A community service model for delivery of early childhood mental illness prevention programs

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a community service model—positive parenting program for delivery of early childhood mental illness prevention programs. In determining how to go about preventing childhood disorders, the system of service delivery was influenced by research in Canada from the Better Beginnings Better Future project. The Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) is an evidence-based parenting program with over 15 years of research and a sound theoretical framework. Triple P is a parenting program that affects the child's home environment and childcare environment if carers jointly participate in the program. This was encouraged on the Central Coast, for example, by training family day care staff in the Triple P program, who then ran the Triple P program for family day carers and parents. The Triple P program is multilevel and can be used from universal to targeted prevention strategies depending on the community's needs. Consultation was held with key community stakeholders through involving them in a Mental Illness Prevention Steering Committee and a Triple P sub-committee. This allowed it to be responsive to the community's needs. Triple P is a multilevel prevention program so that services could be tailored to families needs and referrals made if appropriate. It can be applied on a universal to targeted basis and has a range of delivery modes e.g. individual to group to meet a range of different needs. It also covers a range of topics that affect families such as family survival tips as well as behavior management strategies.