The objective of this special issue is to illustrate some of the theoretical, methodological and practical aspects involved in the evidence-based evaluation of family educational programs aimed at supporting positive parenting. The main novelty that this special issue brings is the compilation of studies involving experiences of parent education programs from several countries. The objectives of the papers are to develop theoretically based prevention programs, to evaluate their effectiveness according to standards of evidence, and to examine factors that influence implementation process. The papers also provide recommendations for researchers to establish stable cooperation with politicians, officials, service providers, and practitioners.

Decades of research have demonstrated that the parent-child dyad and the environment of the familyâ€"which includes all primary caregiversâ€"are at the foundation of children's well- being and healthy development. From birth, children are learning and rely on parents and the other caregivers in their lives to protect and care for them. The impact of parents may never be greater than during the earliest years of life, when a child's brain is rapidly developing and when nearly all of her or his experiences are created and shaped by parents and the family environment. Parents help children build and refine their knowledge and skills, charting a trajectory for their health and well-being during childhood and beyond. The experience of parenting also impacts parents themselves. For instance, parenting can enrich and give focus to parents' lives; generate stress or calm; and create any number of emotions, including feelings of happiness, sadness, fulfillment, and anger. Parenting of young children today takes place in the context of significant ongoing developments. These include: a rapidly growing body of science on early childhood, increases in funding for programs and services for families, changing demographics of the U.S. population, and greater diversity of family structure. Additionally, parenting is increasingly being shaped by technology and increased access to information about parenting. Parenting Matters identifies parenting knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with positive developmental outcomes in children ages 0-8; universal/preventive and targeted strategies used in a variety of settings that have been effective with parents of young children and that support the identified knowledge, attitudes, and practices; and barriers to and facilitators for parents' use of practices that lead to healthy child outcomes as well as their participation in effective programs and services. This report makes recommendations directed at an array of stakeholders, for promoting the wide-scale adoption of effective programs and services for parents and on areas that warrant further research to inform policy and practice. It is meant to serve as a roadmap for the future of parenting policy, research, and practice in the United States.

This is the first book to provide a multidisciplinary, critical, and global overview of evidence-based parenting education (PEd) programs. Readers are introduced to the best practices for designing, implementing, and evaluating effective PEd programs in order to teach clients how to be effective parents. Noted contributors from various disciplines examine evidence –based programs from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, as well as web-based alternatives. The best practices used in a number of venues are explored, often by the developers themselves. Examples and discussion questions encourage application of the material. Critical guidance for those who wish to design, implement, and evaluate PEd programs in various settings is provided. All chapters feature learning goals, an introduction, conclusion, key points, discussion questions, and additional resources. In addition to these elements, chapters in Part III follow a consistent structure so readers can easily compare programs—theoretical foundations and history, needs assessment and target audience, program goals & objectives, curriculum issues, cultural Implications, evidence-based research and evaluation, and professional preparation and training issues. The editor has taught parenting and family life education courses for years. This book reviews the key information that his students needed to become competent professionals. Highlights of the book’s coverage include: Comprehensive summary of evidence-based PEd training programs in one volume. Prepares readers for professional practice as a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) by highlighting the fundamentals of developing and evaluating PEd programs. Exposes readers to models of parenting education from around the world. The book opens with a historical overview of PEd development. It is followed by 20 chapters divided in four parts. The initial six chapters focus on fundamentals of parenting education --program design, implementation, evaluation, the role of mediators and moderators, as well as the U.S. Cooperative Extension Parent Framework. The three chapters in Part II review the latest status of parenting education in Europe, Asia, and web-based alternatives. Part III presents ten stellar, evidence-based parenting programs offered around the world. In addition to the learning goals, introduction, conclusion, key points, discussion questions, and additional resources that are found in all chapters, those in Part III also consider theoretical foundations and history, needs assessment and target audience, program goals & objectives, curriculum issues, cultural Implications, evidence based research and evaluation, and professional preparation and training issues. Part IV reviews future directions. Ideal for advanced undergraduate or graduate courses in parent education, parent-child relations, parenting, early childhood or family life education, family therapy, and home, school, and community services taught in human development and family studies, psychology, social work, sociology, education, nursing, and more, the book also serves as a resource for practitioners, counselors, clergy members, and policy makers interested in evidence based PEd programs or those seeking to become CFLEs or Parent Educators.

Features the Strengthening Families Program - a family change programme that reflects research that indicates that the most effective interventions build parent, child and family skills.

The first international, cross-disciplinary book to explore and understand the lives of parents with intellectual disabilities, their children, and the systems and services they encounter Presents a unique, pan-disciplinary overview of this growing field of study Offers a human rights approach to disability and family life Informed by the newly adopted UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) Provides comprehensive research-based knowledge from leading figures in the field of intellectual disability

Safe, nurturing, and positive parent-child interactions lay the foundations for healthy child development. How children are raised in their early years and beyond affects many different aspects of their lives, including brain development, language, social skills, emotional regulation, mental and physical health, health risk behavior, and the capacity to cope with a spectrum of major life events. As such, parenting is the most important potentially modifiable target of preventive intervention. The Power of Positive Parenting provides an in-depth description of "Triple P," one of the most extensively studied parenting programs in the world, backed by more than 30 years of ongoing research. Triple P has its origins in social learning theory and the principles of behavior, cognitive, and affective change, and its aim is to prevent severe behavioral, emotional, and developmental problems in children and adolescents by enhancing the knowledge, skills, and confidence of parents. Triple P incorporates five levels of intervention on a tiered continuum of increasing strength for parents of children from birth to age 16. The programs comprising the Triple P system are designed to create a family-friendly environment that better supports parents, with a range of programs tailored to their differing needs. This volume draws on the editors' experience of developing Triple P, and chapters address every aspect of the system, as well as how it can be applied to a diverse range of child and parent problems in different age groups and cultural contexts.