ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on measures that affect the capacity of families to function as supportive environments for children. A strong family can be a stable, nurturing environment that is flexible enough to adapt to changing circumstances and to buffer children from inappropriate stress during their years of growth and dependence. Although there has been a trend towards smaller family units, extended family continues to serve as a survival strategy in many urban areas. The most vulnerable children have been identified as those from families that are socially isolated and separated from traditional patterns of child rearing, or from households that include stepfathers or other unrelated males. The most dramatic evidence of family failure is the presence of children living by their wits on the streets of the world's cities. A goal in any community could be to establish a centre for family development and support, which could serve a number of functions.
