Parent Education

Providence offers a Parent Aide program and parenting education/support groups for parents with young and adolescent children. The purpose of all of our parenting programs is to empower parents and provide them with the resources needed to safely and effectively raise their children. Setting limits with love, skill building and behavior management provide the framework for parenting programs.

Parent Aide services are based in the home with a continuum of care that may include teaching parenting skills, modeling appropriate parent-child interactions, improving household management skills, facilitating access to available local sources of support, and assisting in transportation needs. Parent Aide services are provided within a strengths-based and family centered approach, and delivered in a culturally sensitive manner that responds to the unique needs of each child and family. This home-based service provides vital support for children and families in need of services due to recent stress, disruption, child abuse or neglect.

Providence also offers support groups for parents experiencing difficulty within their families. The groups are organized according to the age of the participants' children. Parents of children ages ten and older are grouped together and parents of younger children are referred to another group. In this way, peer support is heightened and group facilitators are able to gear the discussion towards issues relevant to the entire group. Children are frequently involved in a group for them that runs simultaneously, which provides them with support and alleviates parents' need to find child care.

Groups meet weekly for eight weeks and vary in size. Groups meet on site at Providence offices or in a community setting such as a church or neighborhood center. Many groups meet on Saturday mornings, as this time meets the needs of most parents. Additional groups may be offered on weekday evenings in response to community need.

The groups include presentation of information as well as opportunities for group members to talk about individual family issues. Topics discussed include the Love and Logic model to parenting, stages of child development, communication skills, reflective listening, appropriate methods of discipline, Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP), and stress management, among others. Parents receive printed handouts every week, which are discussed the following session.

Parent Education services are currently offered in Arizona, Virginia, West Virginia, Florida, and Ohio, and new contracts are pending.