The power of positive parenting

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Peadar Maxwella/. Principal Psychologist
Child, Adolescent and Family Psychology, Wexford
L.H.O., H.S.E. South
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Aims of this workshop

• History and Development of the Drop-in Project
• Why, How, When and Who of the project?
• How it works for us
• Replicable?
• Future Plans?

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Positive parenting

• Promoting childrens development and managing
  their behaviour and emotions in a positive way
• Building strong relationships
• Good communication
• Emphasising the positive
• Planning ahead to prevent problems
• Using everyday situations and creating
  opportunities to help children learn

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Benefits for children, parents, educators

• Develop skills, better at school
• Build friendships, feel good
• Feel good about themselves
• Have fewer behavioural and emotional problems or
  delinquent behaviour
• Feelings of confidence, support
• Less conflict and stress

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The evidence base

• International trial evidence that 15 of boys and
  14 of girls have behavioural and emotional
  difficulties in the clinical range
• Queensland Parenting Survey (1999)
• N.S.W. Child Health Study (2001)
• The Clonmel Project (2006)
• The Counties of South Carolina (2007)
• Parents Plus Programmes (on-going)
• Local evidence?

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Parenting Interventions OfferedHow the Drop-In
Fits in

• Individual Parenting Sessions
• Family Consultations
• Parent Drop-In Service
• Group Courses
• Targeted Courses
• Seminars and Talks
• Non-prescriptive

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The Psychology Parent Drop-In Service
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The beginning

• Local research (Wexford C.A.F. Psychology 2000)
• What did it say?
• Waiting list
• Privacy, expense
• Pilot programme
• Clonard, New Ross (Enniscorthy, Gorey)
• How did things go?

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Core principles of the drop-in

• Creating a safe, interesting environment
• Having a positive learning environment
• Using assertive discipline
• Having realistic expectations
• Parents/Carers taking care of themselves
• Child Protection is a statutory obligation

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How does it actually work?

• Recommended, self referrals
• Wednesday mornings
• No prior appointment, no cost
• 30 to 40 minutes
• Some notes take
• Listening, reflection, advice, contacts shared,
  bibliotherapy
• Return?
• Referrals onwards?

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How does it actually work?
Who staffs the drop-in? Statistics? Follow-up
from the drop-in? What do other professionals and
areas/services think of the drop-in? Where next?
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Integrating this new approach to service

• Informing Stakeholders
• referrers, service users
• Effects on Existing Services
• referrals onwards, admin., self-efficacy
• Pilot rolled-out (Co. Wexford and the SE)
• 2002 to 2007
• Local Evidence
• Service users, 2 years
• Co-professional buy-in, late-2008

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Possible difficulties
Drop-in too busy Staff burn-out Expectations too
high Not knowing everything about
everything! More work generated Coverage by staff
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Take home message and Questions
Could you see a version of this in your service?
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Ráth Dé ar bhur gcuid oibre
Healthy families
competent children, confident parents, strong
communities