EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF PARENT EDUCATION: A PROGRAM EVALUATION OF THE FAMILY CENTER

Abstract

The maltreatment of children continues to be a matter of public concern in the community. As a result, there is a growing interest in the importance of evidence-based intervention to assist parents acquire more appropriate parenting skills. This research evaluates the effectiveness of the Nurturing Parenting Program which is offered through The Family Center in the Middle Tennessee region. Using secondary data provided by 903 program participants, the study explored the risks factors for positive parenting based on the Adult Adolescent Parenting Inventory-2. Based on participants from three distinct locations (community, local jails, and drug treatment facilities), findings suggest that the program was successful in lowering the overall risk for child abuse for participants. However, non-white, older parents, single parents, and those with less than high school education face more challenges in overcoming child maltreatment tendencies.