cent agreed SFP had helped reduce family conflict and that the programme was more likely to change behaviours and attitudes towards drugs than alcohol.

All respondents thought SFP had a positive impact on the community.

The seven year follow up study was led by independent researcher, Sandra Roe, and carried out to help understand the impact of SFP on family and community life.

The study was launched by local TD, John Lyons (Lab), who commended the families and agencies involved and described the programme as a

“win-win

? for families, agencies, schools and the wider community.