From Parent Training to Community Building

For low-income families, particularly, parent-training programs need to be broadened and offered in communities in order to reduce isolation and strengthen support networks of families. Such an approach will lead not only to better parenting and fewer child-behavior problems, but also to greater collaboration with schools and more community building on the part of parents and teachers. The author describes a parent-training program's evolution from an initial goal of improving parenting skills in order to reduce children's conduct problems and promote their social competence to the broader goals of strengthening parents' social support and increasing their school and community involvement. Community-building strategies and processes embedded in the program designed to promote group cohesiveness and support networks are highlighted.