Training in parent consultation skills for primary care practitioners in early intervention in the pre-school context

Abstract

This paper describes the implementation of a brief behavioural intervention, based on the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program (Sanders 1999), by 13 pre-school practitioners with 39 parents. The intervention was a response to a need identified by practitioners to deal more effectively with requests for assistance with behaviour management by parents whose children attend pre-schools and long-day care centres. Following completion of training, practitioners were asked to implement the intervention with at least three parents and to keep a personal diary of the strategies used during the consultations. The practitioners reported improvements in their skills in managing difficult behaviour in the pre-school context. Parents reported improved experience of partner support and attitudes towards parenting, as well as high levels of satisfaction with the service provided. The results point to the role of primary care practitioners in providing services in settings that are easily accessed by parents, thus increasing the availability of support to parents with young children.