Parenting Council Research Clearinghouse: Library "A"
An Employment Barrier: The Health Status of DPB Recipients' Children
Author:
Tim O’Donovan, Karen McMillan, Heather Worth
Date:
2004
Published by:
Ministry of Social Development: Social Policy Journal of New Zealand
Location:
New Zealand
Abstract:
A sample of Domestic Purposes Benefit (DPB) recipients identified a number of issues preventing them from obtaining paid employment. This paper focuses on one of these issues, their children's health, and compares this with the health of all New Zealand children as represented in Taking the Pulse: The 1996/7 New Zealand Health Survey (Ministry of Health 1999b). The results indicate that the DPB recipients' children have greater long-term health problems and disabilities relative to children in the national survey. The DPB recipients' children also have greater unmet health needs, as many did not see a doctor when they needed to due to the cost, the inability to get a suitable appointment time, and transportation problems. The paper acknowledges that while a return to paid employment that results in increased incomes for these DPB recipients may have a positive impact on their children's health, there are significant issues that need to be overcome to make this possible.
An Exploration of the Family Partnership model in New Zealand
Authors:
Helen Wilson and Annette Huntington
Date:
2009
Published by:
Families Commission
Location:
New Zealand
Abstract:
This report documents the project undertaken to explore the potential value of the Family Partnership Model (FPM) for New Zealand agencies and organisations that work with families in the community.
The FPM focuses on the process of establishing an effective working relationship with families and therefore has the potential to build the capacity of a diverse range of practitioners who work with families.
It is not a new initiative but adds value to existing services and programmes.
This study into the Parents as First Teachers focuses on family participation in the programme, family satisfaction with the programme and parent and programme providers perspectives on the outcomes of the progamme. The study was designed to provide a “portrait” or a description of PAFT – what the programme is, how it functions for families and its impact – to help to inform policy analysis and decision-making. This report also includes a brief overview of PAFT’s past and current operation.
An exploratory study of young carers and their families in New Zealand
Author:
Janet McDonald and Jacqueline Cumming
Date:
2009
Published by:
New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online
Location:
New Zealand
Abstract:
The 2008 New Zealand Carers’ Strategy recognises the role that "young carers" play in supporting family members who are ill or disabled, but we know little about this group of family carers in New Zealand. In this study, utilising grounded theory methods, interviews were undertaken with 14 young carers and nine other members of nine families to explore their experiences of young caring. Young caring occurs in the context of family relationships and expectations, involving both choice and obligation, and for some, a strong sense of responsibility. Young carers contribute in a wide variety of ways and they report a range of responses to this role and its effects on their lives. Appropriate formal support services can reduce the level of family caring required, including that by young carers. Greater awareness of young carers is needed, along with adequate and acceptable support services for families.
Ministry of Social Development: Social Policy Journal of New Zealand
Location:
New Zealand
Abstract:
As a result of recent legislation that removes from the Crimes Act the statutory defence of "reasonable force" to correct a child, professionals have an increasingly important role in supporting parents to use effective and positive discipline. This study focused on how professionals approach the tasks of communicating, guiding and advising families with young children about disciplinary practices. The researchers convened 10 focus groups of people working in family support, child health, early childhood teaching and social work roles, in Northland, Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin. This paper describes how the participants work with and advise families about child discipline, how well prepared they are to fulfil this role, and how they understand the legal issues relating to family discipline. Parents did seek advice on discipline from professionals and acknowledged using corporal punishment. Most professionals disagreed with the use of physical discipline, but some expressed caution about telling parents directly that they thought smacking was harmful. Few of the professionals discussed the debate (current at the time of the research) regarding the proposed repeal of Section 59 with parents, and many did not understand it themselves. They believed that parents would need more support if the law changed. Only a minority had received training on the issue of child discipline. The findings suggest that those working with families with young children are in need of more resources and professional development to deal with this matter
A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mother–Infant or Toddler Parenting Program: Demonstrating Effectiveness in Practice
Authors:
Louise Hayes, Jan Matthews, Alison Copley & Debra Welsh
Date:
2008
Published by:
Journal of Pediatric Psychology 33(5) pp. 473–486
Location:
Australia
Abstract:
Describes outcomes of an intervention aimed to improve infant or toddler care and reduce parental distress. Results demonstrated that mothers who attended the program reported improvement in depression, anxiety, stress, parental satisfaction, and decreases in problematic child behavior. Improvements were maintained at the 6-week follow up. Intention-to-treat analysis replicated the results, although with smaller effect sizes. The results of this study demonstrate that delivery of a 1 day intervention for distressed mothers can contribute to lower levels of parental distress and child problem behavior. Given the importance of early mother–child relationships and the limited number of well-controlled studies on brief interventions this result is of significance to researchers and the service community.
Are the Outcomes of Young Adults Linked to the Family Income Experienced in Childhood?
Author:
Tim Maloney
Date:
2004
Published by:
Ministry of Social Development: Social Policy Journal of New Zealand
Location:
New Zealand
Abstract:
This study uses longitudinal data from the Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS) to estimate the effects of early family income on a wide variety of detrimental outcomes experienced by young adults. The CHDS data used for this project follow a birth cohort through to age 21. One advantage of this data source is that it provides information on the income of the family in which these young people resided between the ages of one and 14. Accurate and comprehensive measurements of income histories are critical to the estimation of income effects on any subsequent outcomes. We find that subjects living in families with higher income are significantly less likely to experience economic inactivity, early parenthood and criminal activity, and to enter adulthood without a school or post-school qualification. Among these detrimental outcomes, only alcohol or drug abuse or dependence appears to be unrelated to early family income. Once mediating factors are included in our regression models, however, many of these income effects weaken and become insignificant. This is a common finding in the literature, and raises the question of the extent to which the effects of family income operate through various indirect pathways
