Researchers in Wales are to evaluate a pioneering programme which may help families prevent young people turning to drink, cigarettes and drugs.
Cardiff University is working with Oxford Brookes University and Swansea University to evaluate the Strengthening Families Programme (SFP10-14 UK) in six areas across Wales, part-funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Many factors which protect young people against substance misuse are found within the family. The Strengthening Families Programme aims to develop these factors, which include communication, parenting skills, and strategies to enable young people to deal with stress and peer pressure. The SFP involves seven weeks of two-hour sessions for parents, carers and children, building the skills that protect young people and reduce risks.
Research in the USA has shown that the SFP can help reduce alcohol, tobacco and drug use among young people. Now the Welsh research trial, called Project SFP Cymru, aims to see if it can achieve the same effect here.
Project SFP Cymru will involve more than 700 families in Swansea, Carmarthenshire, Flintshire, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil and Wrexham. Half will be selected at random to take part in the Programme, with the other half acting as a comparison group. A team from Cardiff University’s Cardiff Institute of Society and Health (CISHE) will monitor the results for two years after families enter the trial. They will examine its success in reducing drinking, smoking and drug use, and also the young people’s mental health and success at school. The extent to which the Strengthening Families Programme provides value for money will also be assessed within the research project.
Professor Laurence Moore, leading the Cardiff University research team, said: “Alcohol, tobacco and drug use are major threats to the health and well being of young people in Wales and are also linked to anti-social behaviour, crime and poor school performance. The Strengthening Families Programme 10-14 UK is a promising programme based on one found to delay substance misuse in young Americans. We want to find out whether it works here.”
Health Minister Edwina Hart said: “The Assembly Government is determined to tackle alcohol and substance misuse. Through our investment in better prevention, education and treatment, we hope to reduce the impact of alcohol and substance misuse on individuals, families and communities.
“The Strengthening Families Programme aims to support families to change their behaviour and improve their health and quality of life. I look forward to receiving the report outlining the impact of the programme and whether it should be extended across Wales.”
Programme delivery in three areas is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government. All research costs, and programme delivery in the other three areas are funded by a £2.1M research award from the National Prevention Research Initiative – a large consortium of charity and public sector organisations which support health research. CISHE will run the evaluation independently of the programme providers, working with colleagues at Swansea University and Oxford Brookes University and the South East Wales Trials Unit. Staff training for the teams delivering the programme is being provided by Cardiff Alcohol and Drug Team – an SFP centre of excellence.
