Exploring Risk and Protective Factors of Substance Abuse in the Family

Course description

By all accounts, both nationally and internationally, the family has been identified as a relational factor in substance abuse. Although substance abuse is widely taught and addressed in various disciplines
such as health, education, and social services very few interventions and training opportunities consider the family as a central relational context for both the emergence and prevention of substance misuse. Families play a dual role: they can serve as risk environments (through conflict, trauma, substance availability, neglect, or intergenerational substance use), or they can function as protective buffers, offering stability, emotional support, values, and resilience against high-risk behaviours.
Currently, there is a gap in training that addresses how everyday actors such as caregivers, educators, health workers, and faith-based leaders can identify and respond to these risk and protective dynamics within families. By situating substance abuse prevention and response within the context of family relationships, this course promotes early identification, family-strengthening interventions, and multi-sectoral collaboration, which are all essential to reducing substance abuse and its long-term effects across generations.

This short course uses the knowledge base of substance abuse and applies it within the context of the family in order to understand and respond to the protective and risk roles the family plays in relation to substance abuse.

Course details

Week 1: Introduction to Substance Abuse in the Family
• Quizzes: Multiple-choice and true/false questions to assess understanding of basic concepts and impacts of substance abuse.
• Reflections: Short journal prompts on participants’ observations of substance abuse in families.
• Discussion: Share examples of family situations affected by substance use.

Week 2: Risk Factors in the Family
• Scenario-Based Activities: Identify and analyze family-based risk factors for substance abuse.
• Matching Exercises: Link specific risk factors to real-life examples.
• Mini Quizzes: Test understanding of how risk factors affect children and families.

Week 3: Protective Factors in the Family
• Reflections: Identify protective factors that help families resist substance abuse.
• Scenario-Based Quizzes: Apply knowledge to examples of families with protective factors.
• Discussion: Share strategies to strengthen family resilience.

Week 4: Integrating Risk and Protective Factors + Assessment Prep
• Application Activities: Scenario-based exercises to practice supporting families at risk.
• Reflections: Identify actionable strategies to strengthen protective factors.
• Summative Assessment: Case study analysis and reflective journal to demonstrate understanding and application of course content.

Statement of purpose

The purpose of this short course is to provide participants with a focused, accessible, and practical
learning experience that explores the critical role of the family in relation to substance abuse.
Drawing on own local doctoral study, and both national and international research, the course equips participants with the knowledge and tools to identify, understand, and respond to the relational factors within families that contribute to either the risk of substance misuse or serve as protective mechanisms.
The course is designed to bridge a key gap in the field of substance abuse education, which often overlooks the family system as a site of both vulnerability and resilience. By engaging participants with real-world case studies, trauma-informed approaches, and applied strategies, the course fosters a deeper understanding of how to support families more effectively - whether in homes, schools, healthcare settings, communities, or faith-based environments.

Through a flexible, asynchronous format, this course is accessible to a wide audience, including
parents, caregivers, educators, health professionals, community workers, and leaders of faith-based organisations. The ultimate goal is to equip parents and caregivers, and to strengthen the capacity of those working with families to interrupt cycles of substance abuse, promote resilience, and contribute to healthier, more supportive family systems.

Course outcomes

On completion of this course participants should be able to:
• Describe the key risk factors within family systems that contribute to substance abuse.
• Identify protective factors that promote resilience and reduce the likelihood of substance
misuse in families.
• Apply trauma-informed and ethical principles when working with families affected by
substance abuse.
• Analyze family dynamics and their impact on substance abuse prevention and intervention
efforts.
• Develop strategies to support and strengthen families in mitigating substance abuse risks.
• Identify and suggest appropriate referral pathways and support services for families dealing
with substance use challenges.

Entry level requirements

As a non-credit bearing programme, the course is open to all interested individuals and does not
require prior formal education or qualifications. This course welcomes learners with relevant
experience or prior learning, in line with UWC’s Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy.
Participants should have functional English literacy and access to a digital device with internet
connectivity to fully engage with the online course materials and activities.

To help participants succeed, we recommend that participants:

• Are comfortable reading and writing in English
• Have some general understanding of families and substance abuse (either through work,
study, or life experience)
• Can use email and basic online tools, since some session since this is an online course
• Are open to reflecting critically on family life, culture, and substance abuse in the family.

Planned course dates

24 August 2026 - 18 September 2026 (4 weeks)
Applications open 1 June 2026. Application deadline: 19 August 2026

Assessment criteria

The overall understanding of the participants will be assessed according to the following criteria:

Assessment Submission
• Completes the weekly online formative quizzes.
• Completes the end-of-course summative assessment which will include a case study analysis
and final reflection journal
• Achieves a minimum of 65% in the summative assessment to qualify for a Certificate of
Competence.
• They will obtain a Certificate of Attendance should they complete at least 80% of the online
sessions, activities and quizzes, but do not complete the summative assessment or obtain a
minimum of 65% in the summative assessment.

Assessment methods

To encourage participant engagement, the course will include online activities and weekly quizzes around key concepts of the topics as well as a final summative assessment. The formative activities will not be formally marked; instead, they are intended to help participants reflect on, and engage with the course content. Completing at least 80% of these activities will qualify participants for a Certificate of Attendance should they not complete the summative assessment.

At the end of the course, participants will complete a summative assessment, which may consist of a case study analysis and the submission of a reflective journal. A minimum of 65% is required in the summative assessment in order to obtain a Certificate of Competence.

Teaching & learning strategies

This short course is delivered online and asynchronously, allowing participants to engage with content at their own pace within a structured four-week schedule. The facilitator will set up a WhatsApp group or other online discussion forum where students will be able to support each other through the course and where they can interact and discuss various related topics and share their views on it. This will help to build a sense of a learning community for a wide range of learners. The facilitator will interact with the participants via this WhatsApp group at the beginning of each week to encourage participation and completion of tasks. The learning approach is interactive, reflective, and practice-oriented to ensure relevance and accessibility.

Key strategies include:

• Narrated presentations and short videos by the facilitators.
To introduce and explain key concepts in an accessible and engaging format.

• Guided readings and resource materials
Curated readings, infographics, and case studies that reinforce core content and broaden
understanding.

• Practical activities and case-based scenarios
Participants apply learning to real-life family situations to deepen comprehension and foster
practical insight.

• Reflective exercises
Personal reflection prompts to encourage critical thinking and the integration of new knowledge into participants’ own contexts.

• Asynchronous online delivery
Enables self-paced, flexible learning accessible across geographic and time boundaries.

• Scaffolded weekly modules
Structured to build knowledge progressively from foundational concepts to applied practice.

• Reflective practice
Encourages personal insight through guided journaling, observation, and self-assessment.

• Case-based learning
Uses real-world scenarios to analyse parenting dynamics and relational challenges

• Peer and community relevance
Focuses on contextually relevant examples that resonate with participants’ diverse
experiences.

• Summative end-of-course assessment.

Course material & equipment

All course materials will be provided online and are accessible via the course platform. These
include:
• Pre-recorded video lectures and narrated presentations by the facilitator.
• Downloadable reading packs, worksheets, and case studies
• Weekly activity guides and reflection prompts
• End-of-course assessment instructions and templates

To successfully complete the course, participants will need the following minimum equipment and
materials:
• A desktop or laptop computer, tablet, or smartphone
• Reliable internet access to stream video content and download/upload documents
• A PDF reader (e.g., Adobe Acrobat) for viewing course materials
• Word processing software (e.g., MS Word or Google Docs) to complete written tasks
• Email access for receiving updates or support (if needed)
• A quiet space for viewing videos and completing reflective exercises

Optional: Participants may benefit from having a notebook or journal for personal reflections during the course.

Modes of delivery

This short course is offered fully online through an asynchronous learning model. Although it is
advantageous for them, participants are not required to attend the two live sessions at the beginning and the last (4th) week of the course and they can access the course materials at any time, allowing for flexible and self-paced engagement.

The course is hosted on a digital learning platform and includes:
• Pre-recorded presentations and short video inputs
• Downloadable reading materials and activity sheets
• Interactive tasks and self-assessments
• A final online assessment