In 2011, the Centre for Family Therapy and Systemic Intervention (CTFIS), a body whose action is coordinated with the Regional Secretariat for Employment and Social Solidarity, through the Azores Institute for Social Development, monitored 582 children/youngsters - 487 identified situations - and 614 adults, corresponding to 345 families and 311 cases.

The CTFIS is assigned to assess the family dynamics as well as to mediate family conflicts and situations in which there are psychopathological or psychosocial difficulties. This initiative intends to promote and change behaviour patterns and attitudes by enhancing the normal growth and social development of children, couples and families.

The Centre operates in the area of child protection, more specifically in the areas of family preservation, family reunification, support to families and awareness raising, education and prevention in favour of an environment that ensures the rights of children.

The sessions with families are the main working tool of CTFIS, being an effective model to promote intervention and outline strategies.
Regarding the results of the intervention, CTFIS registered a timely response (less than 15 days) in 95.11% of cases in 2011.

All teams that make up the Centre for Family Therapy and Systemic Intervention have achieved positive results: the Family Therapy Team reached 87.5% of the proposed goals; the Family Integration Team has managed to maintain 89.67% of the identified children in a protective family environment and the life projects of 97.65% of these children have been timely defined; the compliance with the visitation schedules was registered in 88.46% of the cases monitored by the Family Reunification Team and the teams have been able to promote the relationship between the non-resident parent/significant other and the child in 38.46% of the cases.

The Centre for family therapy and Systemic intervention has mainly monitored households composed by 2-4 members 54.35%), followed by households composed by 5-7 members (32.66%).

The ages of children/youngsters monitored are between 0 and 19 years, with particular emphasis on the ages between 8 and 11 years.
With regard to family types, the most predominant are nuclear families (39.05%), followed by extended families (24.26%) and single parent families (18.04%).

Requests made to the Centre for Family Therapy and Systemic Intervention are primarily focused on the assessment of family dynamics and a possible intervention (22.44%), assessment of the well-being of children/youngsters (18.73%) and the assessment and intervention in parenting skills (18.73%).
 
It is also important to mention that the Centre for Family Therapy and Systemic Intervention has also signed cooperation agreements with the Regional Directorate for Solidarity and Social Security - Division for the Promotion of the Equality of Opportunities, the Meniños Foundation, the Directorate-General for Social Reintegration of the Ministry of Justice and the Association for the Promotion of Youth at Risk.