Program Goals

The goals of Nurturing Skills for Families (NSF) are:

For parents:

• Learn nurturing skills as an alternative to abusive and neglectful parenting and child-rearing practices
• Learn about feelings of attachment
• Learn about empathy
• Learn about nurturing oneself
• Learn about gentle touch
• Learn about positive discipline behaviors
• Learn about expressing feelings
• Learn about expectations and self-worth

For children/adolescents:

• Learn empathy
• Develop positive social skills
• Develop problem-solving abilities
• Reduce behaviors that might put them at higher risk for experiencing abuse or neglect
• Learn about self-awareness
• Learn healthy interactions

Logic Model

View the Logic Model for Nurturing Skills™ for Families (NSF).

Essential Components

The essential components of Nurturing Skills for Families (NSF) include:

• The philosophy behind Nurturing Skills™ for Families:
• Designed to meet the individual parenting needs of families
• Designed to provide flexibility in meeting the specific parenting needs of families as reflected in the findings of the assessment process
• Parenting programs created by selecting the lessons in the Lesson Guide that meet the needs of the families
• Parent educators have flexibility to add additional topics not presented in the Lesson Guide when needed, such as from these other Nurturing Parenting programs:
• Parents & Their School-Age Children 5-11 Years
• Parents & Adolescents
• Curriculum topics:
• Extend beyond traditional parenting instruction
• In addition to traditional parenting instructions, topics include the following:
• Spirituality
• Cultural traditions
• Drug abuse and parenting
• Family Nurturing Plan (FNP):
• Created by parent educator and parents working together
• Determines:
• The number and sequence of the lessons
• The length of the program
• The delivery of the instruction (home-based, group-based, or a combination of both formats)
• Program components:
• Component 1. Assessment and Evaluation:
• Adult and Adolescent Parenting Inventory 2.5 (Pre/Posttest)
• A normed-referenced inventory designed to assess the parenting and child rearing attitudes of adolescents and adult parent and pre-parent populations.
• Based on the known parenting and child rearing attitudes and beliefs of abusive parents, responses to the inventory provide an index of risk for practicing behaviors known to be attributable to child abuse and neglect.
• Evaluates 5 Constructs of Child Abuse
• Inappropriate Developmental Expectations of Children
• Lacking an Empathetic Ability to Respond to Children’s Needs in a Caring Manner
• Disciplining Children through the use of Physical Punishment
• Reversing Parent-Child Family Roles
• Oppressing Children’s Power and Independence
• Nurturing Skills Assessment Scale (NSCS):
• Criterion referenced, self-report inventory
• Designed to provide comprehensive information about the "quality of life" issues that families face as they attempt to put into practice the new parenting beliefs, knowledge and skills
• Domains:
• About Me
• About my Childhood
• About my Partner/Spouse
• About my Children/Family
• Knowledge of Nurturing Parentings Skills
• Utilization of Nurturing Parenting Skills
• Component 2: Lesson Planning
• The Lesson Guide for Parents presents the lessons in two formats:
• Format 1: Lessons by Parenting Competency Area:
• Lessons grouped into 19 parenting competency areas
• Examples of the competency areas include discipline, growth and development of children, alternatives to spanking, developing empathy, etc.
• Format 2: Lesson by the Five Nurturing Parenting® Constructs of the Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory (AAPI-2.5)
• Lessons listed under each of the 5 parenting constructs.
• Core Competency Lessons
• Contain the basic competencies that help parents and children learn the fundamental principles and practices of Nurturing Parenting®
• Represent the basic and essential information and skills that all parents need to demonstrate Nurturing Parenting® on a high and consistent level
• Identified in the Lesson Guide by an asterisk “*”
• Supplemental Lessons
• Serve as tailored resources to meet the specific identified needs of the family
• Provided to assist family in self-identification of barriers/behaviors or routines that often interfere or compete with nurturing parenting practices
• Component 3: Length of Services:
• The number of sessions provided is determined by results of the assessment and evaluation process.
• Low Risk = 5-12 sessions
• Medium Risk = 12-20 sessions
• High Risk= 15-25 sessions
• Program designed to be inclusive and beneficial for all parents, providing them with practical tools and strategies to enhance their parenting practices, regardless of their initial assessment scores
• Comprehensive approach designed to ensure that every participant gains valuable skills and knowledge to support their family’s well-being and development
• Each session:
• Varies in length (60-90 minutes)
• May include more than 1 lesson
• Can be offered in:
• One-to-one home visitation setting
• A group setting with other parents with similar parenting needs
• In combination home and group settings
• Component 4: Resources
• The Parent Handbook presents parenting information that is designed to match the content in the Lesson Guide. A shortened and simplified version of the parent handbook called the Nurturing Parenting® Easy Reader Handbook is available for low literacy parents and is compatible with the NSF.
• The Lesson Guide for Children provides comparable instructional lessons that address the issues of Nurturing Parenting® at an age-appropriate developmental level. Educators match the content being taught to the parents with the lessons in the Lesson Guide for Children.
• Component 5: Delivery
• Home Visits: 1 home visitor to 1-2 parents of a child 0-19 years
• Group sessions: 2 facilitators for 12-15 parents; 3 or more for the children’s program, depending on their ages (children grouped by age and capability and engaged in age-appropriate activities in their groups)
• Children receive direct services regardless of delivery model. All Facilitators receive the training whether the Children’s Group or Parent’s Group Facilitators. The Program Implementation Manual contains screening forms, reference checks, etc.

Program Delivery

Child/Adolescent Services

Nurturing Skills™ for Families (NSF) directly provides services to children/adolescents and addresses the following:

• Lack of empathy.
• Poor social skills
• Ineffective problem-solving abilities
• High-risk behaviors.
• Lack of self-awareness

Parent/Caregiver Services

Nurturing Skills™ for Families (NSF) directly provides services to parents/caregivers and addresses the following:

• Lack of effective discipline strategies and disciplining children through physical punishment
• Poor communication skills
• High stress and poor emotional regulation
• Inappropriate developmental expectations of children
• Insufficient problem-solving skills
• Negative parenting practices
• Lack of empathy and inability to build strong parent-child bonds
• Role reversal (parentification) and inconsistent parenting

Recommended Intensity:

Individual sessions typically run for 60 minutes, while group sessions are scheduled for 90 minutes (one weekly). However, the overall program length can vary depending on the specific needs of the participating families. The program allows for a flexible and tailored approach to meet the unique requirements of each family.

Recommended Duration:

12-15 weeks (based on competency, preassessments, and postassessments)

Delivery Settings

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Adoptive Home
• Birth Family Home
• Community Daily Living Setting
• Foster / Kinship Care
• Outpatient Clinic
• Community-based Agency / Organization / Provider
• Group or Residential Care
• Justice Setting (Juvenile Detention, Jail, Prison, Courtroom, etc.)
• Other
• Public Child Welfare Agency (Dept. of Social Services, etc.)
• School Setting (Including: Day Care, Day Treatment Programs, etc.)
• Shelter (Domestic Violence, Homeless, etc.)
• Virtual (Online, Telephone, Video, Zoom, etc.)

Homework

Nurturing Skills™ for Families (NSF) includes a homework component:

There is often a brief homework assignment after a session for the parents to practice and reinforce the skill(s) discussed in the session. The homework will be reviewed privately or as a small group the next session.

Languages

Nurturing Skills™ for Families (NSF) has materials available in a language other than English:

Spanish

For information on which materials are available in this language, please check on the program's website or contact the program representative (contact information is listed at the bottom of this page).

Resources Needed to Run Program

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

• Manuals and handbooks
• Assessments and evaluations
• Games
• Markers, flip chart, some simple art supplies
• Computer
• Two meeting spaces (one for adults, one for children where they receive specific lessons)
• Refreshments, transportation, and other services are not required but may be provided.

Manuals and Training

Prerequisite/Minimum Provider Qualifications

Suggested Requirements:

No minimum education level, but staff must be experienced in conducting home-based instruction if they are implementing the home-based model and/or conducting the adult groups if providing the group-based model.

Staff are required to be knowledgeable of the developmental capabilities of children 0-19 years of age, attend the Nurturing Parenting® Program facilitator training, and be regularly supervised by administrative staff.

Additionally, supervisor education requirements are agency specific and must minimally have successfully completed the Nurturing Parenting® Program facilitator training.

Manual Information

There is a manual that describes how to deliver this program.

Program Manual(s)

Manual details:

• Bavolek, S. J. (2018). Nurturing Parenting Programs: A fourteen-step quick implementation guide. Family Development Resources.
• Kaplan, F. B., & Bavolek, S. J. (2006). Nurturing Parenting Programs program implementation manual and resource guide (1st ed.). Family Development Resources.

Manuals are only available via training; they are not available for independent purchase.

Training Information

There is training available for this program.

Training Contact:

• Family Development Resources, Inc.
  www.nurturingparenting.com/training-workshop.html
  fdr@nurturingparenting.com
  phone: (180) 068-8582 x2

Training Type/Location:

Onsite or virtual

Number of days/hours:

3 days

Implementation Information

Pre-Implementation Materials

There are pre-implementation materials to measure organizational or provider readiness for Nurturing Skills™ for Families (NSF) as listed below:

The pre-implementation plan for Nurturing Parenting Programs typically involves several key steps to ensure the program is effectively tailored and ready for delivery. Here’s an outline of the beginning of a typical pre-implementation plan:

• 6 months – 1 Year:
• Conduct a thorough assessment to identify the specific needs of the target population
• Attend NPP Training Workshops
• Develop basic resources advisory board, etc.
• Determine and gather data on the community, demographics, existing services, and gaps in services.
• 6 months Prior to Start Date:
• Engage key stakeholders, including community leaders, service providers, and potential participants, to gather input and support for the program. This can help in customizing the program.
• Choose the appropriate Nurturing Parenting® Program model that aligns with the needs assessment findings.
• Determine the resources needed for implementation.
• Train staff and facilitators on the Nurturing Parenting® Program principles, curriculum, and delivery methods.
• Adapt the program curriculum to address the target populations.
• Develop a detailed implementation plan that includes timelines, session schedules, recruitment strategies, and evaluation methods.
• Establish clear goals and objectives for the program.
• Establish partnerships with local organizations, agencies, and community groups to support program delivery and participant recruitment.
• Create a marketing and outreach plan to inform the community about the program and recruit participants. Use various channels such as social media, local media, flyers, and word of mouth.
• Develop a system for collecting data on program outcomes and participant progress. This should include both qualitative and quantitative measures to assess the program's impact.

By following these steps and many more, the pre-implementation plan is designed to ensure that the Nurturing Parenting® Program implemented is well-prepared to meet the needs of the families they serve, ideally leading to successful and sustainable outcomes. For more information, please contact: fdr@nurturingparenting.com

Formal Support for Implementation

There is formal support available for implementation of Nurturing Skills™ for Families (NSF) as listed below:

Optional support is offered from on-site or virtual trainer. Nurturing Skills™ for Families Implementation Support Structure Commitment to Unique Needs: Family Development Resources is dedicated to addressing the specific needs of both families and agencies. To achieve this, the support is divided into two different categories, pretraining support and posttraining support.

• Pretraining Support:
• Facilitator Training: Family Development Resources National Nurturing Trainer/Consultants conduct workshops designed to develop nurturing attitudes and orient participants to the program’s philosophy, methodology and assessments.
• Needs Assessment: Collaboration with agency(ies) to perform a needs assessment before the training, ensuring the training is tailored to agency’s requirements.
• Program Orientation: Prior to training and during training participants are introduced to essential concepts, including the program model, competency-based lessons and evaluation practices, which are critical for maintaining the program’s fidelity.
• Posttraining Support:
• Ongoing Consultation: Trainer/Consultants offer 3-6 months of free email and telephone support post-training, depending on the initial contract and type of training.
• Regional Nurturing Networks: Access to regional Nurturing Networks for ongoing support through regular virtual meetings and joint training initiative. These initiatives help reduce costs and pool resources.

Additional support via platforms like Zoom, is available for Q & A session or more structure follow-ups, provided by the original or another Trainer/Consultant. This support may involve additional fees based on the needs.

Fidelity Measures

There are fidelity measures for Nurturing Skills™ for Families (NSF) as listed below:

Family Development Resources emphasizes the importance of maintaining implementation fidelity when using Nurturing Parenting® Programs, especially since consistent adherence is vital for achieving the best outcomes for families.

The developer acknowledges that while reporting fidelity isn't mandatory, keeping fidelity to the program is not only considered best practice but vital for the families they serve. This is especially important because many agencies using these programs need to report to their funding sources and demonstrating fidelity can be crucial for securing ongoing and future funding.

Examples of fidelity checklists for all Nurturing Parenting® Programs are presented in all trainings to ensure that the program is implemented consistently and according to its design. These checklists typically include items that track assessments, plans, materials, notices, and similar items that support the proper delivery of the sessions.

Example of a Fidelity Checklist for Nurturing Skills™ for Families

• Adherence to Curriculum: Session preparation, materials needed, session objectives and competencies, environment, start/end time, At-home Assignment.
• Participant Assessment: Participants completed required assessments. For Nurturing Skills™ for Families, this would include AAPI and NSCS.
• Skill Practice Observed: During the lesson and/or observation(s) the skills learned were observed by the facilitator. This could occur through a guided practice activity or home practice assignment.
• Participant Engagement: Efforts were made to engage all participants. This included asking questions and encouraging participation.
• Develop appropriate plans, data recording, and tracking.
• Facilitator: Facilitator demonstrated empathy, used appropriate teaching techniques, modeled nurturing behaviors. Facilitator should have a minimum of one self-written supervisor observation per year. This observation could be virtual or face-to-face.

Approaches are available via direct training inquires to fdr@nurturingparenting.com.

Implementation Guides or Manuals

There are implementation guides or manuals for Nurturing Skills™ for Families (NSF) as listed below:

The Nurturing Parenting® Program Implementation Manual and A Fourteen-Step Quick Implementation Guide contain implementation information. Please contact: fdr@nurturingparenting.com

Implementation Cost

There are no studies of the costs of Nurturing Skills™ for Families (NSF).

Research on How to Implement the Program

Research has not been conducted on how to implement Nurturing Skills™ for Families (NSF).

Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research

Child Welfare Outcomes: Safety and Permanency

Additional References