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Achieving Population-Level Change Through a System-Contextual Approach to Supporting Competent Parenting

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An Erratum to this article was published on 18 March 2017

Abstract

The quality of parenting children receive affects a diverse range of child and youth outcomes. Addressing the quality of parenting on a broad scale is a critical part of producing a more nurturing society. To achieve a meaningful population-level reduction in the prevalence rates of child maltreatment and social and emotional problems that are directly or indirectly influenced by parenting practices requires the adoption of a broad ecological perspective in supporting families to raise children. We make the case for adopting a multilevel, whole of population approach to enhance competent parenting and describe the essential tasks that must be accomplished for the approach to be successful and its effects measurable. We describe how a theoretically integrated system of parenting support based on social learning and cognitive behavioral principles can be further strengthened when the broader community supports parental participation. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

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Funding

This research was supported by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (project number CE140100027). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Australian Research Council.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Parenting and Family Support Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Matthew R. Sanders, Kylie Burke & Alina Morawska

  2. University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA

    Matthew R. Sanders & Ronald J. Prinz

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  1. Matthew R. Sanders
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  2. Kylie Burke
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  3. Ronald J. Prinz
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  4. Alina Morawska
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Correspondence to Matthew R. Sanders.

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An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10567-017-0233-6.

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Sanders, M.R., Burke, K., Prinz, R.J. et al. Achieving Population-Level Change Through a System-Contextual Approach to Supporting Competent Parenting. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 20, 36–44 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-017-0227-4

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