NPSC to Place Focus on Increasing Parent Participation

The National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) will be using Parent Month in November to ramp up activities aimed at increasing the participation of parents in the lives of their children.

State Minister for Education and Youth, Hon. Marsha Smith, in making the disclosure, said that total parental involvement ensures positive outcomes for children.

“Studies indicate that children perform better academically and tend to be more disciplined and respectful when they are raised in families that demonstrate good parenting skills,” she noted.

Miss Smith was addressing the recent launch of National Parents Month under the theme ‘Participation for Purpose’ at ATL Automotive Group in Kingston.

Ms. Smith said parental involvement is critical in light of the many competing influences to which children are exposed.

“Parents are not the only channel of influence in the lives of their children. Indeed, today, the overwhelming presence of social media means there are multiple voices bombarding children with competing messages,” she pointed out.

The State Minister commended the NPSC, which is an agency of the Ministry, for its targeted and sustained efforts in working with parents to equip them with the knowledge and skills to deliver better parenting and for “continuing to amplify the imperative of building strong home-school relationships”.

She said that through the entity, great effort is being made to address matters of ineffective parenting by retooling, re-educating, and mentoring parents.

The emphasis, she noted, is driven by the national vision for parenting, which states that every parent recognise and accept a duty to ensure that the rights of the child are always upheld, the best interest of the child is always promoted, and the child is always loved and provided with opportunities and resources within a safe, caring and nurturing environment, to achieve his or her full potential and ultimate fulfilment.

“This is an intentional and targeted focus on the positive role that parents play and must continue to play in the lives of children,” Miss Smith said.

“We encourage parents to stay connected with their children in order to nurture and help them navigate life’s challenges,” she urged.

Miss Smith said that Parent Month is an opportunity “to reflect on our roles and actions as parents, guardians, and mentors and the impact that our actions are having on our children”.

She noted that the observance is also an occasion to recognise and honour parents who make a significant contribution to the social, emotional and academic development of their children and the wider education sector.