STEPFAMILY EDUCATION Smart Steps: Embrace the Journey 2008 Facilitator Training Layton, Utah November 17 th and18 th

 Funding for this project was provided, in part, through the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. Grants No. 90FE0129 and 90YD0227. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.

 Similarities  Smart Steps  Expectations about couples served  Evaluations  Media resources  Clips  Website: Websitehttp://extension.usu.edu/stepfamily  Advertisement Templates  Differences  Participants (FAQ #1)  Re-enrollment (FAQ #13)  Incentives (FAQ #16)

 Demonstrate effective strategies to teach healthy marriage skills to low-income, ethnically diverse couples in stepfamilies.  Document the effectiveness of a research-based Remarriage/Stepfamily curriculum with samples of Hispanic and Caucasian low-income couples.  Document the long-term effects of programmatic participation on the level of knowledge, skills, and relationship quality.

2003 Marriage Statistics County Total Number of Marriages Total Number of Remarriages (remarriage for one or both partners) % of Marriages that were Remarriages Box Elder % Cache 1, % Davis 2, % Iron % Salt Lake 10,654 2,48723% Utah 3, % Washington 1, % Weber 1, %

Source: Ganong & Coleman, 2004, p

% Hispanic % in “step” relationships % “low- income” Box Elder Family Support25%75%50% Centro de la Familia100%40%100% Child and Family Support Center of Cache County 5%65%85% Family Connection Center10%45%95% Family Support Center23%50%89% Kids on the Move Early Head Start 21%50%100% Family Support Center of Ogden22%63%85% Southern Utah University32%42%100% Ogden-Weber Community Action Partnership 48%75%90%

 “…have established history and rapport with the target population.”  “…staff with a strong awareness of the needs of such families.”  “…have extensive experience serving families in their communities.”  “…participants will see the same staff they are used to seeing, and in the case of Hispanic participants they will read and hear the curriculum in Spanish.”

 55 classes have been offered  1042 adult participants  824 adults have attended 5 or more classes  361 couples  848 youth participant  521 youth have attended 5 or more classes  average age 9.9

 Of those 1042 adults who have participated:  373 attended classes in Spanish  669 attended classes in English 1 Lesson2 Lessons3 Lessons4 Lessons5 Lessons6 LessonsTotal Adults %84.17%77.64%78.89%74.57%75.34%

 Of those 848 youth who have participated:  235 attended classes in Spanish  613 attended classes in English Lesson 1Lesson 2Lesson 3Lesson 4Lesson 5Lesson 6Total Youth %71.58%65.92%68.16%60.73%55.54%

 “We’ve learned a lot. I can’t even remember it all but the money part really helped us because we didn’t know what we were going to do and you know people can fight about money, holy cow they can fight about money.”

 “I’ve noticed that I was pushing my two stepchildren a little, my two stepboys, and I’ve finally realized that just going to the doctor isn’t enough time with them. And I think that we’re actually going to set a night aside as just a family night and play some games, no TV.”

 “We actually went and bought a kitchen table so we can sit as a family to eat.”

 “I’ve told my sister-in-law about it [the class], I told my stepdad about it, I told my sister about it, I’ve told the kids’ grandma about it because it’s been wonderful! I’ve taken home my papers and I go through it constantly! I’m just like, oh, I love this stuff!”

 “It’s amazing that people don’t want to come though, even though you pay them. It’s crazy, but I think it is definitely a successful program that you guys are doing.”

 “I think the kids are less confused. They know what we expect so it’s a lot easier. They’ve totally changed. So it’s been good.”

 “My parents got in no more fights.”  “Play more, fight less.”

 Oh yes. Because it is helpful. One believes, how can I say it? One believes that we have to fight the battle to move forward with our children without help, but there is help. There are courses, there are ways other people can help. Things that we don’t know. We could never have thought that a program can be so helpful to us.

 Making a difference in the lives of a lot of people  Teaching the government what does and doesn’t work  Establishing best practices