Parenting skills courses and first-time parents : should the state be involved?

Abstract

This research study deals with the important task of parenthood and how and why this should be included more in social policy-making. In this research 51 parents attending a parenting skills course answered a questionnaire regarding their experience in attending such course, and their opinion on whether the State should be more involved in parenthood by providing more parenting skills courses. Parenting skills course coordinators were also interviewed to obtain more information on their experience with parents and their own idea of parenting skills courses, etc. Through the literature review, the importance of good parenting skills and parenting skills courses is seen. This is also supported from the parents' point of view and from what the interviewees said with regards to the local context. Emerging from this research is the implication that parenting skills should be given more importance by the State and in policy-making, especially in view of the fact that in general Maltese parents may be spending less time with their children due to the State's work ethic. One important way on how this could be done is by providing more easily accessible parenting skills courses.