The Phoenix Center for Children and Families, a Renfrew County not-for-profit Children’s
Mental Health Centre, announced the launch of Welcome to Parenting for Young Parents
http://yp.welcometoparenting.com. on July 16, 2014. This online resource aims to provide young parents with the skills,
knowledge and confidence they need to become a positive and confident parent and create happy,
healthy families. The Phoenix Centre, with funding from Trillium Foundation and 10 collaborating
agencies has adapted the Welcome to Parenting program www.welcometoparenting.com for young
parents.
Teen and young parent pregnancies have higher risks for the parent as well as the child in many different
areas, including birth weight, physical health, preterm labour, mental health and family
life/relationships. Welcome to Parenting for Young Parents was developed using evidence-based
content and covers an array of topics from prenatal up to 12 months of age. It includes prenatal and
postnatal care, labour and birth, nutrition, relationships, attachment, growth and child development to
help parents be the best parents possible. Young parents have access to experts and an online parent
community.
Executive Director of the Phoenix Center, Greg Lubimiv is one of the program’s health experts available
for users to ask questions. “The majority of parents, in particular first time parents, are experiencing
unprecedented stress in their role as mothers and fathers. Most parents’ view their role as the most
important job they have, but research tells us they aren’t feeling supported,” says Lubimiv.
In a landmark Canadian study called Vital Communities, Vital Support (2010), it became clear that first
time parents did not feel they were receiving enough emotional and practical support. This may be the
outcome of a growing stigma attached to parents needing and asking for help and training. Research
shows that healthy children begin with parents who have the knowledge, skills, confidence and support
they need to do their most important job – raising a child.
The Canadian report also revealed that fifteen percent of mothers and nearly 30 percent of fathers
report insufficient levels of positive parenting (involving praise, encouragement, and affection). In
addition, 25 percent of mothers and 30 percent of fathers indicate excessive levels of negative parenting
(angry/aggressive, punitive, harsh parenting) and notes this is not confined to parents with low income
or education.
Lubimiv says, “Levels of positive parenting are not high enough. On average, parents who are high users
of programs and resources are 70% more likely to exhibit positive parenting. Welcome to Parenting for
Young Parents includes the Comfort, Play, Teach approach that gives parents positive parenting
techniques. By developing the right tools and removing the stigma around support for parents,
increased health and wellbeing will be the natural result.”
To celebrate the launch of this program, five free access codes will be offered to agencies or government
departments. For more information visit. http://yp.welcometoparenting.com or email
.