Children's Skills Training

In each SFP session, the children meet in groups to learn how to increase their communication, social, and peer resistance skills. The curriculum was designed to teach a variety of prosocial skills using a modified Social Skills Training Program (Spivack and Shure, 1979).

Ideally, there should be two trainers per group. The optimum number of participants in the children's group is 6 to 8. Like the parents' sessions, each children's session begins with a review of homework assigned and concepts presented during the previous week's meeting. Children are then taught new material through exercises, games, coloring and workbook activities, role-plays, puppet shows, and discussions. The trainers then review the material and assign new homework. Children may receive prizes for good behavior.

Outline of Children's Skills Training Sessions

• Hello and rules: This session welcomes children to the group with games and songs. Group rules and a Dynamic Doer's chart are developed.
  
  
• Social skills I: This session discusses conversation skills, especially listening. Role-play reinforces the concept of social skills.
  
  
• Social skills II: This session covers speaking skills such as eye contact, appropriate distance, appropriate voice volume, praise, and complimenting.
  
  
• Creating good behavior: This session teaches children the secret rules of success. Children role-play relevant situations to practice the rules.
  
  
• How to say "no" to stay out of trouble: This session teaches children four basic steps to stay out of trouble through discussion, games, stories, and role-plays.
  
  
• Communication I: This session discusses family talks and "I feel" messages. A family meeting is assigned as homework.
  
  
• Communication II: Using puppets and role-plays, this session illustrates the concept of asking a friend for help.
  
  
• Alcohol and drugs: This session teaches children the effects and consequences of alcohol and drug use with stories, lectures, and discussion.
  
  
• Problem solving: This session presents seven steps to solving problems. Children role-play several examples to reinforce the concept.
  
  
• Introduction to parents' game: This session teaches children to give effective directions through discussion and demonstration.
  
  
• Coping skills I: This session teaches children to recognize feelings in themselves and others and to understand that different people may have different feelings about the same situation.
  
  
• Coping skills II: This session focuses on how to give and receive criticism.
  
  
• Coping skills III: This session allows children to discuss things that make them mad and offers strategies for coping with, controlling, and expressing anger.
  
  
• Graduation, resources, and review: This session teaches children about other resources that can help them if they have problems when their parents are unavailable. Children then review all 14 sessions.

Family Skills Training for Parents and Children	Juvenile Justice Bulletin • April 2000