Boys and Girls Clubs of BC Parent Services

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Boys and Girls Clubs of BC Parent Services
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Parenting ProgramsQuestion-What parenting
programs are we familiar with?
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Why Consider A Parenting Program

• Parents matter because when parenting is at its
  best, children thrive.
• Parents are one of the most important influences
  in positive child and youth development, yet too
  many caregivers lack the support they need. By
  strengthening parents and their connections to
  resources, communities can help children thrive.
• Family Strengthening Policy Center (2007). The
  Parenting Imperative Investing in Parents so
  Children and Youth Succeed. Washington, DC
  National Human Services Assembly.

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Why Consider A Parenting Program

• Parents have told us that simply being accepted
  and trusted, and being given physical, emotional,
  intellectual and spiritual support in the
  daunting task of parenting alone, helped to give
  them strength at a time of crisis to move on with
  their life and make good long-term decisions for
  themselves and for their children.
• FRP Canada survey of parenting group
  facilitators, 2006

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Why Boys and Girls Clubs?

• Based upon the learning from the Family
  Strengthening Policy Center, Boys and Girls Clubs
  are the perfect fit for parenting programs and
  community building.
• Boys and Girls Clubs can support parenting
  success by investing in three areas
• Strengthening community environments for families
• Supporting and enhancing parenting
• Building child and family assets.

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Choosing A Parenting Program
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What Differentiates Programs?

• Some are based upon peer support (parents
  supporting parents).
• Some are based upon clinical models.
• Some are based upon supporting "at risk
  families.
• Some are based upon adult learning where both
  facilitator and parents bring experiences to the
  group.
• Some are based upon the instructor as expert.

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Quote

• No program can, or should, try to accomplish
  everything.
• Family Resource Programs Paper
• What Works for Whom? Promising Practices in
  Parenting Education Betsy Mann
• www.parentsmatter.ca

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The Right Program?

• Selection Process
• What do parents in your community want/need in
  terms of support?
• Look at format- Would parents prefer an informal
  drop-in group, sessional (10 weeks), on-going,
  professionally facilitated, educational model,
  peer support etc.
• Studies show that the majority of parents access
  parent programming at a recreation centre. Think
  about why?
• What time would parents like the program offered,
  what about childcare etc.?

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The Right Program?

• Consider whether your parenting program can be
  linked somehow with your youth programming or can
  be offered within your building where you offer
  youth programming. This could be a link that
  would enhance families support networks. (Idea
  of concurrent programming)
• Choose a model that empowers parents/caregivers
  as leaders, decision makers, and stakeholders in
  the design and delivery of services. Programs
  that are too prescriptive in nature and follow a
  very strict curriculum do not allow for adult
  learning needs or group learning needs. They also
  do not allow for parents to make decisions about
  what is best for their family. There is only one
  way to parent in some models.

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• Choose a model that has faith in
  parents/caregivers/families in ways that build on
  the strengths they already have and that move
  them from support to self-sufficiency.
• You may wish to provide a program that focuses on
  more at risk families. How can you market this
  program without stigmatizing the program? More
  families will use a centres services if they are
  seen as universal and not stigmatized for at
  risk families only (FRP Canada, 2004Silver et
  al., 2005)
• Choose a model that allows for parents to share
  experiences. By encouraging mutual assistance
  and peer support, parent education programs can
  provide parents with more appropriate discipline
  strategies. At the same time, hearing other
  parents stories helps parents feel less alone
  with their frustrations. (Onyskiw, Harrison,
  Spady, and McConnan, 1999).

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Lastly

• Parents are encouraged when they see parenting as
  a life-long learning process. Programs should
  encourage this learning and not prescribe a quick
  fix.
• What kind of support do you get from the
  organization who developed the material? Is there
  staff available to discuss program questions, how
  often is material updated, what are your
  responsibilities in terms of reporting and
  quality assurance? Is there a possibility of
  further training for staff or support?

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Staffing

• Each program may have specific criteria for
  staffing. Consider these questions when looking
  into a program
• How much training is provided for staff to
  facilitate the program?
• Who will provide supervision for staff?
  Debriefing for staff is imperative! Many serious
  issues come up in parenting groups. Staff need
  training and regular de-briefing to ensure their
  well-being as well as the parents well-being.
• Is there on-going training for staff? Once they
  take the training is that it or is there a
  recertification or on-going learning initiative?

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Example of Staffing Guidelines

• See handouts

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Costs of Parenting Programs

• Costs vary.
• Check out Family Resource Programs of Canada
  website for their Parent Inventory. The inventory
  lists a number of programs with costs,
  formatting info, core concepts etc.
• www.frp.ca

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Boys and Girls Clubs of BC Parenting Programs

• Parenting Without Power Struggles- For parents of
  preteens, 10 weeks in duration
• Parents Together-For parents of teens, on-going
  group format
• Parents in the Know Pilot Project-for parents of
  teens, 10 weeks in duration

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Costs For Parent Services Programs

• Training for programs is free to staff who will
  be facilitating the group. All materials needed
  (Facilitators manual, brochures, posters are
  supplied free by Boys and Girls Clubs of BC
  Parent Services
• Organizations buy the materials for participants
  and then recoup their costs by charging a fee to
  participants for the material. Usually anywhere
  from 10-25, the club decides on the cost. Some
  clubs absorb the costs for low- income families.
• Staff who facilitate the group attend the Annual
  Parent Services Conference at no cost to clubs as
  well as on-going training at little or no cost to
  clubs.
• On-going support for staff and clubs from the
  Provincial Parent Services Coordinator

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Dr. Gordon Neufeld states

• It is not what a parent does but rather who the
  parent is to the child.

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For more information

• On Parent Services programs or parent programs in
  general
• Deena Ropp-Reis
• 250-765-0532
• droppreis_at_boysandgirlsclubs.ca