How Can America Have Fair and Honest Elections?

The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday comes from President Donald Trump’s prime time address to the nation given on July 16, 2026, from the East Room of the White House: “No country can be great without fair and honest elections. You have to trust your country because if there can be no trust, there can be no greatness.” 

President Trump spoke on several topics and shared information that has recently been declassified. Among the most disturbing information of the evening was Trump’s statement that broadcast networks ABC and NBC chose not to air his speech live. He suggested that such networks should lose their licenses if they refuse to carry information from the President to the American people. 

According to Fred Lucas at The Daily Signal, Trump blamed the “deep state” for withholding information that should have been given to him during his first presidential term.

President Donald Trump announced the release of declassified documents he said are evidence that China has been meddling in U.S. elections by hacking into voter registration databases and by other means.

Trump, who spoke Thursday evening in a prime-time address to the nation, said the “deep state” had this information and suppressed it from the president and Congress.

“They kept it secret and hidden. Did not disclose to me or Congress,” Trump said.

Trump said the declassified information shows “shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure….

The president said that China conducted a massive hacking of voter registration information. “The People’s Republic of China carried out what is believed to be the largest compromise of election data in history, resulting in China’s illicit acquisition of 220 million U.S. voter files,” Trump said.

[This would amount to almost all American adults because there are approximately 350 million Americans – adults, teens, and children.]

He said the information includes names, addresses, phone numbers, political party preferences, and other data.

“This data loss presents an unprecedented election, security nightmare,” the president added. At least a portion of the declassified information was released Thursday night.

The point of the hacking, according to Trump, as to steal information about thousands of voters. He also said information from 2018 and 2019 shows that Chinese operatives wanted to harm Trump so he would be forced to resign or be defeated in his reelection bid.

“The Chinese government wanted U.S. president to lose the next election and the reason they wanted me to lose is because they knew I was wise to them, charged them billions in tariffs, and built the largest military in the world,” Trump said.

Trump, who has long disputed his 2020 loss to Joe Biden, also said the FBI found China attempted to manufacture ballots in favor of Biden.

“Raw intelligence obtained by the FBI in 2020, yet buried by rogue bureaucrats, stated that China’s activities even included an attempt to manufacture illegal ballots for Joe Biden,” Trump said.

The president further said China paid U.S. journalists to write negative stories about him during his first term.

“The Chinese government sought to identify U.S. journalists who had reported negatively on the U.S. president and pay them large sums of money to write more negative articles about him, as many as they could, and they did not care what they said,” Trump asserted.

Trump said elections were “vulnerable and easily compromised and people within our government knew that.”

The Department of Homeland Security has information showing about 278,000 registered voters are foreigners, Trump said.

“According to the DHS review, state voter rolls and public records, they identified approximately 278,000 non-citizens who are registered to vote in federal elections,” Trump said. “Since Democrat states refused to share their voter files, the real number is actually much higher than that.”

The address comes as Trump is pushing Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require photo identification to vote and proof of citizenship to register to vote. The president, as he concluded his remarks, made a passionate plea for Congress to pass the legislation.

In March 2021, during the early months of the Biden administration, the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security issued a joint report that asserted China considered trying to influence the presidential election but backed off. It further said, “No evidence found that a foreign government manipulated any election results.”

Still, there have been documented cases of China election meddling and hacking.

In the 2024 campaign, FBI officials said Chinese government operatives targeted the phones of candidates, including now-President Trump, now-Vice President JD Vance, and individuals associated with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

A Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security report released in December 2023 found Chinese cyber actors collected publicly available voter information during the 2022 election.

In July 2024, the Justice Department Office of Inspector General issued a report that described China as one of several foreign governments that conducted malign influence campaigns directed at U.S. elections. This included using fake online personas and promoting propaganda.

For six years, Trump claimed that the election of 2020 was rigged. Now, the FBI and other intelligent agencies brought the receipts: Foreign nations influenced the election. What can Trump do to prevent future rigging of elections?

Articles of Faith: What Do Latter-day Saints Believe About the Godhead 5?

Article of Faith 1

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ,

                                and in the Holy Ghost.

This is the fifth article on the Godhead in my series on the Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The past few weeks, I discussed the character of God the Father or Elohim. Since Jesus Christ taught that His disciples “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9), we can know that He has the same character traits as His Father. This essay will use the words of Elder Bruce R. McConkie to explain clearing who Jesus Christ is.

There are numerous ways in which the labors and ministry and status of “God the second,” who is the Son, are distinct and separate from the other members of the Godhead. Chief among them are these:

1. He is the Firstborn.

Our Blessed Lord is the firstborn spirit child of the Father of Spirits; all others are junior to him. His is the eternal birthright and the everlasting right of presidency. “I was in the beginning with the Father,” he says, “and am the Firstborn.” (D&C 93:21.) Paul says he is “the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature.” (Colossians 1:15.) The body he then possessed was a spirit body, a body made of spirit element, a body like those of all the spirit hosts of heaven. Appearing to the brother of Jared, he said: “This body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit.” (Ether 3:16.) In that spirit state he advanced and progressed until, in power, dominion, and intelligence, he became, “like unto God.” (Abraham 3:24.) It was then that he created all things and was foreordained to be the Savior and Redeemer.

2, He is the Creator.

Under the Father, Christ is the Creator of this earth, of worlds without number, of all things. Paul says: “By him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:16-17.) Being “like unto God,” he became and was the GREAT I AM, the I AM THAT I AM, the Eternal One, the Lord Jehovah. He operated and ministered in his Father’s name and by his Father’s power.

3. He is the Promised Messiah.

The ancient prophets testified that God would send his Son into the world to save and deliver his people, to save them from the temporal and spiritual death brought upon all mankind through the fall, to be their Deliverer and Redeemer. The prophetic word acclaimed him as the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Son of David, who would reign on the throne of his Father….

4. He is the God of our Fathers.

Because God is known only by revelation, because the knowledge of God and of salvation was revealed to our father, and because there is only one God and one plan of salvation for all men in all ages, how appropriate it is to call Christ (by whom salvation comes) the God of our fathers. He was their God and he is our God….

5. He is the Son of God.

All men (Christ included) were born as the sons of God in the spirit; one man (Christ only) was born as the Son of God in this mortal world. He is the Only Begotten in the flesh. God was his Father; Mary was his mother. His Father was an immortal man; his mother was a mortal woman. He is the Son of God in the same literal, full, and complete sense in which he is the son of Mary. There is nothing symbolic or figurative about it. He is God’s Almighty Son and as such is distinguished from the Father in the same way any son is a separate person from his father.

6. He is our Redeemer, Savior, Mediator, Intercessor, and Advocate.

Salvation comes because of Christ and his atoning sacrifice. He is the Redeemer who ransoms men from the effects of Adam’s fall. He brings immortality to all men, thus redeeming them from temporal death through the resurrection. Those who believe and obey his laws are redeemed from spiritual death and have eternal life. In like manner he is the Savior….

7. He manifests and reveals the Father.

There are two concepts here. First, God was in Christ manifesting himself to the world. That is, because the Son was in the express image and likeness of the Father, and because he was one with the Father in all things, insomuch that he did and said what the Father would do and say in like circumstances, anyone who saw the Son also the Father. To know the Son is to know the Father. Second, Christ reveals the Father to the faithful, as it is written, “Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” (Matthew 11:27.) …

8. He is the Eternal Judge.

“The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father.” (John 5:22-23.) And this Son of Man, in a not far-distant day, shall come again, in all the glory of his Father’s kingdom, to take vengeance upon the ungodly and to give glory and honor to the righteous.

9. He is the Father.

There are three ways in which Christ the Son is properly called the Father. First, he is “the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.” (Ether 4:7.) That is, he is the Maker, Organizer, and Creator of all things; he fathered them in this sense. Second, he is the Father of all who believe and obey his law. Those who receive the gospel have “power to become [his]sons.” (D&C 39:4.) they thus become “the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters”; they are “spiritually begotten” by him; they take upon them “the name of Christ.” (Mosiah 5:7-8.) They are born again and have a new Father. Third, he is the Father by divine investiture of authority. “In all His dealings with the human family Jesus the Son has represented and yet represents Elohim His Father in power and authority.” The Father, accordingly, places his own name upon the Son so the Son can speak in the first person as though he were the Father. “And so far as power, authority and Godship are concerned His words and acts were and are those of the Father.” (“The Father and the Son,” exposition of the First Presidency, June 30, 1916.)

What Is TDS and How Can It Be Turned Off?

There are many Americans – millions of people – who hate President Donald Trump for whatever reason. Some of those people have Trump derangement syndrome (TDS). In an article dated September 5, 2024, Psychology Today describes it as follows: 

Trump derangement syndrome is a derogatory term used to describe a form of toxic criticism and negative reaction to former President Trump’s statements and political actions. The origin of the term can be traced to the late political columnist and commentator Charles Krauthammer, a psychiatrist, who first coined the phrase “Bush derangement syndrome” in 2003.

Krauthammer, himself a harsh critic of Trump, later defined Trump derangement syndrome as a Trump-induced “general hysteria” that produced an “inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences and signs of psychic pathology” in the president’s behavior. Journalist Fareed Zakaria, moreover, defined TDS as “hatred of President Trump so intense that it impairs people’s judgement.”

Signs of TDS can be observed along a continuum of reactions, ranging from verbal expressions of intense hostility toward President Trump to overt acts of aggression and even violence against anyone supporting or anything symbolizing him. The recent assassination attempt on Trump’s life provides compelling evidence of the volatility and potential dangers of TDS if left unchecked.

I know numerous people who hate Trump and swear that they will never vote for him. Some of those same people hate him so much that they see no good in him. Although I see many faults in him, I also see good characteristics: He is a leader, one who leads from the front rather than the rear like Barack Obama. He is generous with his wealth and gives away all that he earns as President of the United States ($400,000 per year). He loves America and is not ashamed to show it. He has a strong spine and is willing to stand between the enemy – foreign or domestic – and the American people. Most people can see that he works hard – unlike Joe Biden.

In addition, Trump has good policies. The most obvious policy that is good for America is his policy of a closed border. He does not want people to simply walk across the border and claim the benefits that America offers. Along with his closed border policy, he also has a deportation policy – deport all criminals who are in the United States illegally. That includes all people who entered the USA illegally because they broke US law when they entered the country illegally.

According to an article by Carlos Garcia at Blaze Media, billionaire tech investor and influencer Chamath Palihapitiya believes that “Most of us were LIED TO by the media” and that Trump has been maligned unfairly. It is fair to say that most media personnel on the Left have Trump derangement syndrome. They simply cannot be truthful about him, but Palihapitiya exposes the truth. 

Palihapitiya says he took time to really consider some media allegations against the president. [He] says he has made a 180-degree turn on the negative image he had of President Donald Trump.

The podcaster told CNBC News on Tuesday that he was trying to avoid the ideological tunnel vision that many people find themselves in after being besieged by media bias.

“There’s enough people that I hear that are lazy and reductive, and they’re going to end up where they’re supposed to end up – in a little cul-de-sac of their own making,” said Palihapitiya.

“The reality is that most of us were lied to by the media about President Trump. And if you just go back to the source material, you should take away two things: One, he didn’t say half the things [they say] he said,” he said.

“Two, why did these other people just fabricate what they wanted to say so that they could essentially assassinate his character?” Palihapitiya continued. “I think that that second thing is completely unacceptable in America, and there have still been no repercussions, really.”

Palihapitiya said that Trump called him after the podcast, and they had a lengthy conversation. That conversation cemented Palihapitiya’s belief about Trump.

Time alone will tell us how much influence Palihapitiya’s discovery will have on Trump haters. If he has a lot of influence, maybe the Left’s rhetoric will be turned down a notch or two. On the other hand, Palihapitiya may find himself to be the target of some of hatred shown to Trump.

My advice to everyone is to look for the good in all people. There are relatively few individuals in the world who have no good in them, but sometimes we have to look long and hard to see it in some people.

Who Is Lindsey Graham?

My VIP for this week is the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. As explained by Suzanne Bates in her article at the Deseret News, Graham was known as a hawk. His last official act was a visit to Ukraine and a visit to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

Among the Republicans in the US Senate, Graham was a champion for Ukraine and had a strong belief that the United States must support Ukraine against the Russian invasion. One of his last legislative actions was to lobby for more tariffs on countries that buy oil and gas from Russia. He also supported the decision to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. He defends Israel, the lone democracy in the Middle East.

With Graham’s death comes the continued attrition – through deaths and retirements – of Republican hawks, those who believe in a muscular foreign policy, including, when necessary, through military intervention.

The trio of Graham and the late Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Democratic-turned-independent Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut – all now passed away – reshaped U.S. foreign policy in the 2000s under the belief that the United States must assert itself as the lone superpower in order to maintain an uneasy peace in the world.

When the U.S. steps back from this role, it is inevitably pulled back in, hawks argue. Like after the 1990s, when Clinton was wary of foreign entanglements in a post-Cold War world. But the U.S. was reawakened to global threats on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists attacked New York and Washington, D.C., killing thousands of Americans.

Or in 2015, when, after President Barack Obama tried to “reset” the U.S.’s relationship with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea.

And again in 2022, during the Biden administration, when Russia again invaded Ukraine, starting a protracted war between the two countries.

The long-term military campaigns in Afghanistan, which had almost universal support after 9/11, and in Iraq, which had less support, led to the recent weariness Americans feel when their leaders propose intervention.

Anti-interventionists in the Republican Party, those who support the “America First” movement, long criticized Graham for his hawkishness, turning “neocon” into a pejorative.

Now, without Graham, is there a Republican senator who will take up that mantle? Especially amid a new, increasingly unpopular war against Iran….

Is Trump a dove or a hawk?

Trump, with his “Peace through Strength,” foreign policy agenda, is far more interventionist than his America First supporters would like. Vice President JD Vance is the hero of those more populist Republicans, while hawkish Republicans typically back Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio, and Graham before his death, appear to be in a dwindling minority. Instead, the ascendant position in conservative circles is that it isn’t America’s job to police the world. Instead, we should protect our own.

No matter how powerful the United States is, or how big its economy, it cannot block itself from an anarchic world….

Graham believed in American strength, and its ability to be a force for good around the world. In a piece about the need to spend more on the Navy, Graham wrote: “There is no doubt that the costs of these investments are great and will require tradeoffs and significant political capital, but the cost of inaction will be far greater. History demonstrates that adversaries are emboldened by America’s hesitation and deterred by its resolve.”

Perhaps a successor to Graham will emerge among Republican senators. It’s hard to imagine he or she will possess his same wit or unique biography, but others with his skills seemed irreplaceable before.

In most foreign entanglements, including in Iran, the answer of intervention versus protectionism isn’t black and white. We need both doves and hawks to debate and argue over American foreign policy decisions.

But we need hawks like Graham to remind us that we ignore the world at our own peril.

Bates’ article reminded me of George Washington and his warning against foreign entanglements. He did not approve of any permanent alliances or attachments to foreign nations but thought that the United States should stand for neutrality and prudent engagement.

In his Farewell Address of 1796, Washington urged the United States to avoid permanent alliances with any foreign nation, but at the same time, honoring existing treaties. He desired the young nation to stand independent in foreign affairs. He thought that America should be friends with all and enemies to none but should always stand ready to defend America. Hence, peace through strength. 

What Are the Threats against America?

The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday concerns threats in America that go “beyond the familiar divide between Democrats and Republicans.” According to Ben Shapiro in his article published at The Daily Signal, there are “two ideological movements – one on the far left, one emerging on the populist right.” The two movements “share a willingness to undermine the principles that have long defined the American experiment.” After opening his article with the quoted information, he explained as follows. 

On one side stands the Democratic Socialists of America, whose influence within the Democratic Party has grown dramatically. This is no longer simply a debate over tax rates or entitlement programs. The party’s activist wing has become increasingly hostile to the ideas that have undergirded th3e country for 250 years: freedom of speech, religious liberty, private property, free markets and the belief that America is an exceptional nation worth preserving.

The political consequences are no longer hypothetical. Democrats have a realistic chance to regain control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. Competitive Senate races across North Carolina, Ohio, Maine, Texas, Alaska, and Iowa underscore how narrow the margins have become. If Democrats were to reclaim both the House and Senate, the ramifications would extend far beyond the next two years.

The federal judiciary is the clearest example.

Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito are both in their late 70s. Should vacancies arise while Democrats control the Senate, the ideological balance of the court could shift for a generation. A new liberal majority would influence constitutional interpretation on everything from executive authority and religious liberty to economic regulation and the administrative state. At the same time, Democrats would accelerate confirmations throughout the federal judiciary, leaving an imprint that would outlast any single administration.

Those stakes make recent developments on the right especially consequential.

Tucker Carlson has spent recent weeks floating the idea of launching a third political party, arguing that Republicans and Democrats are effectively indistinguishable on issues of war, spending and finance. He portrays America’s two-party system as little more than a single political establishment masquerading as democracy.

That argument ignores the most significant policy differences in American politics. Republicans and Democrats remain sharply divided over taxation, judicial appointments, regulation, free markets, energy policy, and the proper role of government. Pretending those distinctions no longer exist requires overlooking the very issues that define modern elections….

[Carlson’s] current rhetoric politically [is] significant even if no third party ever appears on the ballot. Republicans already face the historical disadvantages of defending Congress during a president’s midterm. Voices on the right openly rooting for Republican defeats only increase the likelihood that Democrats, increasingly influenced by their progressive wing, will gain power.

Following the nation’s semiquincentennial, the debate should return to first principles rather than political personalities.

For 250 years, America’s strength has rested on enduring ideas: constitutional government, individual liberty, private property, free enterprise, religious freedom and peace through strength. Those principles have survived wars, economic crises and political upheaval because each generation chose to defend them rather than discard them.

The greatest challenge facing the country may not come from a single ideological movement but from competing factions that, despite their differences, are increasingly willing to abandon those foundational principles. If the United States is to thrive to its 300^th anniversary, its 500^th and beyond, it will depend not on charismatic personalities or political factions but on whether Americans remain committed to the ideals that made the republic possible.

 

Who Is with You?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to 2 Kings 2-7 and a lesson titled “There Is a Prophet in Israel.” The following information introduced the lesson material. 

A prophet’s main mission is to teach and testify of the Savior Jesus Christ. Our record of the prophet Elisha, however, doesn’t include much of his teaching or testifying. What the record does include is the miracles Elisha performed, including raising a child from the dead (see 2 Kings 4:18-37), feeding a multitude with just a little food (see 2 Kings 4:42-44), and healing a leper (see 2 Kings 5:1-14). So while we don’t have Elisha’s words about Christ, we do have Elisha’s ministry and miracles, which do testify of Christ. They are powerful manifestations of the Lord’s life-giving, nourishing, and healing power. Miracles happen more often in our lives than we sometimes realize. To see them, we need to seek the faith Elisha had when he prayed on behalf of his fearful young servant: “Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see” (2 Kings 6:17).

The scripture block for this week teaches four main principles, including the following: (1) God can work miracles in my life (2 Kings 2-6); (2) The Lord will fulfill His words given through His prophets (2 Kings 4:8-17; 7:1-16); (3) As I am humble and obedient, Jesus Christ can heal me

(2 Kings 5); (4) “They that be with us are more than they that be with them” (2 Kings 6:8-23). This essay will discuss the last principle about those who are with us being more. First, we will study the scripture verses (2 Kings 6:8-18).

8 ¶ Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.

9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.

10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.

11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?

12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

13 ¶ And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.

15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

Even though I try to follow Christ, there are times in my life when I feel outnumbered and fearful, much like the young servant of Elisha. I remember this experience of Elisha and his young servant, and I try to stay faithful in difficult circumstances. Sometimes it helps to make a list of those people who are in my life and support me. It helps to remember that God has probably placed me in the lives of other people to help them.

President Henry B. Eyring taught the following about this scripture story: “Like that servant of Elisha, there are more with you than those you can see opposed to you. Some who are with you will be invisible to your mortal eyes. The Lord will bear you up and will at times do it by calling others to stand with you” (“O Ye That Embark,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2008, 58). 

In Doctrine and Covenants 84:88, the Lord describes the support that He offers to us: “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” Consider times when you felt the Lord supporting you. You might also consider this question: What does God want me to see?

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles referred to the story in 2 Kings 6:8-23 when he said the following:

We may or may not have chariots of fire sent to dispel our fears and conquer our demons, but the lesson is clear. The Lord is with us, mindful of us and blessing us in ways only He can do. Prayer can call down the strength and the revelation that we need to center our thoughts on Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. The Lord knew that at times we would feel fear. I have been there and so have you. … In this Church we may be few in number by the way the world counts influence, but when we open our spiritual eyes, ‘they that be with us are more than they that be with them’ [2 Kings 6:16]” (“Be Not Troubled,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 18, 19). 

Since God has probably placed people within your sphere of influence, how would you use these words to help those who feel anxious or afraid?

How Can Families Be Strengthened?

Families are stronger when “responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere … promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World”). Strong families strengthen communities, states, and nations. 

The above referenced proclamation was read by President Gordon B Hinckley, as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was later published by the Church of Jesus Christ.

While researching information on strengthening families, I found a web site sponsored by the State of Alaska, Department of Family and Community Services. The web site is titled “Strengthening Families Alaska.” 

According to the web site, Strengthening Families Alaska “is a research-informed, strength-based approach to helping families reduce stress, address risk factors, and promote healthy development.” The site continues: “The overarching goal is the promotion of child and family well-being .. based on engaging families, programs and communities in building five protective factors that help families succeed and strive, even in the face of risk and challenges.”

The Strengthening Families approach

·       Benefits ALL families and communities

·       Builds on family strengths, buffers risk, and promotes better outcomes

·       Can be implemented through small but significant changes in everyday actions

·       Builds on and can become a part of existing programs, strategies, systems and community opportunities

·       Is grounded in research, practice and implementation knowledge

What is special about this approach?

Communities, providers, and families can embed five protective factors seamlessly into their ongoing work to the benefit of families and children. Five Protective Factors are the foundation of the Strengthening Families Approach…. Research studies support the common-sense notion that when these Protective Factors are well established in a family, the likelihood of child abuse and neglect diminishes. Research shows that these Protective Factors are also “promotive” factors that build family strengths and a family environment that promotes optimal child and youth development.

Protective Factors

The Center for the Study of Social Policy initially spent two years researching and identifying five protective factors that prevent child abuse and neglect. Since the introduction of the Strengthening Families approach, the research base that originally informed the development of the protective factors framework, as well as scientific advances in various disciplines, has burgeoned. These advances in knowledge have deepened the understanding about child development and behavior, the developmental impacts of trauma, and the pathways to child and family well-being…. The five protective factors associated in research that are related to the prevention of child maltreatment are:

·       For adults:

§  Parental resilience

§  Social connections

§  Knowledge of parenting and child development

§  Concrete support in times of need

·       For children:

§  Healthy social and emotional development