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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Reaching Out to Africa's Orphans: A Framework for Public Action

Kalanidhi Subbarao and Diane Coury, 2004

A detailed book providing evidence-based guidelines for approaches and interventions to best mitigate the various risks confronted by OVC.

Children in Institutions: Prevention and Alternative Care

Bragi Gudbrandsson, 2004

This report contains an overview of alternative care in Europe, the effects of institutions on children, statistical information and the different approaches of child protection systems within Europe. It includes reforming institutional care, foster care, post-care support, and the role of the social worker.

Nutritional and Food Security Status of Orphans and Vulnerable Children: Report of a Research Project supported by UNICEF, IFPRI, and WFP

Jonathan Rivers, Eva Silvestre, and John Mason, 2004

A report on the nutritional status of orphans in sub-Saharan Africa. Seeks to understand the relationship between child vulnerability and food security. Contains conclusions and recommendations relevant for future monitoring initiatives.

A Global Policy for the Protection of Children Deprived of Parental Care

Claudia Cabral, 2004

This paper presents a set of global policy guidelines for the protection of children without parental care. It recommends the need for a global understanding of best practices within the legal framework of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Plan of Action on the Family in Africa

African Union, 01 Jul 2003

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Changing Minds, Policies and Lives: Improving Standards in Child Protection Services

Andy Bilson, Louise Fox, Ragnar Gotestam, and Judith Harwin, 2003

Contains practical tools and policy guidance for family and child welfare policy makers and practitioners. Relevant topics include gatekeeping, redirecting resources into preventive and family based services, and standards of care.

Save the Children's Policy on Protecting Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation

Save the Children Alliance, 2003

A policy paper that presents a holistic view of child sexual abuse and exploitation examining all the situations where children are sexually abused.

Changing Minds, Policies and Lives: Redirecting Resources to Community-Based Services

Andy Bilson, Louise Fox, Ragnar Gotestam, and Judith Harwin, 2003

Provides an overview of social service provision in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and provides information on ways to move resources away from institutional care, and into community-based social services. Contains specific examples from Latvia, Iceland, Sweden, Romania and other transitioning countries.

Working with Children in Unstable Situations: Principles and Concepts to Guide Psychosocial Responses

UNICEF, 2003

Discusses the psychosocial impacts of unstable situations on children and their families, with an emphasis on child development. Includes UNICEF’s position on policy and programming principles as well as strategies to address the psychosocial needs of children, families, and communities.

Youth: Care and Protection of Children in Emergencies: A Field Guide

Marc Sommers, 2001

An overview of the key challenges surrounding youth in crisis and the framework for dealing with these issues based on Save the Children principles in youth programming. Includes detailed examination of international programming examples.