SPSF History & Research
A Brief History of the Development of SPSF
Weston McFarlane, Senior Technical Support Professional, was the first SPSF contributor. He wrote about raising boys and why he is also called “Dad” by three teenage boys who are not his biological children.
Some of the Strong People Strong Families (SPSF) resources are housed in the Safe Space Resource Page.
SPSF places a premium on being engaging, positive, and simply written. However, this was not its original focus.
Nine years ago, the initial emphasis was on addressing serious child abuse in all its forms and examining its effects on adult survivors, the workplace, and wider communities—an issue of particular concern to one of the directors. Over time, the project expanded to include broader aspects of family life. These included individuals who were not abused but experienced ongoing anxieties, as well as children who were overindulged and, as adults, might lack the resilience required to manage life’s major challenges.
At the same time, SPSF began to focus on developing the brilliance of adults, teenagers, and children—however that brilliance may manifest itself, whether in leadership, innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship, sports, or academia. However, to help guarantee a sustainable future, SPSF maintains that true brilliance also includes the ability to think critically and logically when circumstances require it (see also the definition of “strong” below).
From the beginning of the project, valuable guidance was provided by Dr. Ludlow Burke, MBBS (London), MRCP (Edinburgh), DCH (England), M.A.C.P., who also completed a diploma in Child Health in England. A vital advisor to SPSF, he is of blessed memory.
Dr. Ludlow Burke offered advice from the beginning of the project.
Anganie Sookoo, Business Executive and our first female contributor, shared how she was raising her young son to love learning and to be physically and emotionally strong.
Definitions of 'Strong' and 'Family'
The term “strong”, as used by SPSF, has a dual meaning.
First, it refers to appropriate levels of resilience and the ability to take constructive action, the degree of which depends on context and circumstances. For example, children or adults who are bullied may be considered “strong” if they learn to seek help to resolve or allay their difficulties.
This proactive stance leads to the second meaning of the term, which encompasses critical and forward-thinking behaviour that promotes the wellbeing of both the individual and the community.
Looking ahead to 2050, improvements in quality of life may enhance wellbeing globally. However, based in part on potential misapplications of emerging technologies, there is also a strong likelihood that families across all income levels will only thrive in communities where a significant proportion of the adult population is capable of critical thinking.
Dr. Annmarie Edwards wrote about a technique she used to help her children develop discipline and resilience. Her daughter in the photo, now Dr. Tristi Edwards-Whyte, raises awareness of conditions that disproportionately affect darker-skinned individuals. Her research, conducted with two collaborators, highlights a nail change that may be an early sign of melanoma in people of colour. In many cases, the condition is diagnosed at an advanced stage, leading to poor prognosis.
The term “family” has a legal definition that varies across jurisdictions. Generally, laws define family as including genetic relationships, marriage, and adoption, and in some countries, unmarried partnerships.
However, because legal definitions do not fully capture personal realities, SPSF allows individuals to determine the members of their “real” family.
The Intention of the Project and Its Principles
The intention of SPSF is to strengthen self-leadership in order to support high-quality family leadership. It aims to prepare adults for effective family leadership roles and to enhance the capabilities of those who are already leading families.
In this context, SPSF seeks to inspire discussions and debates on effective family leadership across all sectors of society, guided by the following principles:
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Too many adults, teenagers, and children are not reaching their potential.
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Adults often require guidance in relationships, health, and leadership in order to become effective “leaders of self” before leading others.
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The constructive attitudes and abilities of young family members can be significantly developed through informed family leadership.
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A lifelong learning orientation is essential, as no institution can provide all the knowledge required to navigate life and careers successfully.
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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) affect children physically, emotionally, and mentally, often with lifelong consequences.
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Adverse Adult Experiences (AAEs) also affect families and should be addressed.
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Abuse in any of its five forms—physical, sexual, psychological, financial, and neglect—is unnecessary, and alternative approaches exist for resolving conflict. Excessive indulgence that undermines discipline may also be considered harmful by some professionals.
Phases 1 and 2
Phase 1 of SPSF produced easy-to-read illustrated e-books, guidebooks, and stories addressing key themes relevant to individuals, families, educators, and helping professionals. While grounded in scholarly research, the focus is on practical, actionable strategies rather than academic exposition. The goal is to stimulate meaningful discussions on family leadership.
Phase 2 is the offering of free and subsidized courses in addition to video development.
Donnel Rolle, MSc., Nurse Manager, contributed a sensitive and insightful piece explaining why some women may struggle to bond with their children, emphasizing the importance of patience, understanding, and support.
Chinwendu Agu, MSc., Nurse Lecturer, explored how children are cared for within communities in Nigeria. Her expertise includes midwifery, clinical research, and ophthalmic nursing.
Chris Maher shares why her extended Irish family is so loving and supportive of each other.
Synopsis of Phase 1 of the Research
The Phase 1 research sought to identify parenting themes of relevance to parents, health professionals, and helping professionals.
To address this, input was obtained primarily through semi-structured interviews conducted over three and a half years with a random sample of 202 participants (117 women and 85 men). Most participants were from the English-speaking Caribbean, North America, and the United Kingdom, with others from Australia, Burkina Faso, China, and Nigeria.
Participants included helping professionals, educators, scientists, artists, business people, military personnel, farmers, taxi drivers, and housekeepers.
A qualitative research design was used. Although the initial target was over 300 participants, this proved unfeasible without funding.
Unstructured interviews were conducted in settings unsuitable for formal interviews. Themes emerging from participant input were then examined through a literature review, incorporating insights from educators, psychologists, sociologists, and medical professionals.
The findings revealed a widespread perception that society does not adequately prepare individuals to become effective partners or parents. This gap was associated with issues such as emotional emptiness, antisocial behaviour, and difficulties in leadership within families.
Another concern was that the overcorrection of strict parenting styles may have contributed to reduced resilience, reflected in increasing levels of anxiety and depression among young people.
Participants also emphasized that effective family leadership requires not only logic and reasoning but also reflective and creative thinking. As a result, SPSF concluded that fictional storytelling should be included as a tool to evoke both intellectual and emotional engagement.
The research further indicated that resources should be sufficiently informative but not overly text-heavy, encouraging readers to seek additional knowledge. Visual elements were also emphasized, as images communicate meaning effectively.
Participants with relevant expertise were invited to contribute to SPSF materials. These contributors bring diverse experiences and strong critical thinking abilities, enhancing the quality and relevance of the content.
SPSF believes that these contributions have supported the positive reception of its materials, although broader feedback is needed for firm conclusions.
Ethical considerations were paramount. Children were not interviewed, to protect their privacy and wellbeing. Interactions with adults who had experienced difficult childhoods were conducted with sensitivity and empathy.
Joseph 'Uncle Jolly' Stultz, taxi driver for over four decades, shares his observations of family behaviour when family members drive in his taxi, and makes suggestions to SPSF to help ensure healthy interactions between family members, as he does with his own family.
Edmarine Lowe-Ching, Management Consultant and Demographer, with her children, Stephen and Stephanie. Stephen is a pilot and Stephanie is a medical doctor who works in New York City.
Limitations
Any limitations in research design or analysis are attributable solely to the researcher and not to any participant or institution.
The sample size was relatively small and not fully representative across demographic variables such as socioeconomic status, gender, age, or ethnicity. While the inclusion of multiple nationalities enriched the research, it also limits the extent to which findings can be generalized to specific populations.
The content does not attempt to comprehensively address all aspects of family life, as doing so would require extensive and potentially voluminous resources. SPSF recognizes that family leadership is situational rather than formulaic.
Additionally, family leadership is only one of many factors influencing child development. Genetic influences, culture, and subculture also play significant roles.
This research was not intended as a definitive assessment but as a guide to developing practical and relevant resources.
Accordingly, SPSF does not claim to be a complete authority on family wellbeing. Definitions and experiences of family life vary widely across contexts and cultures.
To address these limitations, helping professionals are encouraged to adapt the material to suit their specific environments, simplifying or expanding content as needed.
Many of our contributions came from persons who chose to be anonymous, particularly when discussing sensitive topics.
Acknowledgements
SPSF is grateful to our over 200 Voluntary participants who guided us on the most useful and interesting content. Great practical wisdom exists in almost all communities, and this resource documents a portion of that wisdom for the benefit of the greater community. The books, ‘built by communities’, also imbue the team spirit that is the core value of SPSF.
We also owe an enduring debt of gratitude to our Patron, Trustees and Advisors.
"One of the most important things for the extraordinary development of a child is to have parents who are passionate about doing something - it could be playing football, playing chess, business, carpentry, swimming, art - virtually anything. I am not saying that there are not other factors to consider - but I see this all of the time - children whose parents are passionate about something have a kick start in life." Dr. Hillary Westmeier.
Recommended Reading (Note that these resources are not scholarly research articles, but 'reader-friendly' resources)
Children facing Pre-traumatic Stress
Violent Music Increases Aggression
Making Children Smarter: Ways Backed by Science