FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION FLE

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FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION (FLE)

• INTRODUCTION
• Lecturer Joan Meade
• September 2006

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The Family

• Social unit characterised by
• Common residence
• Economic cooperation
• Reproduction
• It includes adults of both sexes, at least two
  of whom maintain a socially approved sexual
  relationship, and one or more children, own or
  adopted, of the sexually related couple.

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The Family (contd.)

• Social arrangement based on marriage and the
  marriage contract including rights and duties of
  parenthood, common residence, reciprocal economic
  obligations
• Two or more people related by blood, marriage or
  adoption. They share emotions and
  responsibilities, eat from the same pot, they
  interrelate with each other and share the same
  culture.

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Types of Family

• Nuclear or elementary family consisting of man
  and woman in union and their immature children.
  This can take the form where one of the parents
  is absent from the domestic unit.
• Extended larger grouping in which people are
  related by descent, marriage or adoption. There
  can be vertical extension, several generations
  living together, or horizontal extension where a
  number of siblings and their spouses and children
  live together.

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Types of Union

• Legal marriage
• Common-law
• Visiting

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Functions of Family

• Procreation
• Socialisation
• Provision of basic needs
• Transmission of culture
• Conferring status
• Prevention of incest by regulating kinship
  relationships

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Roles

• Assigned roles depend on culture and social
  setting.
• Parents providing for physical, psychological,
  social and spiritual needs
• Children doing chores, helping siblings, caring
  for personal belongings, obedience and
  responsible behaviour, appreciation of other
  family members

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Family provides for

• Security
• Love
• Belongingness
• Self esteem

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Factors Affecting Family Relationships

• Positive influences
• Sharing interests
• Sharing tasks
• Sharing love and understanding
• Consideration for each other
• Joint decision-making and problem solving

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Factors Affecting Family Relationships

• Negative Influences
• Parent and sibling quarrels
• Inconsistent discipline
• Destructive criticism
• Under or over protectiveness
• Setting unrealistic standards
• Laying blame
• Lack of respect
• Abuse

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Crises in the Family

• Violence
• Abuse
• Physical
• Emotional
• Sexual incest, rape
• Divorce
• Death

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Family Life Education (FLE) Definition

• Continuous process preparing individuals to
  understand and cope with selves and others as
  well integrated persons in changing society
• Consists of guided learning experiences for
  development of attitudes and skills for daily
  living, responsible citizenship and establishment
  and maintenance of healthy family

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Relevance of FLE

• Family is critical social unit
• Family health important for social stability and
  national development
• Self aware and socially adjusted person able to
• - Contribute to society and national
• goals
• - Preserve traditions, institutions
• environment

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Relevance of FLE (Contd.)

• Citizens therefore need to know about
• - family roles responsibilities,
• - maintenance importance of family
• health for personal wellbeing
• - role of individual in family health
• FLE should encompass the lifespan reaching young
  persons in school, out of school and adults

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Health And Family Life Education (HFLE)

• More inclusive term in light of changing needs of
  the Caribbean
• Reflects link between health and development
• Emphasizes that the choices young people make
  will impact their quality of life thereafter

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HFLE Definition

• Comprehensive life skills based programme to
• - Empower young people to become
• productive, contributing adults
• - Promote understanding of
• principles underlying personal and
• social wellbeing

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HFLE Definition (Contd.)

• Develop knowledge, attitudes and skills for
  healthy social and family life
• Develop awareness that choices in youth
  profoundly influence health and wellbeing into
  adulthood

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The Ideal Caribbean Person

• Respects human life
• Is emotionally secure
• Sees diversity as strength and richness
• Harmonizes with environment
• Is morally strong
• Has multiple literacies

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Ideal Caribbean Person (Contd.)

• Is a critical thinker
• Is a problem solver
• Has positive work ethic
• Has creative imagination
• Embraces gender differences and similarities

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Some Features Of HFLE

• Holistic approach
• Addresses knowledge, attitudes and behaviour
• Themes
• Participatory methods
• Life skills
• Draws on life experiences
• Develops ability to transfer learned skills to
  real life situations
• Multisectoral approach

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Knowledge

• Provision of facts information
• Promotion of understanding
• Development/modification of beliefs
• Development of decision making competence

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Attitudes

• Exploration and clarification of values
• Development of approved values
• Changing of undesirable values and attitudes

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Behaviour

• Development of skills and routines

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Themes

• Appropriate eating and fitness
• Human sexuality sexual health
• Personal and social skills
• Managing the environment

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Life Skills (WHO)

• Abilities for positive and adaptive behaviour
• Decision making problem solving
• Creative thinking critical thinking
• Effective communication interpersonal
  relationships
• Self awareness empathy
• Coping with emotions coping with stress

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Life Skills (Additional)

• Negotiation skills
• Refusal skills
• Assertiveness skills
• Healthy self management or monitoring skills

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Theories Supporting Life Skills

• Child adolescent development theory
• Constructivist theory
• Social learning theory
• Problem-behaviour theory
• Social influence theory
• Cognitive problem solving
• Multiple intelligencies
• Resiliency theory

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Research Supporting Life Skills Approach

• Few approaches are as effective in prevention
  programmes
• Teaching life skills fosters social adjustment
• Effective life skills programmes impact multiple
  behaviours

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Research Supporting Life Skills Approach (Contd.)

• In late childhood to early adolescence builds
  skills and positive habits
• Skills competencies important in developing
  sense of self as autonomous being
• Specific skills create resilient young people

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Research Supporting Life Skills Approach (Contd.)

• Life skills programmes address mediating factors
  that can be influenced to promote health and
  well-being
• Effective pregnancy prevention programmes include
  life skills and a variety of teaching methods

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Methodology To Achieve Behavioural Outcomes

• Participatory methodology
• - Brainstorming
• - Role play
• - Case studies
• - Debates
• - Surveys
• - Field trips
• - Music
• - Drama

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Role Of The Educator

• Implementer of HFLE
• Health promoter
• Innovator
• Motivator
• Link between home, school, community
• Change agent

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Role Of The Educator (Contd.)

• Advocate
• Counsellor
• Mentor
• Researcher
• Needs assessor
• Programme planner