Over 300 parent-child couples from 8 districts plus Chi\u0219in\u0103u attended in the last five years the educational programme for parents \u201cMellow Parenting\u201d, which originated in Great Britain and is based on evidence and knowledge in dealing with trauma. The programme has been implemented in the Republic of Moldova due to the financial assistance provided by the World Childhood Foundation and the European Union. At the moment, four other districts are delivering \u201cMellow Parenting\u201d, in a project supported by the European Union.<\/p>\n
The results of implementation of this programme in the last 5 years in Moldova were presented at the Final Conference of the \u201cMellow Parenting Programme \u2013 for Healthy and Happy Children\u201d project, funded by the World Childhood Foundation, held today in Chi\u0219in\u0103u with the participation of representatives of central and local public authorities, practitioners and other partners.<\/p>\n
According to Irina Spivacenco, project coordinator at the NGO \u201cPartnerships for every child\u201d, the evaluation of the implementation of the \u201cMellow Parenting\u201d programme in Moldova showed that the mothers and fathers included in the programme have become more self-confident, patient, open, communicative, less depressed and have improved the relationships with their children. \u201cParents have learned how to handle their emotions and prioritise their activities so as to allocate more time to their children; they have understood that a child needs not only food and sleep, but also affection and a lot of attention, etc. They also note they feel listened to and not judged in the Mellow groups,\u201d said Mrs. Spivacenco.<\/p>\n
The representative of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Mrs. Anastasia Gruzin, who was present at the event, mentioned the importance of parenting programmes for ensuring the well-being of children, highlighting the prospects of their integration into the child protection system. \u201cStrengthening parental skills is one of the Government’s priorities in the field of child protection for the coming years and is part of the National Child Protection Programme for 2022-2026,\u201d Mrs. Gruzin said.<\/p>\n
The \u201cMellow Parenting\u201d programme is aimed at supporting parents in the development of parental skills at various stages of child development \u2013 from the prenatal to the preschool one \u2013 and is based on the principles of attachment, social learning and cognitive behaviour theory. The programme consists of 14 group sessions, which include discussions, homework, video sessions, joint activities with mothers and their children, such as having meals, creative activities, etc.<\/p>\n
Over 30 Mellow Parenting practitioners have been trained and accredited throughout the project. They have delivered groups for about 300 parent-child couples. In addition, two national trainers have been accredited with the right to train future practitioners in the Mellow Parenting programme.<\/p>\n