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