Better Parenting Training For Caregivers of Highly Vulnerable Children - Facilitator's Manual and Job Aid

This Facilitator's Manual and accompanying Better Parenting Job Aid are designed to support community-based trainers - such as government representatives, community service organisation staff, local activists, and volunteers - to work with parents and caregivers to improve parenting practices. The two resources are meant to improve the attitudes, behaviours, and skills of caregivers, while also improving relationships and communication between caregivers and their children. The overall goal is to improve the well-being of children by encouraging positive, supportive parenting.
The manual and job aid were developed by FHI360 staff together with Pact Ethiopia as part of a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) project called Yekokeb Berhan Program for Highly Vulnerable Children in Ethiopia.
The facilitator's manual is intended for trainers, either for self-study or as part of a training of trainer's workshop. It has been designed so that a trainer can review the suggested workshop outline and activities and follow the instructions to train local staff or volunteers. Alternatively, an organisation can create a training-of-trainers workshop, where the participants would become familiar with the material in a group setting and then train others afterwards.
The manual consists of five sessions:

• Session 1 - Understanding Parenting
• Session 2 - Understanding Children
• Session 3 - Learning Parenting Skills (Part l)
• Session 4 - Learning Parenting Skills (Part 2)
• Session 5 - Being a Good Example for Children

The accompanying Better Parenting Job Aid is to be used directly with parents and guardians. It comprises a series of pictures and suggested discussion questions:
Picture #1: Parenting Responsibilities Picture #2: Culture and Social Roles Picture #3: Parenting Styles Picture #4: Children's Personality Picture #5: Stages of Development Picture #6: Changing Needs as Children Grow Older Picture #7: Children with Disabilities Picture #8: Parent-Child Communication Picture #9: Setting Limits Picture #10: Responding to Misbehaviour Picture #11: Good Discipline Picture #12: Good Monitoring Picture #13: Good Role Modeling Picture #14: Managing Emotions
When printed in a small hand-held size (i.e., A4 or smaller), the Job Aid can be used in the home by volunteers or community workers who spend time with families one-on-one. A larger version (A3 or bigger) can be used when engaging in planned Better Parenting discussions in small groups or at community meetings.
A 2013 evaluation of Yekokeb Berhan's Better Parenting approach in Ethiopia found that "improved parenting practices, as described in this Manual and Job Aid, were credited for increasing school attendance and performance, improving parent-child communication, and providing children with more recreation and free play-time. Within many families, it also replaced the corporal punishment of children with positive disciplinary approaches."