Parenting programs

The importance of growing up in a nurturing and supportive family environment cannot be underestimated. Raising children in a warm, loving environment sets them on a positive developmental trajectory for later life success (Biglan et al, 2012). Conversely, children raised in homes with inconsistent and harsh parenting or with high levels of conflict can be adversely impacted. Parenting programs have been developed to support parents and equip them with effective disciplinary skills to manage current parenting challenges, with the hope of protecting children from later life adversity. In this chapter you will learn about parenting programs, their theoretical foundations, for what kind of problems they are recommended, how to evaluate their impact, and the main issues you might face when delivering parenting interventions, particularly in low and middle income countries and other low resource settings