The Elementary F&ST program is an innovative and collaborative prevention and parent involvement program for school-aged children 5-8 years old. Children and their families gather and participate in specific, fun, research-based activities designed to strengthen bonds within the family, school and community. Schools, parents and non-profit human service agencies come together to address and prevent major problems that have had a negative impact on families, such as:

• Alcohol and substance abuse
• Juvenile delinquency
• School failure

The Elementary F&ST program helps children succeed by creating safe and structured opportunities for voluntary involvement in repeated, positive, personal, interactive and communicative bonding experiences. These relationship-building interactions take place at many levels to ensure highly positive outcomes.

The program brings 10-15 families together for eight weekly sessions of carefully structured social activities. These activities include: designing a family flag, research-based family activities, Special Play time and parent networking.

The Elementary F&ST team is a community partnership, consisting of at least four core partners. It is critical that the collaborative team be culturally representative of the families being served.

As with all adaptations of the Families & Schools Together Canada (F&ST Canada) approach, when families graduate from the eight weekly Elementary F&ST sessions they join F&STWORKS, an ongoing, collective of inter-dependent families who meet once a month over the course of the following two years.