Parents and other adults are key to shaping young people’s health and well-being. The Fairfax County Youth Survey asks students about “protective factors” – things like being able to turn to a parent or neighbor for help, participating in extracurricular activities, and having teachers who recognize good work. Survey results show that the more protective factors kids have, the more likely they are to make healthy decisions and cope well with life’s stresses. These patterns are consistent for all kinds of issues and behaviors, such as substance use, bullying, and signs of depression.
How do we ensure all kids have protective factors in their lives? Three to Succeed is based on the idea that having just three protective factors dramatically improves the odds for youth. If each young person in Fairfax County has at least one protective factor at home, at school, and in the community, we’ll have made a real difference.
Being a protective factor in a kid’s life can be surprisingly simple. Take time to recognize and praise good effort in a kid you know. Listen to their concerns. Let them know you’re there if they need help. Support their participation in community activities.
We know that children in foster care have a higher incidence of mental health issues than kids in the general population. Sources estimate that as much as 80% of children in foster care have these struggles. We also know that mental and behavioral health requires the presence of at least one nurturing, responsive caregiver who is stable in the child’s or teen’s life over time (AAP). Foster parents have an opportunity to be that one person at home who can help support a child to make healthy decisions and cope well with life’s stresses.
Learn about these and all of the factors that matter at Three to Succeed.
This article posting is part of the Foster Family News monthly newsletter designed to keep foster parents informed about all the new and notable happenings in Fairfax County.
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