Parenting Support

Families will require support when faced with problems they are unable to overcome on their own. Ideally support should come from existing networks, such as extended family, religious leaders, and neighbours. Where such support is not available or sufficient, additional family and community services are required. Such services are particularly important for kinship, foster and adoptive caretakers, and child headed households in order to prevent separation and address abuse and exploitation of children. It is also vital for children affected by HIV/AIDS and armed conflict, and those children living on the street.

Parenting support services are typically provided by social and community paraprofessionals. They focus on the individual needs of a child or family, in order to address and overcome issues which may lead to family separation or harm to the child. Such services should be provided within the context of case planning, beginning with an assessment of the child and family situation. By assessing the need first, an appropriate set of services can be offered, such as day care provision, parenting support, household economic strengthening, or psychosocial referral.

Day care services are particularly important for caretakers who are overwhelmed as a result of ill health, cannot provide adaquate care because they need to work, or who are isolated within the community. It provides an excellent opportunity for children to socialise with others, and can offer additional protection and education.

Parenting support provides caretakers with an opportunity to talk about their difficulties, and learn additional techniques for meeting their child’s developmental and relationship needs. It can enable caretakers to cope with behavioural problems, and address abusive parenting techniques, thereby reducing the need for family separation and improving the incidence of successful family reunification.

The literature in this section contains information on family support programmes for vulnerable children, including day care and parenting support.

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Country Care Review: El Salvador

Better Care Network, 01 Oct 2019

This country care review includes the care related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as part of its examination of El Salvador's initial reports, as well as other care-related concluding observations, ratification dates, and links to the Universal Periodic Review and Hague Intercountry Adoption Country Profile.

Country Care Review: Albania

Better Care Network , 25 Sep 2019

This country care review includes the Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Committees' recommendations on the issue of Family Environment and Alternative Care, and other care relevant issues, are highlighted.

Family Resource Center System Development Funder Continuum

National Family Support Network, 24 Sep 2019

This guide from the National Family Support Network provides a brief outline of suggested steps for funders to invest in Family Resource Centers, including resources from the National Family Support Network for each step.

Country Care Review: Kuwait

Better Care Network, 20 Sep 2019

Country Care Review: Greece

Better Care Network , 19 Sep 2019

This country care review includes the Concluding Observations for the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities adopted as part of the Committees' examinations of Greece’s reports, as well as other care-related concluding observations, ratification dates, and links to the Universal Periodic Review and Hague Intercountry Adoption Country Profile.

Children and Families at Risk and Need for Integrated Childcare and Support Centres

Murli Desai - Rights-based Integrated Child Protection Service Delivery Systems, 18 Sep 2019

The aim of this module from the book Rights-based Integrated Child Protection Service Delivery Systems is to learn about children and families at risk and the need for rights-based Integrated Child Care and Support Centres.

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The Benefits of a Cluster Approach to Supporting Foster Families

Better Care Network, 12 Sep 2019

In this video Children in Families social workers share their experience of using a cluster model to enhance the social support available to foster carers in Cambodia whilst reducing the demands placed on organisational resources.

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Cambodian Practitioner Learning Video Series

Better Care Network, 12 Sep 2019

Comprised of 12 videos and accompanying discussion guides, this video series features the learning from practitioners working across a range of care-related programs and practices in Cambodia.

Disability Inclusion in Family-Based Care: Part Two

Better Care Network, 12 Sep 2019

In this video, Children in Families ABLE project practitioners speak to their experience and learning around recruiting foster families to care for children with disabilities, including the types of families to target and how to use role-modeling to address issues of stigma in the community.

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Preventing and Responding to Child Abandonment at Hospitals

Better Care Network, 12 Sep 2019

This video shares insights from Angkor Hospital for Children on how to conduct family tracing in the event abandonment has already occurred, including identifying leads and key sources of information.

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