Support for the family

The family is the most important context in which children develop, shape their personality and adopt attitudes and values about their health. Parents set the standards of behaviour for children and, through their education, play a key role in their psychological and social adaptation.

Factors protecting children from substance use and abuse behaviours (in terms of the family environment) include meeting children’s social, economic, cognitive and emotional needs, strengthening family ties, high parental support, information and skill development for parents, parental supervision and setting discipline rules.

These protective factors can be strengthened through actions in the family.
Thus, it is important for parents to practice communication skills, to learn discipline techniques appropriate for the child’s stage of development, to learn to consistently apply firm rules and to practice skills such as conflict management in the family. Parents can also be taught ways to increase the emotional, social, cognitive and material support they give their children, for example, learning to respond more adequately to financial, mobility, health and household care needs.

All scientific research demonstrates the benefit of parents playing a more active role in their children’s lives by talking to them about substances, monitoring their activities, getting to know their friends, understanding their problems and concerns, consistently following rules and engaging in their learning and education.

ELPIDA offers programmes that meet all the needs of parents:

  • Information and awareness-raising for parents (talks and short interventions)
  • Parent education (groups and workshops for parents of primary and secondary school students.
  • Mixed groups of parents – children.