|
| News & Events |
| | Child Abuse Prevention Conference | Child Abuse Prevention Month | 2008 Excellence Awards | | 2008 Walk for Children | Press Releases | Event Calendar | Photo Galleries | |
Parenting Education Expert to Speak at Child Abuse Prevention Conference Dr. Dana McDermott to address how professionals can help parents feel and be confident in their care giving roles Albany, NY—February 25, 2008—If there’s one thing all parents have in abundance, it’s unsolicited advice. Need a good night’s sleep? Some tell you to “cry it out” while others swear by swaddling and white noise. Trying to soothe your fussy baby? Your sister says you should try a pacifier and your friend says you shouldn’t. And don’t forget your neighbor. She really thinks your baby should be wearing a hat today. No one ever said being a parent is easy, and the surplus of information and opinion on the topic of parenting can make the job even tougher. But the truth is, despite the onslaught of unsolicited advice, every parent can benefit from accurate information, strong support, and positive role models. That’s the goal of parenting education—to help parents access the knowledge, skills, confidence and social supports needed to nurture the health, safety and positive development of children. And what can professionals working with parents do to facilitate this process? Dr. Dana McDermott will be addressing these and other questions in her keynote speech, Thinking Mindfully about Parenting and Parenting Education, at Possibilities, the 2008 New York State Child Abuse Prevention Conference. “The focus of my presentation is helping a diverse group of professionals who interface with parents, be they social workers, teachers, probation officers, mental health professionals, foster care workers, ministers, or medical professionals, to understand how to provide information and support to help parents do their important job more effectively and grow as parents,” said Dr. McDermott. “Parenting education has become an increasingly important strategy for preventing child abuse and neglect, making it a natural fit for this conference and for our work,” said Christine Deyss, executive director of Prevent Child Abuse New York, the not-for-profit group that presents the conference. “Effective parenting education efforts reach parents before they’ve come to the end of their ropes, engage them in activities that promote healthy, stable relationships, and provide them with resources and support.” “Too often professionals who deal with families focus on the child and write the parents off as the problem,” said Dr. McDermott. “In this conference, which attracts a very diverse group of professionals, we want to help them shift their paradigms from seeing parents as the problem to seeing them as having knowledge about their children, hopes for their children, and the capacity—with parenting education and support—to succeed as parents. Parents are life-long learners. Even the most troubled parent is capable of working together with a strong support network and growing in their role.” Dr. McDermott is a nationally renowned expert in the field of parenting education. She is a member of the Faculty of the New School of Learning at DePaul University. Her work has focused on child, parent, and family development. She serves on two national boards: Prepare Tomorrow’s Parents and the National Parenting Education Network, dedicated to supporting professionals in their work with parents. Her keynote address will be given on Monday, April 7, from 10 – 11:30 am at the Albany Marriott in Albany, New York. The 2008 Child Abuse Prevention Conference will be held April 7 – 9 at the same location. The New York State Child Abuse Prevention conference inspires and equips professionals, advocates, parents and other caregivers with the latest abuse prevention, child protection, and parenting information and skills. Participants work in many arenas: parent and family education and support, child protective services, domestic violence, health care, mental health, education, law enforcement, legal services, religious and civic organizations, and in the home as parents. Their common purpose is to nurture and protect children. The event is presented by Prevent Child Abuse New York and sponsored by the NYS Children and Family Trust Fund, Office of Children and Family Services. Co-sponsors include the National Parenting Education Network, the New York State Kincare Coalition, the New York State Fatherhood Initiative, and Lifetime Health Medical Group. For more information, contact Jennifer Matrazzo at 518-445-1273 |
- We're an official partner! |
|
| Prevent Child Abuse NY | 33 Elk Street, 2nd Floor | Albany, NY 12207 | | P: 518-445-1273 | 1-800-CHILDREN | F: 518-436-5889 | | |