Because kids don't come with manuals

Abstract

Parents often struggle with discipline as well as how best to support their children's social and emotional growth. Unfortunately, many pediatricians, nurses, teachers, and other professionals involved in the lives of young children and their families lack the formal training and/or time to address parenting questions and concerns. And, although evidence-based parenting programs do exist, their impact is limited by low rates of uptake. Logistical barriers to implementation and workforce shortages limit their availability, and even when available, families often face numerous obstacles to enrolling in and completing programs. From a public health perspective, lack of accessibility and low exposure rates severely limit their potential for reducing the prevalence of behavioral and emotional problems and for promoting psychological wellbeing.