Best Practices for Parent Education and Support Programs WHAT WORKS, WISCONSIN – RESEARCH TO PRACTICE SERIES Issue #10, August 2010 BY ANNE SAMUELSON University of Wisconsin–Madison and University of Wisconsin– Extension “Parent education Why parent education? strengthens families by Research strongly links both risk and protective factors providing relevant, effective for children and adolescents to the family environment.[1] education and support and Since parenting, in particular, shapes the quality of a encouraging an optimal child’s development, parent education can be environment for the healthy instrumental in supporting children’s developmental growth and development of outcomes and parents’ well-being. [1,2,3,4] The National parents/caregivers and Parenting Education Network (NPEN) describes the goal children.” of parent education as “strengthening families by - National Parenting providing relevant, effective education and support and Education Network encouraging an optimal environment for the healthy (NPEN) growth and development of parents/caregivers and children.” [5] Effective parent education programs have been linked with decreased rates of child abuse and neglect, better physical, cognitive and emotional development in children, increased parental knowledge of child development and parenting skills, improved parent-child communication, reduced youth substance abuse, and more effective parental monitoring and discipline. [2,3,6] What is effective parent education? For example, these programs may have Effective parent education programs come in curricula that educate parents about how to many forms and can be found in many decrease harsh and inconsistent parenting or try locations. Some effective parent education to make families less socially isolated. Though programs are universal - designed for any most successful programs are flexible and parent - while others are targeted to a specific responsive to participant’s expressed needs, population’s needs. Parent education can be programs need not reinvent the wheel. home-based, group-based, or even provided Evidence-based parent education programs through newsletters or community services. whose curricula or programs can be purchased Given the reported success of a wide variety of and/or replicated are available. (See the Parent parent education programs, determining the Education Curricula and Evaluation Resources box best practices in parent education is a challenge. at the end of this paper for links to several lists.) Though more experimental studies are needed Despite the availability of strong evidence- to better understand the necessary elements of based parent education programs, many parent education programs, reviewing well- communities continue to use popular but evaluated or evidence-based programs can untested programs. [1,6] To maximize program illuminate many components of effective parent effectiveness, following a tested and proven education programs. Evaluations of effective program design with fidelity is essential, parent education programs typically describe because changing pieces of a curriculum can population characteristics and assess program change the effect of a program. For instance, features and processes. [7] The best practices condensing an evidence-based program to a from these evaluations can be used to better shorter time period or providing all the course understand and replicate successful programs. materials at once in a mailing rather than at each class session as recommended is likely to Program Characteristics undermine the effectiveness of a program. If an evidence-based parent education curriculum or Content and Curriculum program can be found that closely matches a community’s needs, educators can implement The literature on parenting education suggests the program with fidelity while additionally that the most effective programs maintain a listening for and responding to unique clear and consistent focus on parenting skills participant needs. and developmental information. [7] Such Program Timing programs work to strengthen family level The earlier in a family’s development a program protective factors through emphasizing family is delivered, the greater the chance it will be strengths such as spending time together and by effective. Programs that work with parents of building parents’ skills in monitoring, young children can help families avoid the later communication and showing affection. [1,3,8,9] development of negative behaviors and set the Programs that aim to reduce family level risk stage for positive parent-child relationships in factors have also been shown to be effective. the future. [1,10] Programs targeted at different [1,10] stages of family development, however, can also be efficacious. Programs that reach families during transitional times, such as birth and the first year of a child’s life, beginning school or Best Practices for Parent Education and Support Programs 2 What Works, Wisconsin – 10 the onset of puberty, are especially effective Many effective programs also include both since parents are interested in acquiring the parents and children. [8,10] Programs for developmental knowledge necessary to deal parents with young children may simply with the “next step” in parenting. [8,9,10] provide quality childcare while parents meet or Clustering parent education programs around offer opportunities for parents to practice new these transitions, developmental stages or skills with their children, but programs serving special needs of a child is powerful, because families with older children may benefit from parents with children at the same stages have involving children and teens in the program. A similar experiences. [1,9] For instance, parents parent and child centered program may have with toddlers are likely to be excited and separate groups for parents and children that exasperated by communicating with their meet at the same time or have a parent increasingly verbal child; while parents of discussion group proceeded or followed by an teenagers may be struggling with establishing activity for parents and children to do together. rules regarding how much time their teens spend with friends. Program Delivery Characteristics of Effective Parent While there are many ways to deliver parent Education Programs education, perhaps the two most common forms are group-based parent education Focus on child development and programs and home-based parent education parenting skills programs. Both group-based and home-based Reach families during times of parent education program delivery methods transition have been shown to improve parent and child Support the strengths of families outcomes. [7] The type of parent education Actively engage participants delivery method used depends on participant Maintain frequent and sustained contact with parents needs and program goals. For instance, home Contact families using multiple visiting programs (one-on-one parent education methods approach) typically target families at risk for Catch families before problem child maltreatment, poor health outcomes, behaviors begin and/or poor school readiness. [9] Alternatively, Have well-trained, professional staff group-based parent education programs are Hire warm, engaging and respectful often offered to a universal audience so they are staff less effective on the more problematic outcomes Connect with other community typically addressed in home-visiting programs; organizations and resources but group-based programs are often less Include parents AND children/teens expensive and have been shown to build Know population and meet parenting skills and support positive child participants’ special needs behavior. [2] Some evaluations have shown the greatest success from programs that combine delivery methods and include both group-based education and home visits. [7] Best Practices for Parent Education and Support Programs 3 What Works, Wisconsin – 10 Teaching Method Staff The active engagement of parents has been Research shows that professionals from many shown to predict the magnitude of a parent fields, including social work and nursing, have education program’s effect. [7] In other words, taught parent education with success. [3] the more actively parents are engaged in Programs staffed with professionals are more applying what they are learning, the more the effective than programs staffed by parents learn or grow from their involvement in paraprofessionals. [3,7] Home visit programs the program. Interactive approaches such as have shown stronger effects when nurses role-playing and encouraging parents to implemented the program, because program practice skills with their children are examples participants viewed the nurse as an authority of active learning and allow time for whose advice should be followed. [7] As a participants to practice their new knowledge relatively new field, parent education does not and skills. [1,10] have regulated standards for practitioner education. However, the National Parenting Program Method Education Network’s (NPEN) website for Additionally, frequent and sustained contact professional development lists several degrees with parents has been shown to be important to and certifications available to professionals successful programs. [7,9] Unfortunately, little wishing to hone their parent education skills information exists on precisely how often and and knowledge. Given the importance of staff for how long programs should meet. It is to the success of parent education