External evaluation of the programme "Conecta con tus hijos e hijas"

The “Connecta amb els teus fills i filles” programme (Connect with your sons and daughters) is the flagship family prevention programme of the Sub-directorate General for Drug Addiction of the Generalitat de Catalunya; it was launched in 2005 and is currently managed by Fundación Salud y Comunidad (FSC).

The programme is an educational tool to help resolve the doubts, fears and insecurities that parents experience regarding the important task of “connecting” with their sons and daughters in order to raise them and live together in situations that may involve risks, such as drug use, technology abuse or other behavioural addictions. The programme is delivered through schools and pupils’ family associations, and consists of 2 or 3 sessions depending on the age group (primary or secondary).

This project, financed with European funds (Next Generation EU) through the Spanish Government’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, aims to evaluate the process and outcomes of the “Connecta amb els teus fills i filles” programme for the universal prevention of drug use and other risk behaviours, aimed at parents in Catalonia with children aged between 6 and 16. Its objectives include dispelling mistaken beliefs about drug use, strengthening positive parenting skills and preventing risk behaviours related to substance use. In 2022/23, if it proves effective, the aim is to promote its translation and larger-scale implementation in other Autonomous Communities and to have it included in the Good Practices portal of the National Plan on Drugs (PNSD). The evaluation will be carried out by a specialised team from the University of Manresa-Uvic-UCC.