Promoting helpful parenting: the paediatrician's role

Abstract 

The burden of disease in wealthy industrialised countries is changing and this is reflected by the fact that emotional and behavioural problems are now the major causes of disability in children. Parenting has been shown to have a significant role not only in the aetiology of emotional and behavioural problems, but in more general terms as regards children's health. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has responded to this transition by establishing a multidisciplinary working group to examine the issues. Their report calls for greater attention to be given to the support of parents through the development of universal and targeted services for parents from the antenatal period throughout the first three years of the child's life. This paper examines the specific role of paediatricians in supporting parenting, not only through clinical work with parents and children, but also through the development of policy and practice to promote helpful parenting.

Keywords:  Parenting, Prevention and promotion, Early interventions, Paediatrics