Family Thrive is a curriculum under the statewide Kentucky Strengthening Families Initiative to improve healthy development and well-being of children, youth and families in their communities. This training explores the research on how the long-term effects of prolonged exposure to trauma and toxic stress can impact the risk of experiencing poor physical/mental health and negative social consequences later in life. The components of the Family Thrive training will enhance the work you are already doing by teaching individuals how to incorporate Protective Factors daily, while using a strength-based, family-driven approach.

What is Trauma?

The term trauma covers a range of elements: the exposure to an event, the individual experience to that exposure and the effect of that exposure. The experience of trauma is unique to each of us.  This explains how the same event can be experienced so differently by different people.  This also explains how exposure to the same type of trauma may be experienced differently at different times in our life, even impacting different areas of functioning. There is no right or wrong way to respond to trauma. Adverse Childhood Experiences can lead to trauma.

Different Levels of Stress Impact Our Lives:

The chart below explains the different levels of stress.  Toxic stress can lead to trauma.

What are Risk Factors vs Protective Factors?

Risk Factors refer to the stressful conditions, events or circumstances (e.g., maternal depression, substance abuse, family violence, persistent poverty) that increase a family’s chances for poor outcomes, including child abuse and neglect.

Protective Factors are conditions or attributes of individuals, families, communities or the larger society that mitigate risk and promote healthy development and wellbeing. Put simply, they are the strengths that help to buffer and support families at risk.

Protective Factors balance the impact of Risk Factors. In some cases, we cannot lessen the risk factors but we can always build up the Protective Factors.  The more Protective Factors present results in positive outcomes and wellbeing and less difficulty with stressful conditions and decrease chances of child abuse.  Protective Factors may even counter the damaging effect of adverse experiences.

Family Thrive is a shift from focusing on an individual’s deficits and risk factors to a more positive focus on the strengths and skills that are unique to that person by making small but significant changes in your everyday actions.  Professionals can utilize the six Guiding Premises, which are best practices to help with this shift and to guide our work with individuals. 

Click on each leaf to find information about each Protective Factor.