Parenting programs help improve parenting skills and children’s behavior in the short term – but do the effects last? They can, says a study in Ireland among disadvantaged families. 12 months after the program, parents were still happier, able to parent better, and less worried about their kids’ behavior than before the program. What’s more, the cost of other service use fell by 40% - pointing to major long-term savings.
June 2014
26 June 2014
19 June 2014
Many early childhood programs improve the prospects of poor and disadvantaged children. Many are also cost-effective. But despite 50 years of development, the effects of these programs remain modest and variable. Could working with adults be a stronger way to help their children? Jack Shonkoff and Phil Fisher argue that it is time to draw on evidence from biology to design, adapt, and scale up far more effective programs.
12 June 2014
Childhood brain injuries can not only harm children’s health and development, but also lead to family disruption as parents suffer severe and worsening distress. Research in Australia suggests that a specialist intervention combining two established parenting programs can help.
12 June 2014
The potential long-term benefits for disadvantaged children who attend high quality early years programs have long been known to include better qualifications, higher adult earnings and lower involvement in crime. But a groundbreaking study shows how the positive outcomes can extend to physical health – including lower levels of obesity and reduced risks of heart disease.
