Parenting: Innov'Actions

Project summary

Currently, societies are experiencing in-depth economic and social changes. These transformations are, inevitably, affecting families. Parental roles are no longer learned primarily by following models and via intergenerational transmission of values and educative competences. As a result, parents sometimes feel isolated and powerless when confronted with what is unknown and new (Larose, Terrisse, Bédard and Karsenti, 2001). There are many causes, including the quick place of societal change, families being scattered geographically, there being less solidarity within families, changes in the relationships between men and women, the place parents hold in their children's education, and the very noticeable increase in the number of single parent or reconstitued or blended families (Pithon, Prévot, 2005), etc. In this context, parents find themselves with questions difficulties and sometimes with issues that remain unanswered. They often feel powerless and some seek out points of reference, information and even support.As defined by the Council of Europe in 2006, " parenting involves a set of mental and emotional rearrangements that allow adults to play their role of parents, that is to say to meet the needs of their child on the physical, emotional , intellectual and social ".Parenting is determined by three factors: children's development needs; resources and the capacity of parents to provide basic care and safety of the child, to pay emotional warmth, stimulate the child , guide and provide limits; family and environmental factors .Actions to support parenting are conducted, but support for parents should be strengthened in rural areas. In France, parenting support is mainly conducted by institutionnal arrangements and associations' action. Institutional solutions have shown their limits. Support should be based on a variety of initiatives . In France, its Networks of Listen, Support and Parent Acompagnement exist since 1999 bringing together local actors (associations, public authorities ... ) . Today, we must renew the intervention methods and tools are lacking.In Latvia, the most of the programs are related to the financial aspects, or concentrates on vulnerable groups of society: persons who are in any kind of marginalized part of society, single, mostly single young mothers; the opportunity to receive consultation (crisis therapy, support psychotherapy). However, not always the support is necessary only to these groups and not necessarily material (financial). Society has observed an increasing need for emotional and knowledge, wisdom supports. Not always young parents are willing or able to challenge themselves to deal with these problems. Developed new parent support by the project will fill this gap by providing information, materials and best practice examples, essential for a healthy, competitive and wholesome society development. In Lithuania, in rural areas people must make numerous compromises in order to maintain rather uper standards of living. A child’s right to live in a healthy and stable family environment is therefore somewhat neglected : both parents continue to work hard and are left with little time to devote to their children. Due to economic crisis social support to families decreased by 15%. Lithuania is facing a “new“ problem- „children behind“, linked to migration. Lacking jobs and livelhood people are force to leave their children for grandparents. The children don’t thrive, and there is a risk that they will become social outsiders. In Portugal, in the rural area of Algarve, most children who attending activities are from a medium / low social class families. Most of them have such little knowledge about the psychosocial development of children, so it will be useful to exchange innovative parenting support .Today the stakeholders of these actions (associations, local communities, public institutions) will need to be trained, to confront other practices for innovation.This practices exchanges project between 4 european partners aims at:1. Evaluating existing practices in parenting support in 4 countries2. Developing the skills of 60 project trainers/developers3. Federating 4 partners around parentingThe Parenting: Innov'Actions project will address two publics:1. direct public: educators/trainers and project developers (professionals or volunteers) working about parenting support2. indirect public: parents with children in difficulty (education, authority) , in need of parenting supportThe transnational approach is most important for the Parenting: Innov'actions project as a comparative approach will be made depending on the field of activitiy (day care center, training, etc.). The Parenting: Innov'actions project reflects the diversity of the European regions: France (Western Europe), Portugal (southern part), Lithuania and Latvia (Nordic part).