Families and Schools Together (FAST)
Description
The Families and Schools Together (FAST) programs are designed to strengthen families, enhance parenting skills, and connect families to their schools, with a view to helping children succeed academically and socially. The major intervention elements aim to build social support (social capital) for families within the school context, improve parent confidence and empower parents, improve family relationships, and increase child competence. Primary School (Kids) FAST requires considerable coordination and volunteer support as it invites all families within the targeted primary school to participate in the program.
Evaluation
Evidence Evidence from overseas randomised trials supports the benefits of the program. Positive outcomes include significant reductions in behavioural problems (Fisher, 2003), improved academic competence and improvements in parent ratings of anxiety (Kratochwill, McDonald, Levin, Young Bear-Tibbetts, & Demaray, 2004), and improved family adaptability and cohesion (Fischer, 2003). The program has been successfully trialled in Victoria, beginning in 1997, and demonstrated positive changes from pre- to post- program (Coote, 2000). Communities That Care Mornington Peninsula have included delivery of the FAST program in many of their local action plans.
Monitoring Recommendations
Advice on program monitoring requirements is available – see contact details below.
Boards should negotiate agreements to receive regular progress reports and request to monitor examples of session delivery.
Monitoring information should include: number and characteristics of participating families; parent and professionals reports on changes in child behaviour problems.
Where feasible, evaluate pre-post changes in parent confidence, child behaviour, and targeted risk and protective factors against control schools.
Implementation Tip
CTC Ltd. may be able to assist with evaluation designs and academic partnerships
Contact:
Mark Boonstra,
FAST Regional Director Australia
P: 0419 367 528
Program Details
Target Audience:
6 - 14 years
Program Type:
Family focused programs
Target Risk Factors:
Low neighbourhood attachment
Community transitions & mobility
Personal transitions & mobility
Family history of antisocial behaviour
Favourable parental attitudes to antisocial behaviour
Family conflict
Low commitment to school
Low social skills
Early initiation of problem behaviour
Interaction with antisocial peers
Friends' use of drugs
Target Protective Factors:
School, family and community opportunities for prosocial involvement
School, family and community rewards for prosocial behaviour
Social skills
Belief in moral order
Community Indicators:
Low parental education
Sole parents
Low income and poor housing
Unemployment
HIgh aggregation of risk factors from primary school