the development and implementation of a national parent support policy in jamaica

Background to Policy Development› Research

› State Initiatives

› Existing Laws and Policies

National Approach to Parenting

- National Parenting Support Policy

- National Parenting Strategy

- National Parent Support Commission

Lessons Learnt

Pre-Independent Jamaica

Arose from concerns about children and families of lower socio-economic status

Illegitimacy and Concubinage considered a problem

“My Mother who Fathered Me” by Edith Clarke

Independent Jamaica

Young University

Focussed on early childhood group and lower SES

Health Concerns: Malnutrition

Education: Early Childhood Movement

Social : Ethnographic Studies on families

Limited parent-child interaction

Limited father involvement

Inadequate resources to provide stimulation in the home

Gender differences in expectations for boys and girls.

Large sample size

Quantitative analysis

Comprehensive in scope: Multiple factors investigated e.g. family structure, family function, parenting stress

Outcome measures included: Parenting able to be linked to child academic and behaviour outcomes

Population based methodology led to inclusion of parents of all socio-economic groups

Longitudinal methodology allowed for tracking of parenting across time and in children of different ages

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

6 yrs. 12 yrs. 16 yrs.

82.386.4

82.9

73.8

65.468.5

Parenting by Biological Parents

Mother Father

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Birth 6 12 16

Changing Family Structures Through Childhood Relationship between Parents

None Visiting Common Law Married

Parent Domain

› Competence

› Attachment

Child Domain

› Acceptability

› Demandingness

2004: First National Survey on Parenting. Special module in the annual household survey, the Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions

Quantitative analysis

Comprehensive in scope: Multiple factors investigated e.g. family structure, family function, parenting stress

Population based methodology led to inclusion of parents of all socio-economic groups

Included children of all ages

No capacity for inclusion of outcome measures

No capacity for Longitudinal methodology

Arose from the Ministry of Education in 1991

Attempt to strengthen the MoE’s efforts to

improve parenting through PTAs

Coalition for Better Parenting, an umbrella

group of NGOs supporting parenting formed

Initially supported by UNICEF and MoE

Sustainability challenges

Early Childhood Commission (ECC)

established by the Government of Jamaica

in 2003 to advance ECD

Governed by a multi-sectoral, multi-

disciplinary board. Policies and

programmes implemented by operational

arm

Acknowledged the importance of parenting in

young children’s development

Recommended the following:

› Professional representing parenting interests be

appointed to ECC Board (2004)

› Development of a National Parenting Support Policy

› Parenting and Community Intervention Sub-

Committee of the ECC Board established (2005)

› Parenting added to Community Intervention Co-

ordinator title (2005)

ECC National Strategic Plan for ECD used ife cyceapproach

Included parenting as first key strategic objective

Also included identification and support for families at risk as Strategic Objective 3

Objective: To provide parents with accessible and high quality parent education and support allowing for optimal development of children

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT SECTOR

NSP STRATEGY MAP – OCTOBER 2007

STRATEGIC PLAN 2008-13

Natio

nal

impact

Custo

mer

satisfaction

Key

pro

cessesW

ork

ing

enviro

nm

ent

I1. Critical thinking, socially

competent, healthy children

ready for life

Fathers, mothers, guardians

are involved and satisfied

with services provided to

their children

I2. Parents are

informed, educated,

involved and

supported in meeting

early childhood

development needs

Our children’s special needs are

taken care of

IP1:

Effective

parenting

education

and

support

IP2:

Effective

preventive

health

care

IP3:

Effective

screening,

diagnosis

and

intervention

for “at risk”

IP4: Safe

learner

centred

well-

maintained

EC facilities

LG1: The sector and sector

agencies are achieveing

targets and are governed by

frameworks that promote

achieving results in a

consultative environment

LG2:

Timely clear and current

information to support evidence

based decision making

IP5: Effective

curriculum

delivery by

trained early

childhood

practitioners

Development of National Parent Support

Policy (2005)

NPSP would not be punitive. Focus on

“support” and education (existing Child

Care and Protection Act)

Policy should include children of all ages

Assess what existed› Review of existing parenting materials

› Review of existing parenting

Conduct Research to Fill Gaps› Parental request for help

› Limited accessibility

› Variable quality

Develop Strategy to meet Objectives› Mapping of Parenting Support Programmes

› Development of Parenting Strategy

› Development of Parenting Standards

Child Care and Protection Act (2004)

Office of Children’s Advocate (2006)› Commission of Parliament mandated to enforce and

protect child rights

Conditional Cash Transfer Programme (2002) (Ministry of Labour and Social Security)› Children: from birth to completion of secondary

education

› Elderly: 60 years or over, and not in receipt of a pension

› Persons with Disabilities

› Pregnant and Lactating Women

› Poor Adults 18-59 years

National Parent Support Policy

National Parent Support Commission

National Parenting Strategy

National Parenting Standards

First attempt by GOJ to codify a broad national understanding of parenting issues, and at stating its commitment to strengthen and improve parent support services

Provides an enabling environment to support parents in execution of their responsibilities

Defines the institutional framework required to support national programming

Identifies and defines the role of stakeholders : GOJ, NGOs, FBOs, academia, media, IDP etc

All parents in Jamaica, -whether by virtue of having given birth, adopting or serving as guardians- recognise and accept their duty to ensure that the rights of children are always upheld, the best interests of children are always promoted and their children are always loved and provided with opportunities and resources to achieve their full potential and ultimate fulfilment within safe, caring and nurturing environments

All Jamaicans make wise choices about becoming parents and make parenting a priority

All Jamaican children are loved, nurtured and protected instinctively and unconditionally by their parents

Each parent understands and utilises / applies positive practices in effective parenting

An enabling institutional framework exists to support parenting

Ensuring that the principles and implications of effective parenting are communicated to the public in user friendly ways that enable comprehension of the material

Policy includes Parent Charter outlining parental responsibilities

Effected through the National Parent

Support Commission Act (2012)

Established to implement National Parent

Support Policy

Structure similar to that of ECC

Advise the Minister on policy matters relating to parenting and family matters in Jamaica, including initiatives to achieve the goals of the NPP and to strengthen the partnerships between home and school

Act as a co-ordinating agency to streamline GOJ activities relating to parent support

Monitor and evaluate the implementation of the NPP

Make recommendations to the Minister with respect to plans and programming concerning parenting support and home –school relationships

Convene consultations with relevant stakeholders

Analyse resource needs and make recommendations for budgetary allocations for parenting support programmes

Identify alternative sources of financing through negotiations with donor and non-donor agencies

Identify, collect and disseminate information and best practices on relevant to parenting practices and outcome in Jamaica

Develop a national standards and accreditation system for the delivery of parenting support services

Collaborate with NGOs programmes to ensure effective co-ordination of activities, utilisationof resourcesand implementation of the NPSP and plans and programmes relating thereto.

Management Board of 16-21 members

Reports directly to Minister of Education through the Chairman

Cross Sectoral

Representatives of GOJ MDA as well as individuals

Operational Arm, managed by ED

Children’s Advocate

ED of CDA

ED of ECC

PS in Ministries responsible for social security

PS in Ministry responsible for health

PS in Ministry responsible for youth

PS in Ministry responsible for education

Opposition Representative

Attorney at Law appointed by the AG’s office

A person between 15 and 24 years of age

A representative of a teachers’ association

At least 4 persons from civil society, with knowledge in child psychology, social work or parenting matters

Other persons from academia or the private sector with knowledge as above

ED of NPSC (ex-officio

Developed by the ECC through

consultation with stakeholders

A national network of branded community-based parenting support centres (“one-stop-shops”), with parenting information and courses, and a potential range of other recreational and social services available

A concept more than a building: attached or allied to variety of public and private services, e.g. health clinic, basic or primary school, NGO, FBO, library

Staffed through agency/community initiatives: existing or new paid staff or volunteers

Level I: Provides a place where information

is available to parents

Level II: Parenting Support Training

Programmes provided in addition

Level III: Specialist Services also available

Standard 1: Physical Environment

Standard 2: Programme Design

Standard 3: Programme Administration

Standard 4: Human Resources

Standard 5: Programme Materials

Standard 6: Programme Monitoring and

Evaluation

Existence of local research important to address needs

Lower SES groups and EC was the driver for both research and policy development, but policy included all groups

Stakeholder partnerships: CBP, Consultations, Representation on GOJ Commissions

Existence of an enabling agency (institutional anchor) for policy development

Policy development drove establishment of government agency to co-ordinate parenting

This agency was important for policy implementation

Parents Places being established

primarily in primary schools (NPSC) and

early childhood centres (ECC) where

GOJ staff exists

Limited establishment by communities;

limited human resources as parent

facilitators