Fluppy

1) Category:
General program Specific program (certain components)

2) Issues Behind the Program:

Some children show signs of being at risk for adaptation problems at a very early age. Pro-social behaviours must be learned through play.

3) Objectives:
Modify the developmental trajectory of children with problems of aggressiveness and agitation. Reduce behavioral problems (violence towards others and delinquency). Reduce the incidence of dropping out.

4) Environment:
Primary schools Families

5) Target Group:
Students from 4 to 12 years old Parents of children at risk Teachers

6) Key Words:
Fluppy, coeuraction, school-family-community partnership, general program, specific program, social skills, emotional management, communication, self-control, problemsolving, behavioral problems, aggressiveness, agitation, dropping out

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

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7) Description:
Preschool: This program stems from research conducted by Professor Richard E. Tremblay of the Groupe de recherche sur linadaptation psychosociale chez lenfant (GRIP) at Universit de Montral. It consists of three components: training in social skills (Child), help for parents of children in difficulty (Family), and support for the teacher (Teacher). o Part 1 Child: Development of social skills

A 15-module program carried out in a kindergarten class. The objective of this component is to improve the social skills, self-control and conflict resolution of all the children at the preschool level. Two sub-groups are created. In each one, the children deemed at risk (by the teacher or the parent) are grouped with other children who display positive social skills. The teacher takes care of one group while a professional from the school or social services network (CSSS) takes care of the other. The students are introduced to Fluppy the puppet (a dog) and his friends (played by the teacher). The teacher uses the puppets to tell stories and conduct workshops about Fluppys adventures and misadventures. The students are asked to think about and offer solutions to the social relationship problems demonstrated by the puppets. At the end of each of the modules presented in class, Fluppy sends a message to the parents indicating which social adaptation skill the students have worked on in class, and offering suggestions for continuing the learning process at home. A resource-person (e.g. a health-care professional) visits the childs family and works with the parents to assess the childs difficulties and to determine ways of overcoming them. These meetings are also aimed at developing improved relationships between the parents and the children and at expanding the parents social network. In addition, the resource-person provides a link between the school and the parents by informing the parents about what happens in school, and the school about the home, so that all players are working in tandem. The teachers receive the training and support necessary to manage their classroom and to establish strategies for the children in difficulty. The training is given by the school resource-person or the CSSS.

Part 2 Family: Help offered to the parents of children deemed at risk

Part 3 Teacher: Support for teachers who have children in difficulty in their class

Grade 1: Fourteen workshops that begin where the preschool program left off. The aim of the program is to teach pro-social skills, self-control behaviors and problem-solving strategies. It may be offered to children who were in the preschool program and those who were not. Grades 2 and 3: The eight proposed workshops touch on pro-social skills, emotional management, sensitivity to others and conflict management. They are also aimed at consolidating the skills already acquired in kindergarten and Grade 1, are given by a teacher, and are offered to the whole class. Grades 4, 5 and 6: Ten workshops that build on the preceding programs. They cover communication and affirmation skills, emotional management (anger, anxiety) and interpersonal-problem management. In some cases, it is recommended that the teacher prepare the workshops with the school resource-person (psychoeducator, psychologist, social worker) or that the two co-direct the workshop.

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

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8) Steps:
I. II. III. IV. The teaching staff receives training. The teacher and the professional direct the workshops of one of the programs chosen. A letter is sent to parents to promote the continuation of learning at home. In some cases, the professional goes to the home.

9) Activities/Actions:
Basic principles of the workshops: o o o Offer children with social-adaptation skills as peer models for the children at risk by putting them in the same sub-group Help the students practice the social-adaptation skills learned through the Fluppy story Encourage the children to continue to use their acquired skills in their day-to-day life

Individualized intervention Continued practice of the acquired skills at home Meetings with the parents of children at risk

10) Resources Required:

Human resources: o o o Teacher Psychoeducator, psychologist, social worker, special educator Funds for training and materials (Consult the CPQ website for details [in French only].)

Financial resources:

11)

Roles of the Participants:

The teachers: o o o o o direct the workshops and take charge of a sub-group; send a message to parents at the end of each module to indicate which socialadaptation skill has been worked on in class; make suggestions to parents about how to continue the classroom learning at home. participate in the workshops; ask questions and work together to attempt to find solutions to the socialrelationship problems presented by the puppets. participates in providing help to the parents of the children in difficulty, through home visits and teacher support; co-directs workshops with the teacher; gives the teacher-training sessions and supervises the teachers;

The children:

The school professional or the CSSS resource-person: o o o

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

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creates a link between the school and the family by informing the parents about what is happening in school. take part in the activities and meetings.

The parents: o

12) Scientific Basis or Validity:

The program stems from research by Richard E. Tremblay and is the subject of a longitudinal study with aggressive boys from underprivileged areas of Montral. These children, who are now in their twenties, have been followed since 1984 by researchers from the Groupe de recherche sur linadaptation psychosociale chez lenfant (GRIP) at Universit de Montral. o This study shows that in the short term, the students improve their social adaptation skills, are less aggressive, and have fewer difficulties in school. In the medium term, positive results have been posted for the period preceding adolescence (i.e. reduced alcohol and drug use and delinquent behaviors). In the longer term, during adolescence, the children who participated in the program are less prone to socialize with delinquent children and to drop out of school. The parents report that the intervention carried out helped them in their supervisory role.

The program was established in 1990 and is still in use today in several schools. Evaluation of Fluppy has been ongoing since 2002. A series of conferences to publicize the results of this study will be held throughout 2010.

13) Program Material:

Project presentation: http://www.centrepsed.qc.ca/ [in French only] Training given by the Centre de psycho-ducation du Qubec (CPRQ)

14) Additional Information:

The Qubec Public Health Program recognizes Fluppy as a promising reducing behavioral problems Several conditions are necessary for the success of this program: o o o o o o o support by the school board and its staff, cooperation and sharing of certain responsibilities with the health network; release of school personnel for training and annual training update; carrying out of the Child and Family components by the same professional simultaneously; start of the workshops no later than mid-October, at the required frequency of twoweek intervals; parent interest in participating in the program; allocation of sufficient time to carry out the program (i.e. moral commitment from the CSSS and the school to offer the program for a period of at least three years); mobilization of the participating schools and of teacher interest. program for

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

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The information contained in this factsheet was taken in whole or in part from the following: o o o http://www.centrepsed.qc.ca/; http://www.innovons.qc.ca/documents/J-2-10_Nore-C.pdf ; http://www.mels.gouv.qc.ca/dgfj/csc/pdf/pmvol2no1.pdf .

15) Contacts:
Centre de Psycho-ducation du Qubec (CPQ) CP 6128, succursale Centre-ville (pavillon 3050) Montral (Qubec) H3C 3J7 Tel.: (514) 343-6981 Email: gripcpeg@grip.umontreal.ca

This factsheet was taken from the following website: http://rire.ctreq.qc.ca/.

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