NASSAU, The Bahamas — Officials of the Department of Rehabilitative/Welfare Services (Ministry of Social Services) will review additional ways to expand the National Parenting Programme in order to increase its reach.
“Anything as valuable and necessary as the National Parenting Programme needs to reach more people if we are to stem the tide of criminality and anti-social behaviour in our country,” Minister of Social Services Melanie S. Griffin said.
“Within the last year, almost 1,000 persons have taken part. It pleases me to know that so many Bahamians wish to be better parents, but I would like to see an increase in the enrolment in this Programme” Mrs. Griffin added.
Minister Griffin said good parenting is “not as easy or as innate” as many in the community may think.
“This is why it is so important for us to teach parents how to be good parents,” Mrs. Griffin said. “Parents, especially young, single parents who do not have the benefit of extended families need to be taught how to promote positive behaviour in children; appropriate parent/child interaction; parental problem solving, values, money management, communication, discipline and how to manage crises.
“As the Minister of Social Services, I know of cases where parents abandon their children at the gates of the Simpson Penn Centre for Boys and the WillieMae Pratt Centre for Girls because the child has become uncontrollable. In some cases, this is through no fault of the parents, but very often, parents should ask themselves ‘Who made this child uncontrollable?’” Mrs. Griffin added.
Mrs. Griffin said the National Parenting Programme was established in 1994 based on a concern over the “escalation” of single parent families and the “apparent disintegration of the traditional family.”
“There was also the mounting concern about the many social ills that permeated the society such as the high rate of teen pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, child abuse and HIV/AIDS.
“At that time, it was recognised that parents – particularly young, single parents – were facing challenges rearing their children effectively and purposefully and that lessons on good parenting were needed to help stem the tide of many of the social ills that were impacting the country,’ Mrs. Griffin added.
Minister Griffin said officials of the Department of Rehabilitative/Welfare Services – the body that oversees the National Parenting Programme – will work towards increasing enrolment in the programme so that even more parents could benefit.
“During my term in office, I would welcome additional ideas on how we can expand the programme to ensure that it reaches even more Bahamians so that they can be better parents and we can achieve even greater successes with regards to reducing the many social ills that are impacting our country,” Mrs. Griffin added.
By Matt Maura
Bahamas Information Services
Caption: The Ministry of Social Services/Department of Rehabilitative/Welfare Services honour 45 Facilitators of the National Parenting Programme with an Appreciation Day, Thursday, September 6, at the Abaco Markets Building, Thompson Boulevard. Minister of Social Services Melanie S. Griffin applauded the Facilitators for their work in helping to improve the parenting skills of numerous Bahamians, many of them single, young, parents. The Facilitators are experts in a cross-section of professional fields. Mrs. Griffin shared a photo op with the Facilitators. (BIS Photo/Patrick Hanna)
