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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State of Africa’s Fathers 2015

Sonke Gender Justice, 17 Jun 2015

This report from Sonke Gender Justice is an adaptation of the global State of the World’s Fathers report, produced by Mencare. The report highlights the research and findings from the State of the World’s Fathers report that are specific to Africa.

State of the World’s Fathers 2015

MenCare Campaign, 16 Jun 2015

The first-ever State of the World's Fathers report, produced by MenCare, a global fatherhood campaign, provides a periodic, data-driven snapshot of the state of men's contributions to parenting and caregiving globally.

Promoting Education for Vulnerable Children by Supporting Families: A Holistic Intervention in Uganda

Stephanie Simmons Zuilkowski & Inbal Alon - Journal of Social Service Research, 11 Jun 2015

This article reports on the Western Uganda Bantwana Program, which worked with more than 1,000 HIV/AIDS-affected families with the goals of improving socioeconomic status, psychosocial functioning, and educational participation.

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"Being a Father:" A State of the World's Fathers Film

MenCare Campaign, 10 Jun 2015

This video was launched alongside the first ever “State of the World’s Fathers” report, produced by the MenCare Campaign. The video features interviews with fathers, mothers, and children.

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Jumping Hurdles: the myriad of issues and barriers for incarcerated mothers to regain custody of children

Una Stone, Marg Liddell, and Marietta Martinovic - Justice Policy Journal, Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice 2015, 08 Jun 2015

This paper describes the myriad of issues and barriers that Australian mothers face on exiting prison in their attempts to regain parental responsibility of their children.

Connecting Trauma and Health for Mothers in the Child Welfare System

Ana Rocío Escobar-Chew, Marsha Carolan & Kathleen Burns-Jager - Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, 05 Jun 2015

This qualitative study focused on disadvantaged women in the US child welfare system who have lost their parental rights.

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In Their Own Voices: The Hopes and Struggles of Responsible Fatherhood Program Participants in the Parents and Children Together Evaluation

Pamela Holcomb, Kathryn Edin, Jeffrey Max, Alford Young, Jr., Angela Valdovinos D’Angelo, Daniel Friend, Elizabeth Clary, Waldo E. Johnson, Jr. - Mathematica Policy Research, OPRE, PACT, 01 Jun 2015

This report describes themes and findings from the first round of in-depth interviews conducted as part of a qualitative study on the views and experiences of fathers who voluntarily enroll and participate in Responsible Fatherhood (RF) programs in the US.

Family support for families at risk

Pat Dolan - Innocenti’s Expert Consultation on Family and Parenting Support, 27 May 2015

This presentation from Innocenti’s Expert Consultation on Family and Parenting Support focuses on informal supports for families and on incorporating research into practice.

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Family Support and Alternative Care Tallinn Expert Meeting Report 2015

Council of the Baltic Sea States, Estonian Presidency 2014-2015, Sotsiaalministeerium, 06 May 2015

This report provides an overview of the two-day expert meeting on alternative care and family support in the Baltic Sea Region that took place in Tallinn, Estonia in May 2015.

Tallinn Recommendations and Action Plan on Alternative Care and Family Support for the Baltic Sea Region 2015 - 2020

Republic of Estonia Ministry of Social Affairs, Council of the Baltic Sea States, Estonian Presidency 2014-2015, 06 May 2015

Government representatives, experts and professionals from the Baltic Sea Region including Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, the Russian Federation, Sweden and wider Europe gathered at a two-day expert meeting in Tallinn, Estonia and, together, endorsed a set of recommendations and action plan on alternative care and family support on 6 May 2015.