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Extension’s Just in Time Parenting Delivers!

Extension’s Just in Time Parenting Delivers!. Pat Tanner Nelson, Extension Family & Human Development Specialist, University of Delaware Carole Gnatuk, Extension Child Development Specialist, University of Kentucky. Today, we will focus on. Extension’s Just in Time Parenting Evaluations

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Extension’s Just in Time Parenting Delivers!

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  1. Extension’s Just in Time Parenting Delivers!

  2. Pat Tanner Nelson, Extension Family & Human Development Specialist, University of Delaware • Carole Gnatuk, Extension Child Development Specialist, University of Kentucky

  3. Today, we will focus on • Extension’s Just in Time Parenting • Evaluations • Emerging opportunities • Key messages for parents for preventing childhood obesity

  4. Is a research and evidence-based program • With the potential to reach every family in America.

  5. In a NUTSHELL • Capitalizes on the “teachable moment” • Small amounts of info • Written at 4-6th grade level • Keyed to the birthdate of child • Delivered just in time

  6. Great Beginnings(Delaware) Baby Bouncer1-2-3 Grow!(Georgia) Zero to One(Iowa) Parent Express(Kentucky) The Growing Years(Maine) Baby's First Wish(New Mexico) Healthy Children Ready to Learn(Tennessee) Parenting the First Year & Parenting the Second and Third Years(Wisconsin) Cradle CrierToddler Tales(New Hampshire) http://www.parentinginfo.org/

  7. Pulls together core knowledge for children to thrive • Developmental milestones; promoting optimum growth • Reinforcing positive parenting behaviors • Affirming healthy interpersonal and family relationships

  8. A Kentucky County’s Story • Carole A. Gnatuk, Ed.D., Child Development Specialist • Peggy H. Powell, M.S., Montgomery County Extension Agent for Family & Consumer Sciences University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service

  9. Purpose: To describe… • An Appalachian county’s utilization of an age-paced parenting newsletter • Effectiveness of a committed community coalition for parenting newsletter delivery • Importance of a simple newsletter evaluation tool for future planning

  10. Population Distribution Total population: 22,554 Population of Mt. Sterling: about 6000 Rural character: • 62% of population classed as rural or non-farm • No county transportation system Source: U.S. Census, 2000

  11. Literacy and Education Of population 25 and over -- • 14% – less than 9th grade education • 14.8% more – dropped out between 9th and 12th grade • High school drop-out rate – 4% (Kentucky – 3%) Source: 2002 Kentucky Kids Count Data Book

  12. Montgomery County Children’s Coalition – 23 member agencies • Addresses issues such as school retention, housing, family resources, reducing head lice, clothing drives, family literacy • Each year a few Parent ExpressNewsletters mailed through county Cooperative Extension office by subscription – approximately 25 families/year.

  13. Parent Express Grant Project • Early Childhood Initiative grant of $15,000 • Project Goal: Provide information on child development, literacy promotion, nutrition, wellness, and parenting skills

  14. Parent Express mailed free to -- • All parents giving birth in county hospitals • WIC recipients and other public health clients • Every child care center and family day care • Every public school preschool • Every faith community

  15. Evaluation of Parent Express’s impact on parenting skills • Conducted during early 2003 • Five-question survey sent to all recipients receiving newsletters 5-14 months • Easy to read post card format • “Yes” or “no” answers required • Incentive: Chance to win $25 Wal-Mart gift

  16. Rationale for simplicity of format -- • Easy to understand for limited literacy parents • Quick to complete • Isolated the most important single concepts covered in the newsletters • Non-intimidating • More likely to be returned in post card form

  17. Post Card Survey Results 94–96 percent of respondents felt that newsletters: • Encouraged them to read more to their children • Provided parenting information they can use • Helped them learn fun, age-appropriate activities • Gave useful feeding tips for good nutrition • Coalition should continue to send newsletters to new parents (98 percent agree)

  18. Interpretation of Survey Results -- Recipients believe newsletters are effective for: • Increasing child development knowledge • Advancing parenting skills • Increasing awareness of importance of literacy • Utilizing nutrition and feeding tips

  19. Child Care Coalition’s assessment -- • More effective than group education in isolated rural areas without public transportation • Congruent with Appalachian cultural tendency toward self-reliance, reluctance to leave the immediate neighborhood, and distrust of outsiders • Non-discriminatory when sent to everyone

  20. Implications This evaluation study, despite limitations, suggests: • An age-paced parenting newsletter in rural Appalachian areas of Kentucky, utilized consistently, is effective in building parenting skills and increasing positive child development outcomes. • A vibrant community coalition maximizes scarce resources, builds trust, and helps solve problems.

  21. Evaluations • Annual mail-in surveys • Multi-state surveys with pre- and post-tests • 16 state study • 5 state study with Head Start families • Wisconsin study • Nevada evaluation

  22. Evaluations • Parents say the newsletters make them feel more confident and competent. • In CA, DE and WI, those who report changing behaviors and attitudes most are youngest, poorest and least educated.

  23. Parents rate • as highly useful more oftenthan any other source of information, including • Physicians • Nurses • Relatives • Other printed materials

  24. Parents receiving • A year -- compared to control group -- • had beliefs significantly less like those of child- abusing parents. • also reported spanking or slapping their babies significantly fewer times. • Two years -- high risk Nev. parents -- had no substantiated reports of child maltreatment.

  25. Parents receiving for a year -- compared to control group, • provided a significantly more intellectually stimulating home environment for their infants and toddlers. • reported reading to their babies more often.

  26. In addition… • Hispanic mothers in Oregon home visiting program • rated more useful than any other parenting info • reported positive changes in six parenting practices • Home visitors use as teaching tool

  27. Evaluation summary • Helps parents have realistic expectations • Provides reassurance • Accentuates the positive • Can be read by all the adults in a family

  28. Evaluation summary • Helps parents identify problems • Links parents to a broad range of human services • Reaches “hard to reach” families • Cuts through social isolation of abusive families

  29. Evaluation summary • Can reach vast audiences • very time- efficiently and • cost-effectively. • Can be combined with face-to-face interventions to reinforce key concepts and provide ongoing “contact.”

  30. Vision • starting before birth and continuing through adolescence. • available nationwide in every county. • regularly updated by a multi-state, multi-disciplinary team.

  31. Emerging Developments • eXtension Pioneer Community of Practice • USDA Kobbe Innovation Grant • NRI project with Children's Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) at Baylor College of Medicine

  32. An eXtension grant is helping us • Develop core national JITP resources on an interactive web site • Ask the Expert sections • FAQs • State and county level contacts • Recruit sustainable partners • Community of Practice and a Community of Interest

  33. And, the eXtension grant is helping us • Develop and implement marketing strategies • Visualize a flawless distribution system

  34. The eXtension grant is helping to • Develop template evaluations • Focus on cost effectiveness of various formats and delivery systems

  35. eXtension Just in Time Leadership Aaron Ebata, PI, Univ.of Illinois Diana DelCampo, NM State Univ. Sally Martin, Univ of NV, Reno Lesia Oesterreich, IA State Univ. Susan Walker, Univ. of MD eXtension JITP Advisory Team Sally Bowman, Oregon State Univ. Andrew Behnke, Univ. NC Don Bower, Univ. GA Dave Riley, Univ. WI Lenna Ontai-Grzebik, UC Davis Esteemed advisors Anna Mae Kobbe Caroline Croccoll eXtension JITP Support Team Kirk Bloir, Ohio State Univ Denise Brandon, Univ of TN Sharon Cowan, Univ of NH Jodi Dworkin, Univ. of MN Sara Gable, Univ. of MO Kim Leon, Univ. of MO Debbie McClelland, Univ of Il Gerri Peeples, Univ of Il Harriet Shaklee, Univ of ID Who is making this happen?

  36. Use eXtension Just in Time Parenting? How would you use? Like to be A content reviewer? A contributor for priority topics? Help with local and/or state contacts? marketing materials? fund development? Help in other ways? Send your contact information and a brief summary of how you would like to get involved to ptnelson@udel.edu Would you..

  37. USDA Kobbe Innovation Grant • Lit. Review: parents’ role in childhood obesity prevention • Highlights of the Lit. Review • Key Messages for parents • Integrate into JITP Available http://ag.udel.edu/extension/fam/

  38. Childhood Obesity Prevention Team • Drew Betz, Whatcom County Extension Educator, Washington State University • Diana DelCampo, Extension Family Life Specialist, Child Development & Family Life Specialist, New Mexico State University • Shirley Gerrior, CSREES National Program Leader in Human Nutrition • Carole Gnatuk, Extension Child Development Specialist, University of Kentucky • Sheryl Hughes, Developmental Psychologist, Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine

  39. Childhood Obesity Prevention Team • Sally Martin, Human Development Specialist, University of Nevada, Reno • Susan Nitzke, Nutrition Specialist, University of Wisconsin • Madeleine Sigman-Grant, Extension Health and Nutrition Specialist, University of Nevada, Reno • Sue Snider, Nutrition Specialist, University of Delaware • Beth Van Horn, Centre County Extension Educator, Penn State University • Susan Walker, Extension Child Development & Family Support Specialist, University of Maryland

  40. Factors associated with lowering obesity risks • Regular physical exercise • High dietary fiber intake (veggies, fruits) • Healthful food choice environments • Breast-feeding • Shared family meals • Mother’s knowledge of nutrition • Positive parental role modeling

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