Parenting is critical in supporting and shaping children’s developmental outcomes. Parenting programs and resources help to support caregivers’ own growth and well-being as well. The importance of parenting is documented in a large body of research detailing how parenting of children, particularly that which is safe and nurturing, is related to subsequent cognitive, behavioral and socioemotional development, and directly influences how caregivers interact with other major socializing forces to promote children’s optimal development. Family strengthening approaches such as parenting skills training and other parenting development interventions often address both risk and protective factors to mitigate child abuse and neglect as well as separation of children and institutionalization. Parenting resources such as aim to build protective factors. This Framework for Disability Mainstreaming in Parenting Resources is a tool to help organizations and practitioners to review existing parenting resources in terms of information and content gaps, limitations of instructional guidance, and at-home activities. The aim of the framework is to ensure parenting resources are inclusive of the needs of parents of children with disabilities ages 0 to 17 years. The review framework aims to help users to review parenting resources for the following:
- Program Delivery: What if any requirements/qualifications/beliefs are important for the individual implementing the resource?
- Representation of people with disabilities: Are there illustrations, visuals or other content that represent people and children with disabilities?
- Knowledge of developmental delays and disabilities: Does the resource provide information on child development and developmental delays?
- Addressing misconceptions, cultural practices and beliefs: Does the resource address common misconceptions and stigma faced by persons with disabilities in communities?
This document is included as part of the Toolkit for Disability Inclusion in Care Reform produced by Changing the Way We Care. The toolkit represents a collection of work developed from the experience of many practitioners and aims to increase the capacity and confidence of those working in the fields of children’s care, child protection and family strengthening to mainstream disability through every step by using improvements to systems, practices, skills and attitudes.
