Where, when, how can I use the SFTS concepts to improve the lives of children who come in contact with me and/or my agency?

No one person or agency can affect change alone. Children need every entry point working toward the goal of reducing violence.

Few resources are required to implement SFTS concepts. It is NOT a program, but a process for recognizing the injury and utilizing available resources to reduce children's exposure to violence.

Each agency and community has program, strategies and/or resources to address family violence. Assess what exists and what does not. Collaborate with agencies providing resources to continue to build programs and strategies designed to reduce children's exposure to violence.

No one component of family violence can be addressed in a 'vacuum'. Engage the community to discover what their needs are and how the community can become involved in reducing children's exposure to all forms of violence.

The first step in overcoming obstacles is identification. Know what obstacles exist in order to develop a plan focused on outcomes.

We often become focused on budget reductions, staffing issues, policy issues and agency politics and forget why we do what we do each day. Remember that the children you can affect will be here long after the budget has been passed and internal issues are resolved. These children deserve our best efforts at helping them become healthy productive adults. Remember why you do what you do?