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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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.

Focus on the Right of Children with Disabilities to Live in the Community

Ines Bulic, Geert Freyhoff, Judith Klein, and Camilla Parker, 2006

Advocates for the right of children with disabilities to live in the community. Provides recommendations on how to ensure a successful transition from institutional to community-based care. Focuses on the importance of family support and the right to education.

Study of the Responses by Faith-based Organizations to Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Geoff Foster, 2006

A study that looks at the response of faith-based organizations in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, and Uganda. The report contains statistical information, and details positive care practices to build on, and negative examples to avoid.

Scotland: National Care Standards. Childcare Agencies

Scottish Executive, 2006

A set of standards for agencies that provide child care/day care services within the family home e.g. nannies, child minders, and babysitters.

Regional capacity building workshop on men, caring and fatherhood: Engaging men as partners in healthier families

Neha Bhandari and Ravi Karkara - Save the Children Sweden, 2006

This report captures the discussions and activities from a workshop held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 17-19 October 2005 on engaging men as caregivers. The report presents a background and rationale, the expectations and objectives of the workshop, and an overview of work being done to engage fathers both in the region as well as globally.

Scaling Up the Mentorship Program to Address the Psychosocial Problems of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Rwanda

Edward Kalisa, 2006

Outlines the results of World Vision Rwanda’s mentorship program for children in child-headed households and other OVC. Includes challenges and lessons learned.

From Faith to Action: Strengthening Family and Community Care Options for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Sub-Saharan Africa

Kerry Olson, Zanele Sibanda Knight, and Geoff Foster, 2006

A tool to encourage donors to fund community programs that keep children in family care, rather than simply funding orphanages. Describes the many strategies being used to invest in community-based care, and contains specific program examples.

Alternative Care for Children Without Primary Caregivers in Tsunami-Affected Countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand

UNICEF, 2006

An assessment of alternative care responses for children without primary caregivers in tsunami-affected regions of Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Thailand. Includes good practices, recommendations, and detailed country reports.

Overview of the Debate on Children Without Parental Care and Possible Models of Care

Annemiek van Voorst, 2006

Detailed examination of debate over institutional and alternative care methods for children without parental care. Includes comprehensive framework for collective action.