review of 20 home visiting programmes that provide parent support across the United States. The study
found that they substantially reduced child maltreatment and that one, the Nurse-Family Partnership
(NFP) had particularly positive results.16
“The NFP began in 1977 by promoting a safe home environment and promoting
competent caregiving by parents and connecting them to health and social
services. Central to the model are registered nurses who make home visits to
young, first-time, low-income families in the first two years of their children’s lives.
Long term positive outcomes included improved prenatal health, fewer childhood
injuries, fewer undesired pregnancies and increased maternal employment.
The 15 year follow-up reported a 48% reduction in child abuse and neglect among
families who received the home visit compared to those who did not.
A cost benefit analysis of the programme found that it saved four times as much
money as was spent on it.
The NFP approach is now being scaled up across the USA and implemented in
Australia, Canada, the UK and others.”
INSPIRE: 7 Strategies for Ending Violence Against Children, WHO, Inquiry document 48
The NFP is one example but there are many others, including those designed specifically for low and
middle income countries17 and Samoa can draw upon these. However, Samoa can also draw upon its own
culture in designing positive parenting programmes. The Fa’asamoa contains many proverbs, principles
and practices that can and should be incorporated into positive parenting programmes with non-violence
as the central principle. The use of cultural norms in this manner has been found to be very effective in
promoting positive change.
Inquiry Info Point 19: What is positive parenting?
Positive parenting is a broad approach to parenting that helps to foster a close
loving bond between parent and child, based on communication and mutual
respect, key principles of the Fa’asamoa. It is more than just parenting without
smacking and has three major components:18
Rules and consequences are laid out, discussed often and followed
through;
Parents focus on helping children internalize discipline rather than obey
orders based on fear of punishment, in order to develop self-discipline;
16
World Health Organisation. (2016). INSPIRE: Seven Strategies for Ending Violence Against Children. Document 48 Inquiry
anthology.
17 The Parenting for Lifelong Health programme in South Africa is one such example and is reporting great success in reducing
prevalence of physical and emotional violence and improved parental skills.
18 Barbara Harvey. “Positive Parenting Defined.” (12 December 2015). Retrieved from https://www.kars4kidsorg/blog/positiveparenting-defined/.
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