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Strengthening Families Initiative, Parenting Education (Doña Ana County)

Plan Goal

Strengthen families in Doña Ana County by providing evidence-based parenting education to increase parent-child connectedness, positive discipline practices, and healthy family functioning.

Situation Statement

Parenthood is one of the most stressful and demanding of life roles, yet it is the role for which most adults receive the least preparation and support. Contemporary parents face many challenges, including poverty, isolation, fewer supports for families, and a declining sense of community. The consequences of not educating parents are tremendous. Poor parenting skills are linked to abuse and neglect as well as youth behavior problems including teen pregnancy, adolescence substance abuse, and youth violence. Parents who participate in parenting classes report greater knowledge of child development, increased confidence in parenting, and decreased rates of abuse and neglect. Positive outcomes for children include fewer behavioral problems, greater academic achievement, and increases in social development.

Between July 2001 and March 2005, seven children in Doña Ana County died as a result of abuse. According to the Children, Youth & Families Department of New Mexico, in 2005 there were 350 substantiated cases of child abuse in Doña Ana County. Since child abuse tends to be underreported, the actual number of abusive situations is thought to be significantly higher. Poor parenting skills have been linked to abuse and neglect, therefore educating parents about child development and helping them develop better parenting skills is a priority for this community as evidenced by the establishment of the Child Safe/Nino Seguro Initiative. This initiative is charged with fostering programs that address issues of child abuse and neglect. One such program is the Las Compañas Moms-Mentoring-Moms program.

Improving parenting skills can also positively impact other behavior problems associated with poor parenting skills. One example is teen pregnancy, which is of particular concern in Doña Ana County where the teen birthrate in 2002 was 77.1 per 1000 women, while the New Mexico rate was 62.3 and the national rate was only 43 per 1000 women. Becoming a teen parent is often associated with long-term difficulties for mothers and children. Children of teen parents are more likely to grow up in homes that offer lower levels of emotional support and cognitive stimulation, and they are less likely to earn a high school diploma. For teen mothers, giving birth is associated with limited educational attainment and reduced employment prospects.

Over time, children whose parents participate in parent education show a reduced incidence of youth problem behavior such as early sexual involvement and parenthood. Therefore, parent education can help reduce the teen birthrate and can also help teen parents better care for their own children, thereby reducing the incidence of child abuse and neglect as well as future teen pregnancies.

Key Tools will be the Strengthening Families Initiative stand-alone lessons and the Active Parenting- ¡Padres Activos de Hoy! Spanish video-based curriculum

Target Audience and Actions

Target Audience:
Individuals and families in Doña Ana County, particularly limited resources audiences and teen parents
English and Spanish-speaking residents of Doña Ana County
Agencies that work with Doña Ana County individuals and families

Actions:
Present stand-alone lessons developed by state level staff
Present a series of lessons utilizing the stand-alone lessons developed by state level staff
Present a series of lessons utilizing the ¡Padres Activos de Hoy! Spanish video-based curriculum

Short-Term Objectives

80% of participants will increase knowledge in parenting techniques
80% of participants will plan to implement one or more of the parenting concepts taught during the lesson

Medium-Term Objectives

1-3 months following participation in program
60% of participants will report one or more of the following behavior changes:

• Increased empathy for the needs of children
• Increased parent-child communication
• Fewer reversals of parent-child roles
• Increased awareness of the developmental needs of children
• Greater knowledge of positive discipline practices.
• Decreased belief in and use of corporal punishment

Long-Term Objectives

Evaluation Plan

Short-Term: Evaluations will be completed by participants immediately following program participation

Medium-Term: Behavior surveys will be conducted by mail or phone 1-3 months following program participation