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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Someone that Matters: The Quality of Care in Childcare Institutions in Indonesia

Florence Martin and Tata Sudrajat, Save the Children, Indonesia Ministry of Social Affairs, UNICEF, 07 Jan 2007

Comprehensive evaluation of national responses and level of care standards for children without parental care in Indonesia.

Children Without Parental Care in the Caribbean

Patricia Lim Ah Ken, 2007

A regional assessment of responses to children outside parental care in the Caribbean. Extensive research on successful examples of alternative care. Includes recommendations and lessons learned.

Building Resilience: A Rights-Based Approach to Children and HIV/AIDS in Africa

Linda Richter and Sharmla Rama, 2007

Examines how a rights-based approach can provide a firm foundation for framing priorities and responses to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS.

Psychosocial Care and Support for Young Children and Infants in the Time of HIV and AIDS: A Resource for Programming

REPSSI, 2007

Clear programme guidance on psychosocial support, with a special focus on infants and young children. Excellent explanation of psychosocial support models.

The Challenges of El Salvador's Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, Red Solidaria

Tatiana Feitosa de Britto, International Poverty Centre, 2007

Provides analysis of the historical background and current structure of El Salvador's conditional cash transfer programme with attention to family integration

Cash Transfers: Real Benefit for Children Affected by AIDS

Interagency Task Team (IATT) on Children and HIV and AIDS: Working Group on Social Protection, 2007

A 4-page advocacy document outlining the potential benefit of cash transfers in the context of children and AIDS.

Enhanced Protection for Children Affected by AIDS: A Companion Paper to The OVC Framework

UNICEF, 31 Dec 2006

Outlines how to strengthen social protection, legal protection, and alternative care for children at country level. Contains specific actions that governments and NGO's can take to decrease the vulnerability of children affected by AIDS and respond to instances of abuse, exploitation and neglect.

Conditional Cash Transfers: An Annotated Bibliography

Andrea Schapper, International Labour Organization, 02 Jan 2006

This document contains a bibliography global conditional cash transfer documents.

A Study of Integrated Interventions for Children Made Vulnerable by HIV/AIDS in Haiti: A Case Study of La Maison l'Arc-en-Ciel

Mark Louden, 2006

Examines a community-based care program for children living with HIV in Haiti called Arc-en-Ciel. Includes an overview of services provided (residential care, home based care, and community mobilization) and lessons learned.

Review of Save the Children's New Beginnings for Children Affected by Armed Conflict and Violence Program in Sri Lanka

John Williamson and Malia Robinson, 2006

An evaluation of a programme in Sri Lanka that aimed to resettle and reintegrate children affected by armed conflict, prevent and respond to child abuse, and develop community based alternatives to institutional care.