A Summary Compiled by the North Carolina Parenting Education Network

The North Carolina Parenting Education Network conducted a community assessment of agencies conducting parenting education programs across the state. Written surveys were distributed through major agencies known to be providing parenting education. Surveys were distributed through Cooperative Extension, Smart Start Partnerships, Division of Mental Health, Health Departments, and Parents as Teachers. Results indicate that North Carolina offers many different forms of parenting education. A listing of each county response is compiled to serve as a summary of the parenting education opportunities existing throughout the state. Of the 100 counties in North Carolina, 73 responded.

Within the 73 counties responding, there were 143 programs devoted to parenting. All of the reporting counties provide information or education to parents to help them raise their children and 51 counties promote parenting education in other ways as well.

Parenting education programs in North Carolina target a variety of parents. When asked if the program targeted a specific population respondents said:

• •36% (27) counties have programs that specialize in parents of children birth to age five
• •34% (25) counties have programs that are open to any parents
• •21% (16) of the counties have programs that specialize in teenage parents
• •10% (8) of the counties have programs that target expectant or recent newborns
• •20% (15) of the counties have programs devoted to low-income families
• • 9% (7) of the counties have programs that target parents of school-aged children
• •8% (5) of the counties report programs devoted to at-risk youth
• •7% (4) of the counties report programs that are devoted to parents referred for abuse and neglect

• •3% (2) of the counties report having programs that target parents with teenage children
• •2% (1) of the counties report having programs that target step-parents and grandparents.

North Carolina parents become aware of parenting education programs in various ways.

• •68% (50) of the counties report that parents are referred by other agencies
• •46% (34) of the counties report that work of mouth makes parents aware of parenting education
• •48% (35) of the counties report that ads make parents aware of parenting education
• •18% (11) of the counties report that parents seek the programs out themselves
• •12% (7) of the counties report that parents come into programs through court orders

Programs obtain information of developing parent education programs in various manners.

• •62% (32) of the counties report having programs with agency owned curriculum
• •40% (21) of the counties report programs that they receive information from their state specialist
• •23% (12) of the counties report having programs with instructor owned curriculum
• •8% (4) of the counties have programs that receive their information from their home office

Parent educator's credentials vary between counties. Most programs valued personal characteristic such as understanding, tolerance, and caring. Only 15% (8) counties report programs that have difficulty finding quality parent educators.

• •38% (28) of the counties report programs that require parent educators to have a B.A. or equivalent
• •32% (23) counties report programs that prefer parent educators have experience with children or parenting.

Counties report funding from state, federal, county, local and private sources. Many programs are funded though Smart Start. Ninety-seven percent of the counties have programs that do not charge for services.

North Carolina parent educators recognize the barriers to parent education. Two efforts to overcome these barriers are offering transportation and home visits.

• •63% (46) of the counties report programs that offer transportation at times, or on a regular basis.



• •52% (38) of the counties report programs that offer home visits sometimes or on a regular basis.

Despite efforts to eliminate barriers, parent education programs still report many barriers

to parent participation.

• •89% (65) of the programs report that lack of transportation
• •93% (68) of the programs report lack of parent participation are barriers to parent education
• •48% (35) of the programs report lack of child care as a barrier
• •37% (27) of the programs report language other than English and inconvenient meeting times as barriers.
• •23% (17) of the programs report parent literacy as a barrier.
• •12% (13) of the programs report lack of publicity as a barrier
• •Less than 10 % of the programs report high cost of materials, stigma associated with meeting location, cost to parent, and lack of qualified parent educator as barriers.

Attendance in parent education programs is reported so many parents overcome the barriers to participating in parenting education in North Carolina, however most programs are offered to small groups (50 or less) of parents.

• •11% (8) of the programs report more than 500 parent complete the program each year
• •12% (9) of the programs report between 200-500 parents complete the program each year
• •10% (15) of the programs reports 100-200 parents complete the program each year
• •30% (22) of the programs report 50-100 parents complete the program each year
• •38% (28) of the programs report 21-50 parents complete the program each year
• •37% (27) of the programs report up to 20 parents complete the program each year.

Parenting education programs are designed to meet multiple needs of parents.

• •77% (110) of the programs are designed to increase parenting skills and increase knowledge
• •68% (98) of the programs are designed to increase healthy living practices, increase participant self-sufficiency and self-esteem and/or support parents in their parenting role
• •53% (77) of the programs are designed to reduce child abuse or neglect
• •35% (51) are designed to increase awareness of substance abuse
• •31% (45) are designed to increase life skills and job readiness skills or increase child literacy and academic performance
• •23% (33) were designed to support a child care center parent education component
• •13% (18) were designed to increase parental literacy
• •11% (13) were designed to reunite families

Measuring the impact parent education programs is complex however only 3% of the programs reported not evaluating their programs.

• •76% (109) of the programs report utilizing attendance records to evaluate the effectiveness of the program
• •62% (89) utilize a parent questionnaire following the program
• •47% (67) utilize observation of changes in parent behaviors
• •47% (67) utilize parent self-report of changes in behavior
• •23% (33) utilize an agency report form
• •15% (21) utilize feedback from parents' children
• •13% (19) utilize focus group interviews with parent group