May 4-10 is Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week Beverly Resident Kristina Breton Certified in Triple P-the Positive Parenting Program through Children’s Friend and Family Services

This week is Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week. The week is dedicated to increasing public awareness about the triumphs and challenges in children’s mental health and emphasizing the importance of family and youth involvement in the children’s mental health movement and throughout the year.  Children’s Friend and Family Services  encourages all individuals and organizations to play a role in making the North Shore a better place for children and families. By ensuring that parents have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to care for their children, we can help promote children’s social and emotional well-being.

Research shows that when parents possess six protective factors, the risk for neglect and abuse diminish and optimal outcomes for children, youth, and families are promoted. The six protective factors are: nurturing and attachment,  knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development,  parental resilience, social connections , concrete supports for parents and social and emotional developmental well-being.

And there is valuable help available for all families, no matter how small or large the issue. Triple P — the Positive Parenting Program — is now available on the North Shore. Beverly resident Kristina Breton, an outpatient clinician at Children’s Friend and Family Services,  is certified to provide Triple P to parents and caregivers. Prior to her role at Children’s Friend Breton was an Intern, Clinical School Counselor at Dearborn Academy and a Research Assistant at Crimes against Children Resource Center. She received a Master of Social Work at Simmons College and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Hampshire. A Licensed Certified Social Worker, she is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS)  and a member of the National Association of Social Workers.

Triple P has been shown to promote the well-being of children and families, to prevent undesirable child behaviors and, ultimately, to prevent child maltreatment. Triple P offers many different levels of support that can help with everything from toilet-training to serious behavior concerns. The US Triple P System Population Trial found that making Triple P available to all parents in a county (not just those parents at risk) led to:

Fewer hospitalizations from child abuse injuries 

Fewer out-of-home placements 

Slowed growth of confirmed child abuse cases.

 “Triple P offers parents simple, proven strategies but leaves them in control of deciding which strategies are best for their own situation and needs.  I strongly recommend this program for parents to stay positive,” says Breton.  For more information, visit childrensfriend.net.