Training overview

Functional Family Therapy (FFT) work with at-risk young people aged 10 to 18yrs whose present a range of issues and challenges including conduct disorders and alcohol or substance abuse. Often these young people and their families have limited access to resources, histories of failure to engage with services and/or repeated contact with multiple services over a period of time.  FFT works with the whole family,  aiming to reduce defensive communication patterns, increase supportive interactions and promote supervision and effective discipline by parents.

Involving 8-12 one hour sessions (26-30 for more serious cases) over a 3-4 month period, services are delivered in both clinic and home settings, and can also be provided in a variety of other settings.  FFT is a strength-based model, with a focus on assessment of those risk and protective factors in the family at its core.

Outcomes have included significant and long term reductions in youth reoffending and violent behaviour, significant effectiveness in reducing high-risk behaviours in siblings, low drop-out and high completion rates, and positive impacts on family conflict, family communication, parenting, and youth problem behaviour.