Assessing the need for an interactive parent education course for child welfare families with children ages 6-12

The field of child welfare is one that is ever changing, as the needs of children at-risk of abuse and neglect change and grow over time. One of the challenges for child welfare social workers is evaluating the extent to which the services provided are effective, available and responsive to the needs of their target population. This project seeks to assess the needs of parents and children between the ages of 6 and 12 for a hands-on Nurturing Parenting course. The setting for this needs assessment is Butte County Children’s Services Division. This agency currently offers a Nurturing Parenting course, Parent Education Experiential Resource (PEER) Program, but the program only serves children 5 years and under. The literature suggests that the skills taught in the Nurturing Parenting Program may be relevant to parents and their older youth, as well. To evaluate the needs of this underserved population, a survey was administered to parents who are currently served by the Family Reunification (FR) and Family Maintenance (FM) programs. Interviews were conducted with current employees of CSD that serve this population directly and indirectly. The information obtained was incorporated into a grant proposal intended to seek funds for a PEER Plus Program serving parents and children that are school age, 6 to 12 years old.