2. Skilful Parenting as a means of strengthening child protection and psychosocial well-being Partnership Between ICS and Firelight on Resilience Initiative Presented at PSS Forum 1-3 September 2015, Elephant Hills Hotel, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

3. Outline of presentation About ICS Our combined approach Results and lessons learnt from implementing Skillful Parenting Program in Tanzania

4. Vision, Mission, Strategic programmes Vision People around the world are capable and willing to ensure the wellbeing of all children and to drive their own change. Mission Together with people and their communities, we inspire co-creation of initiatives and ventures which enable long lasting social and economic change in order to ensure the wellbeing of all children and young people. More About ICS www.icsafrica.org www.icsafrica.org

5. The challenges we seek to address Tolerant attitudes towards corporal punishment, stresses experienced by parents due to illness, poverty and urbanization and therefore Parents feel overwhelmed to raise their children. National budgets continue to increase with higher allocations going to development and social sectors. While these trends are positive, the everyday experiences of poor families need more structured attention. The cost of living continues to rise, compromising families’ ability to provide for their needs adequately. The wellbeing of children persists as a major challenge amidst generally good macro-economic indicators. Low household incomes leading to poverty and other vulnerabilities impact negatively on child wellbeing as livelihoods of families are constrained. Food remains a major source of worry and the single greatest category of expenditure at household level.

6. Challenges Parenting more often than not equated with reproduction and mere provisioning for children. Elements that nurture and support children to grow in safety and confidence are often not given the attention family level. Actors interested in addressing social problems often neglect parenting as a subject that requires attention in their programming. Changing family patterns and norms - the parental support and guidance that parents received from extended families in the past is largely unavailable.

7. Our approach to connected and stable families Investments in actions that enhance economic empowerment and popularizing skilful parenting as a crucial ingredient in promoting stable, connected and responsible families In our experience, this innovative combination of interventions addresses economic situational, social and behavioral risk factors associated with violence in the family especially violence against women and girls Built upon the understanding that change will only take place if people are convinced of the need for change and of their capacity to change. The combined approach targets the family institution [1] through harnessing and utilizing family and community knowledge and experiences to challenge status quo and transform individuals to realize that they have the power and capacity to transform their lives positively. [1] [1] "The ways of peace must be learned early. So as adults, we have an obligation to begin to work with our children to develop that respect for all rights. We must work at home, in schools, in youth clubs and in our religious and community institutions." Graça Machel, Commonwealth Lecture Address, March 13, 2001

8. An integrated approach Agribusiness Skillful Parenting Resilience Initiative Smallholder farmers, their families and communities (farmer groups) Wellbeing of families and their children ICS believes in strength of people to create change in a sustainable manner Tanzania Social Businesses CBOs/Local NGOs Capacity building towards quality service delivery

9. Skillful Parenting Parent support program to help parents to address their challenges, make informed choices and get the support they need to give their children the best possible start in life Under guidance of a local facilitator, parents and caregivers come together in peer groups for discussion and sharing. Skilful Parenting Approach: a parent support program that reinforces positive parenting practices, empowering parents to address the challenges that they face in bringing up their children. It is embedded in an Agribusiness program that works with farmer groups on increased food production and household income to mitigate poverty as a cause of stress and conflict. Under guidance of a local facilitator, parents and caregivers with children age 0-18 come together in peer groups for reflection, discussion and sharing using context-specific Skillful Parenting materials and certified local facilitators.

10. The skilful parenting model

11. STRUCTURED SESSIONS ON SKILLFUL PARENTING TANZANIA Start-UpSkilful Parenting SessionsFollow-Up 1.Meet with local authorities to introduce ICS 2.Organize public meeting together with Agribusiness Officer and CBO: Introduce ICS and Program Register farmer groups that want to participate in Program 3. Meet each farmer group to: Introduce and motivate parents for the program Invite farmers’ spouses Define starting date and location of sessions Register basic data parents 10-12 weekly sessions during 20 weeks Follow-up with parent peer group through Support Group Leaders Conduct home visits to most vulnerable families Organize Fatherhood parleys with fathers of groups and community 5 weeks Skilful Parenting 5 sessions Selection of 4 Support Group Leaders during 5 th session 4 weeks 5 Break for parent group 1-day training Support Group Family Budgeting 3-5 sessions 3-5 weeks 4 weeks Break for parent group 2 weeks Child Protection 2 sessions Continuous community awareness-raising and linkage meetings with authorities

12. Results and lessons learnt from implementing Skillful Parenting Program in Tanzania Through skilful parenting, there are improved relationships - a functional relationship between spouses and between parents and their children and within the larger extended families Perceptions of men’s position in the family and how they relate with their spouses have changed positively. Men slowly taking an interest in issues that affect their children. Currently, 99 fathers are actively and regularly participating in fatherhood session Improved communication and collective planning among household members. Child participation in family decision making has increased The level of awareness of child rights has improved and parents are now concerned about their children`s education, eg making follow ups in schools to track their children`s progress

13. Lessons Poverty is a stressor in the parenting process, and therefore need to address economic concerns Increased income does not in all cases guarantee child wellbeing Extra effort and different strategies required to ensure male/father involvement Parent peer groups the preferred approach and the choice of parent educators/social workers is very critical This approach also promotes the demand and utilization of social services such as ECD, education, health, nutrition, birth registration and sanitation. The program is building an enabling environment where parents respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights and psychosocial well- being

14. More information Kudely Sokoine – Country Coordinator –TZ Kudely.sokoine@icsafrica.org Beatrice Ogutu-Program Director, Africa Beatrice.ogutu@icsafrica.org Tomaida Banda-Regional Consultant firelightresilience@gmail.com Ahsanten Sana