SAFE Children
Grades: K-1
Contact: Patrick Tolan
Institute for Juvenile Research
Dept. of Psychiatry
University of Illinois at Chicago
840 Soutn Wood Street
Chicago, IL 60612-7347
Phone: 312/413-1893
E-mail: tolan@uic.edu
SAFE Children is a community- and school-based program that helps families
manage educational and child development in communities where children are at
high risk for substance abuse and other problem behaviors. It is based on a
developmental-ecological model that looks at how neighborhood and school
characteristics affect children and families, children’s school achievement,
their social adjustment, and their maturation. The program aims to help children
5 to 6 years old make the transition into elementary school, have a successful
first year, and set a strong base for the future. Families with children entering
first grade and living in innercity, high-risk neighborhoods are enrolled in a
20-week family program that aims to:
- Build support networks among parents
- Develop parenting skills and knowledge of child development
- Give parents a better understanding of schools and how they work
- Ensure that children have the skills to master basic reading skills
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Model Program, (PDF), 2003