Strengths/Needs-Based Support for Children, Youth & Families

Marty Beyer coined the term “strengths/needs-based” to bring attention to the importance of purposely designing services to meet children’s and teenager’s needs and build on strengths. Building on child and family strengths is the foundation for positive change. Services and supports are much more effective when they are specifically designed to meet the unique needs behind the behavior of a child or teenager.

This website includes an overview of strengths/needs-based practice in:

• Adolescent Development
• Visit Coaching
• Youth Family Team Meetings

The articles Marty Beyer has written are linked to each of these strengths/needs-based approaches.

Drawings by Laura and Lindsay Knisely, Alexandra Puritz and Ellen Elmes