Celebrating years of Helping Families The Nurturing Parenting Programs

Celebrating 25 years of Helping Families! The Nurturing Parenting ® Programs The Nurturing Parenting Programs are evidencedbased parenting programs and curricula for the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. Published by: Family Development Resources, Inc. Sales: 800-688-5822; fdr@nurturingparenting.com Training: 828-698-7609; fnc@nurturingparenting.com Web: www.nurturingparenting.com AAPI Web: www.aapionline.com Nurturing Parenting Programs® Celebrating 25 years of our commitment to treat and prevent child abuse and neglect Facts about the Nurturing Parenting Programs • The Nurturing Parenting Programs are evidence-based programs recognized by the National Registry of Evidence-based Parenting Programs and Practices (NREPP), a branch of Substance Abuse Mental health Services Administration (SAMSHA). Since 1983, over thirty studies have been conducted validating the effectiveness of the Nurturing Parenting Programs. Log on to www.nurturingparenting.com for more information. Today, there are 13 Nurturing Programs designed to meet the specific cultural and developmental capabilities of families with materials available in English, Spanish, Creole, Arabic, and Hmong. The Nurturing Parenting Programs are family-based programs that can be offered in a group setting, in a home visitation setting or in a combination group and home visitation setting. The Programs are skill focused, competency-based programs designed to correspond to the developmental age level of children: pre-natal; birth to five years; school-age (5 to 12 years); and adolescence (13 to 19 years) and parents: adult parents, teen parents and adult/teen pre-parents. Since 1983, over 1.3 million Parent Handbooks have been distributed to family’s world wide. Agencies in all 50 States, Canada, Mexico, South and Central America, and England have implemented Nurturing Parenting Programs. The Departments of the Army and Navy implement the Nurturing Program Prenatal, Parents and their Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers in their New Parent Education and Support Programs worldwide. Nurturing Programs are currently being implemented state-wide in Louisiana, Georgia and Hawaii. Approximately 18,000 professionals worldwide have attended Nurturing Program facilitator trainings during the past 25 years. • • • • • • • History of the Nurturing Parenting Programs The first Nurturing Parenting Program was developed and validated from a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) from 1979-82. Because of the significant outcomes of this research, Family Development Resources, Inc. was established in 1983 to publish and disseminate the Nurturing Program Materials. In 1989, the Family Nurturing Centers, Inc., a private-non-profit sister organization was developed to continue the work of creating, validating and training professionals in evidence-based Nurturing Parenting Programs. Today, the Family Nurturing Centers International has 12 affiliate Family Nurturing Centers across the US and England. The primary mission of Family Development Resources and the Family Nurturing Centers, International is to promote the philosophy and practices of Nurturing Parenting for the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect worldwide. _____________________________________ 1 _____________________________________ Philosophy of Nurturing Parenting 1. The word nurturing comes from the Latin word nutritura which means to promote, nurse and nourish life. Neuro-biological research supports the premise that human beings are biologically predisposed to form and sustain enduring nurturing relationships. Building caring, empathic parent-child relationships through education in bonding and attachment forms the educational basis for the Nurturing Parenting Programs. 2. The word abuse comes from the Latin word abusus which means to mistreat through cruel and harsh punishment. Neglect comes from the Latin word neglegere: neg meaning “not” and legere meaning “pick up.” Neglectful parenting means not holding or touching children. Education in nurturing parenting embraces the concept of nonviolent parenting through: • • • • • • developing empathy, parent-child bonding and attachment; teaching parents appropriate expectations of children’s growth and development to foster positive brain development and feelings of self worth, trust, and security; employing discipline that promotes the dignity of children and adults; empowering adults and children to nurture themselves, others and their environment including animals; promoting positive self worth; and, helping all family members develop a meaningful level of self-awareness and acceptance. 3. Human behavior is multi-dimensional. Positive and negative life events carry both cognitive and affective cellular memories. Over time, repeated events create neural pathways. These neural pathways strongly influence behavior. The positive and negative impact of life’s past events shape our cognitive, emotional and neurological responses to current events. Research has clearly shown the detrimental effects of maltreatment and the positive effects of nurturing on the developing brains of children and teens. 4. Nurturing Parenting instruction is based on psycho-educational and cognitivebehavioral approaches to learning. In these approaches, awareness, understanding, acceptance and conscious replacement of old patterns of thought and behavior are replaced with newer healthier ones. 5. Nurturing Parenting embraces the theory of “re-parenting.” Over time, new patterns of behavior replace old, destructive ones through systematic instruction in nurturing. Long term dysfunctional patterns of parenting require long term interventions. The goal of education is the ability to incorporate new knowledge, understanding and skills into the daily lives of all family members. 6. In humans, there is an essential difference between our “being” which constitutes the core elements of our identity, and our “doing” which constitutes our behavior. Abuse and neglect are mal-adaptive behaviors which can be replaced over time with healthier nurturing practices which represent the true nature of the person. 7. A self-identity formed from role-identity places a burden on others to act in accordance to set demands. Nurturing oneself as a man or woman is an important practice in nurturing children and others. Parents who take care of themselves by meeting their needs are better equipped in helping others meet their needs. _____________________________________ 2 _____________________________________ Nurturing Parenting Programs® Comprehensive Evidence-based Programs FAMILY CENTERED - Parents and children of different ages attend the programs together. Group-based and home-based programs help parents and all family members maximize their learning. Interactive DVDs, games and activities help parents and children learn how to care, communicate and have fun together. AGE SPECIFIC – Nurturing Parenting Programs are designed to provide information, enhance skills and build parenting competencies specific to the age of the child. As such, parents learn age-appropriate parenting practices for their children at the pre-natal stage of development; Birth to Five Years; Five to 11 Years, and 12 to 19 Years. Additional programs are available for Teen Parents and their Children B – 5 years. COST EFFECTIVE - The costs of child abuse treatment, foster care and institutionalization far exceed the purchase of the program and its continued implementation. Initial costs of program materials are quickly paid for with continued implementation of the program. PROVEN OUTCOMES - Extensive research studies worldwide attest to the effectiveness of the Nurturing Parenting Programs® to treat and prevent the recurrence of child abuse and neglect. Research findings show families completing the Nurturing Parenting Programs make significant improvements in their parenting attitudes, knowledge and behavior. Pre and posttest assessment and long-term follow-up data support the changes are maintained over time with proven low rates of recidivism. The Nurturing Parenting programs are evidenced based parenting programs recognized by Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Registry of Evidence-based Parenting Programs and Practices (NREPP). Go to www.samhsa.gov and click on NREPP for more information. CULTURALLY SPECIFIC - The Nurturing Parenting Programs® have been developed to incorporate the uniqueness, customs, and languages of different cultures. Validated through years of research in preventing and treating child abuse and neglect, the Nurturing Parenting Programs meet the needs and cultural uniqueness of families with children birth to 19 years. Currently, cultural specific programs and materials are available for Military Families; Christian Families; Families in Substance Abuse Recovery; and Families with histories of chronic Neglect. In addition to English, programs and materials have been created for Hispanic, Creole, Arab, Hmong, Vietnamese, Korean and Black families. ASSESSMENT - The Nurturing Parenting Programs® come with a battery of normreferenced and criterion-referenced inventories which help agencies and organizations measure the success of their intervention efforts. The Adult Adolescent Parenting Inventory (AAPI-2), the Nurturing Skills Competency Scale (NSCS) and a number of data gathering instruments are provided to ensure families are increasing their nurturing parenting skills. The AAPI-2 is a norm referenced inventory which provides the parents and parent educator with parenting areas that are a family’s strength, and areas that families need to work on. Assessment is a critical aspect of determining whether families have acquired nurturing parenting competencies. TRAINING - Nurturing Parenting Program Facilitator workshops and Training of Trainers workshops are held throughout the country. The Facilitator Training is designed to instruct the participants in the research, philosophy, format, skills and implementation of all the Nurturing Programs. The Training of Trainers workshop is designed for the professional who has demonstrated competence in implementing the Nurturing Programs and desires to become a Recognized Nurturing Program Trainer and Consultant. For more information on both trainings, visit our website at www.nurturingparenting.com. _____________________________________ 3 _____________________________________ Nurturing Parenting Programs® Levels of Prevention The Nurturing Parenting Programs are designed for the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. To meet the specific needs of the families, programs have been identified according to the standard levels of prevention: primary (education and empowerment), secondary (intervention) and tertiary (treatment). See page 9 for a listing of programs by Level of Prevention. Primary Prevention Programs At the primary prevention level, efforts are designed to prevent any maltreatment of children and other family members from occurring through promoting healthy lifestyles and interactions. Nurturing Programs and curricula at the primary prevention level increase parent’s understanding and abilities to establish healthy parent-child interactions. At the primary prevention level, preventing victimization entails promoting and empowering children and adults with knowledge and skills. Prenatal Nurturing Program for Families - A nine session group-based program for expectant moms and their partners. Parents learn to bond with their baby, adjust to being pregnant, nurture themselves; prevent drug-related birth defects; handle stress and anger; promote healthy brain development; understand the importance of touch; and maintain a healthy sexual partner relationship. Community-Based Education in Nurturing Parenting – This CD is a series of ten independent 90 minute lessons. Some of the lessons included in the CD are: Nurturing Parenting Philosophy; Positive Brain Development in Children and Teens; Alternatives to Spanking; Discipline; and more. Each lesson comes with a Lesson Plan that includes goals, objectives, discussion topics, interactive activities, worksheets and handouts for the parents, and evaluation and feedback forms. Lessons also include marketing and workshop tools that can be customized with your agency name, and the location, date and time of the workshop. Color slides are included on the CD designed for overhead and/or power point presentations. “Nurturing America’s Military Families™” Community-Based Education Program – This CD is a series of seven independent 90 minute lessons. Some of the Lessons included in the CD are: The Uniqueness of Military Life; Dealing with Deployment and Separation; Helping Children Cope with Deployment; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and more. Each lesson comes with a Lesson Plan that includes goals, objectives, discussion topics, interactive activities, worksheets and handouts for the parents, and evaluation and feedback forms. Lessons also include marketing and workshop tools that can be customized with your agency name, and the location, date and time of the workshop. Color slides are included on the CD designed for overhead and/or power point presentations. Self-Instructional Nurturing Program – The Self-Instructional Nurturing Parenting Program allows families and professionals to learn the philosophy, knowledge, skills and practices of nurturing parenting at home. Adults learn at their own pace and get a remarkable insight into the dynamics of change that occurs through time, hard work and dedication in creating a nurturing home. _____________________________________ 4 _____________________________________ Primary Prevention Programs (continued) ABC’s School Nurturing Program – A seven session group based program for parents and their children ages 5 to 8 years as a “checkpoint” ensuring parents and their children are ready for challenges facing them in their early years including school, after school activities, homework, friends, peer pressure, and more. The program is typically offered through the schools although can be run in cooperation with local community agencies. Alcohol and Kids Don’t Mix and Alcohol, Anger and Abuse are two separate programs each with five classes that are designed to address the issues of alcohol/ drug use and parenting. Alcohol, Anger and Abuse presents alcohol related family violence: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and domestic violence. Alcohol and Kids Don’t Mix presents situations where drugs and alcohol are involved: peer pressure, misuse of prescription drugs, fetal alcohol, the effects of alcohol from a child’s point of view, and modeling appropriate alcohol use. African American Families Parenting Guidebook – A four session program that is meant to serve as a supplement to parenting programs. Lessons address the importance of the church in the Black community; the history and impact of slavery on the parenting practices of Black families; consciousness of the dual roles of being a minority in a majority society; recognizing and understanding oppression; and how to access community resources. “Nurturing God’s Way” Parenting Program for Christian Families – A 21 session group-based program authored by Sue Laney, Director of the Family Nurturing Center of Georgia. The program is designed for families who embrace the teachings of the Bible to guide their parenting beliefs and practices. This cultural adaptation of the Nurturing Program incorporates the basic philosophy of nurturing parenting while assisting parents in strengthening their relationship with God, modeling Christian principles, and building a nurturing Christian family lifestyle Nurturing Program for Parents and Their Children with Health Challenges – An eight session group-based program designed to offer education and support to families as they navigate the uncharted waters of parenting when a child is born or diagnosed with a life-altering illness. Classes address grief and loss; health and healing; handling feelings; discipline, communication, empowerment and more. This program can be used with a focus of prevention or intervention. _____________________________________ 5 _____________________________________ Intervention Programs (Secondary Prevention) At the secondary level of prevention, programs are designed to “intervene” to prevent further escalation of the early stages of maltreatment and family dysfunction. Families at this level are often referred to as “at-risk.” The goal of intervention is to provide families with the necessary knowledge, skills, resources and services to build upon their parenting strengths to stop and prevent the further escalation of child abuse and neglect. Nurturing Skills for Families (80 lessons) and the Nurturing Skills for Teen Parents (59 lessons) are innovative and proven programs for intervening and preventing the maltreatment of children. Individual lessons are grouped by specific “skills areas” and by nurturing parenting construct as measure by the AAPI and are ideal for short-term intensive home visitation programs, long-term home-based programs, parent education programs and workshops, high school and college child development classes and continuing education trainings. Skill Areas and lessons are taught in a sequence and length the professional and family choose based on the parenting strengths and weaknesses identified by the assessments. Nurturing America’s Military Families (78 lessons) – The 71 lessons are presented in 14 Parenting Competency areas in the Lesson Guide. Parents receive a corresponding Handbook. A big part of being active duty military is the chance of long term deployment during war and training times, post deployment issues, loss of life or limbs, issues of separation and the stresses of military life in general brings to families. All these issues are in addition to the joys, stresses and challenges of being a parent, and in particular a young parent. Lessons in the program guide parent educators to assist families in dealing with these issues. Family Nurturing Camp Program – Family Nurturing Camp is a structured therapeutic weekend camp experience designed to help families build caring, positive family life interaction patterns. The Nurturing Camp Program is a structured model based on multiple components that include psycho-educational groups, family based intervention and therapeutic, recreational and art activities to address the specific issues that affect families at risk for maltreatment. Nurturing Program for Families in Substance Abuse Treatment and Recovery – This program is designed for adults who are in treatment and/or recovery for substance abuse problems, and who are in parenting relationships with children, the partners of parenting adults, and extended family members who may be parenting children of substance abusing adults. There are 17 group based sessions each 90 minutes in length. The program helps parents learn the principles and practices of Nurturing Parenting while assisting parents in strengthening their own recovery, facilitating recovery within their families, and building a nurturing family lifestyle. Nurturing Program for Hmong Parents and their Adolescents – This 12 session, group based program addresses the parenting needs and cultural uniqueness of Hmong families. Parents and teens attend 12, three hour sessions that address parenting issues challenging parents and their teens in today’s society as well as cultural issues that form the bases of traditional Hmong families: dual cultural identity, understanding ourselves and our homeland. _____________________________________ 6 _____________________________________ Treatment Programs (Tertiary Prevention) At the tertiary level of prevention, programs are designed to “treat” families identified by social services for child abuse and neglect. At this level of prevention, families are in need of structured, long-term, family-based programs and services to replace old, existing hurting patterns of parenting with newer, nurturing parenting patterns. The process of re-parenting can best be accomplished with proven programs over time. Nurturing Program for Parents and Their Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers – A 24 session group based program for 2.5 hours or a 48 session home visitation program lasting 1.5 hours for parents and their infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Parents learn ways to bond and attach to their children through developing their own empathic abilities. Parents enhance their nurturing parenting skills which include recognizing, handling and understanding feelings in themselves and their children, nurturing parenting routines, alternatives to hitting, stages of growth and development, ways to enhance brain development and ways to build self-esteem and self-concept in themselves and their children. Nurturing Program for Parents and Their School-Age Children – A 15 session, group-based program, each session lasting 2.5 hours. Parents and children learn family rules, morals and values, self-worth, rewards and punishments, empathy, personal power, handling stress and anger, communicating feelings, praise, getting their needs met and more. Parents and children meet concurrently and share a 20-minute family nurturing time with snacks and music. Parents and Adolescents – A 12 session group-based program each session lasting 3 hours. Families learn nurturing communication strategies, how to recognize each other’s needs, and how to understand the period of adolescence. Families also discuss issues related to pregnancy delay, sex, and AIDS, suicide and peer pressure. Nurturing Program for Teen Parents and Their Children – A 26 session groupbased program for 2.5 hours or 50 sessions’ lasting 1.5 hours home-based sessions that can also be used for classroom instruction. Teen parents learn developmental milestones of growth, how to have fun with their children and ways to build their self-esteem and self-concept. Teens also learn about pregnancy delay and how to handle peer pressure, sex, date rape, and ways to build their own positive feelings of self. Nurturing Father’s Program – A 13 session group-based program designed to increase knowledge, understanding and skills associated with male nurturance. Fathers meet weekly for 2½ hours for 13 weeks. Fathers address the issues of parenting which include differences between Moms and Dads raising children, empathy, discipline and expectations. Crianza con Cariño para Padres y Niños (Parents and Children Birth to 12 Years) e Hijos (Parents and Children 4 to 12 years) Program – Spanish version of the Nurturing Parenting Program for Parents and Their Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers and the Nurturing Parenting Program for Parents and Their Children 5 – 11 years. _____________________________________ 7 _____________________________________ Nurturing Parenting Programs® Reference Table by Levels of Prevention GroupBased HomeBased # of Sessions Session Length Child Care or Children’s Program Curriculum Prevention Programs (Primary Prevention) Prenatal Families Community Based Education in Nurturing Parenting Community Based Education in Nurturing Parenting – Military Families Self-Instructional Nurturing Curriculum ABC’s for Parents and Their Children Entering Kindergarten Alcohol and Kids Don’t Mix Alcohol, Anger, and Abuse African-American Supplemental Lesson Guide “Nurturing God’s Way” Parenting Program for Christian Families Parents and Their Children with Health Challenges (also Intervention) X X X X X X X X X X X X X 9 10 7 23 7 5 5 4 21 8 2½ hours 1 ½ hours 1 ½ hours 1 hour 2 hours 1 ½ hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours Child care Parents only Parents only Parents & Children (Pre-K and Kindergarten) Parents only Staff Training/Parents only Parents only Parents only Parents & Children Intervention Programs (Secondary Prevention) Nurturing Skills for Families (also Prevention) Nurturing Skills for Teen Parents (also Prevention) Nurturing America’s Military Families (also Prevention) Family Nurturing Camp Weekend Experience (also Prevention) Families in Substance Abuse Treatment and Recovery (also Treatment) Hmong Parents and Their Adolescents X X X X X X X X X 80 Lessons 59 Lessons 78 Lessons N/A 18 12 Varies Varies Varies N/A 1½ hours 3 hours Parents & Children Parents & Children Parents & Children Parents & Children Can be used with any children’s program Parents & Children Treatment Programs (Tertiary Prevention) Parents and Their Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers (group based) Parents and Their Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers (home based) Parents and Their School-Age Children 5 to 11 Parents and Adolescents Teen Parents and Their Families (group based) Teen Parents and Their Families (home based) Nurturing Father’s Program Crianza con Cariño para Padres y Niños (Parents and Children Birth to 5 Years) y Padres e Hijos (Parents and Children 4 to 12 years) X X X X X X X X X 24 48 15 12 26 50 13 45 2½ hours 1½ hours 2½ hours 3 hours 2½ hours 1½ hours 2 ½ hours 1 ½ hours Parents & Children Parents & Children Parents & Children Parents & Children Parents & Children Parents & Children Fathers only Parents & Children B1 2/26/09 _____________________________________ 8 _____________________________________