Positive Parenting: Preventing Violence against Children

The International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) organized the ISPCAN Thinking Space 2015 to focus on Positive Parenting and its contribution to the prevention of violence against children. There is a growing body of evidence that building the skills necessary for positive parenting helps protect children from violence within the family system. There is some evidence that it may also help to break the cycle of inter-personal violence across generations. The aim of the ISPCAN Thinking Space is to bring international experts together in order to debate a specific child protection challenge, share theory, research and evidence-based practice on the topic, and then develop a report that will provide the international community with a ‘snap-shot’ of high-level clinical and policy advice that is: • Informed by Multi-Cultural, Multi-Lingual and Multi-Disciplinary Input; • Universally Applicable or Adaptable Across Language and Culture; • Sensitive to the Realities of Resources; and • A Practical Resource for the Use of Senior Practitioners Hoping to Influence Policy-Makers, Donors and Senior Officials in their Own Geographical and Cultural Areas. This report is based on the results of research, including an international survey, expert presentations and multi-professional debates in every region of the world. Through this process a wide range of evidenceinformed parenting interventions from around the world have been identified, along with insights into how these can be implemented in the most effective ways in different contexts. The research findings and recommendations are summarized in this executive summary in order to inform the development of future global and national policy, strategies, decisions on commissioning and resource allocation, research, program development and implementation. The full report1 provides practical examples of how positive parenting is being promoted in different parts of the world. It is hoped that these findings will stimulate new thinking, debate, and offer valuable ideas and information for those striving to end violence against children.