Abstract

Many people who attend parenting groups come because they want to change; they want to become more effective parents who promote their children's healthy development. But change is a challenging process, even when people want it and come looking for it. The challenge is even more formidable for those parents who are forced, through circumstances, to attend parenting groups. When change is imposed from outside, the process rarely succeeds. (You can read more about this subject on pages 63- 64.)

Understanding the complexity of the change process will help you create programs and interventions that fit with the stage of readiness of participants in your parenting groups. As facilitator, you will be able to create conditions that promote personal change at all stages and thereby improve the outcome of the program for all participants and their families.