Background
Why Incredible Years Programmes in New Zealand?
Background
Evidenced based parenting programmes are sought after across all of the Health, Education, Social Development and NGO sectors. Across New Zealand, Carolyn Webster-Stratton’s Incredible Years Parenting Programme has been targeted as one of the key interventions for agencies working with families who experience difficulties in managing child behaviours. In New Zealand Incredible Years has been cited in the Interagency Plan for Conduct Disorder/ Severe Antisocial Behaviour 2007-2012 Report and earlier in The Families Commission Review of parenting programmes (June 2005) as an effective parenting programme.
The programme has a strong evidence base with research and development being a continuing component throughout the last 25 years. Randomised Control Trials have been carried out in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Norway with similar positive results across cultural groups including ethnic minorities.
Incredible Years also fits well within the definitions for characteristics of successful parenting programmes. (Families Commission Report, 2005)
“The most effective interventions will have;
- A strong theoretical base and a clearly articulated model of the predicted mechanism of change
- Measurable, concrete objectives, as well as overarching aims
- More than one method of delivery
- Close attention to attracting, retaining and engaging parents
- A variety of referral routes
- Manualised programmes, where the core programme is carefully structured and controlled to maintain programme integrity
- Delivery by appropriately trained and skilled staff, backed up by good management and support
- A parallel focus on parents, families and children (though not necessarily at the same time). “ (Families Commission Komihana a Whanau 2005)”
Incredible Years Basic Parent training provides clinicians with the skills required to facilitate parenting groups. Ongoing supervision including an Accreditation process to ensure fidelity in delivery of the programme are also well established. Another key element of the Incredible Years programmes is the enthusiasm described by clinicians when delivering the programme. This has been reported, both for the group leaders themselves and from the families and communities they work with.
The Werry Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health Workforce Development is funded by the Ministry of Health to develop the child and adolescent mental health workforce. The Werry Centre selected the Incredible Years Parent Management programme to develop in New Zealand starting in 2004. It was selected as Incredible Years met all of the criteria identified as key factors for a Parent Management Programme including it’s strong international evidence base.
The Werry Centre’s major focus has been to ensure sustainability of the programme by developing a pool of New Zealand based group leaders to become Accredited group leaders, Peer Coaches and mentors in Incredible Years.
The objectives of the Werry Centre’s Incredible Years Project are to:
- Provide access to Incredible Years Basic Training to Health, Education and NGO sectors.
- Provide follow up Supervision Days (post training) to assist new group leaders in their programme delivery.
- Provide a structured programme for clinicians to successfully gain Accreditation.
- Provide further training opportunities to Accredited group leaders through providing access to Peer Coach training and Accreditation pathways.
- Further progress current mentor and mentors in training.
- Hold Consultation days for Peer Coaches and (for those nominated) opportunities to advance in the mentor programme.
- Provide regional supervision forums and consultation days for clinicians to improve fidelity and promote Accreditation.
- Promote interagency collaboration.
- Consult with Maori and Pacific Island stakeholders to ensure cultural input, and appropriateness.
- Provide cultural supervision to facilitators.
- Fund research for Maori and Pacific to investigate effectiveness of the programme for their population.
- Evaluate outcomes of training to date to determine future direction.
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