Risk factors refer to the stressful conditions, events, or circumstances (e.g. maternal depression, substance abuse, family violence, persistent poverty) that increase a family’s chances for poor outcomes, including child abuse and neglect. Protective Factors are conditions or attributes of individuals, families, communities, or the larger society that mitigate risk and promote healthy development and well-being. In other words, Protective Factors are the strengths that help to buffer and support families at risk. Strengthening Families is focused on building five protective factors that are associated in the research literature with lower rates of child abuse and neglect and with optimal child development. Join us to learn what those five protective factors are.