SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA – First 5 Santa Cruz County, which manages the Triple P — Positive Parenting Program, today announced January 2021 has been proclaimed Positive Parenting Awareness Month by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors for the ninth consecutive year.

The proclamation is especially meaningful this year, as parents and caregivers may have struggled with the health, economic and socio-emotional impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, wildfires and racial injustices.

Triple P offers proven strategies that help parents and caregivers strengthen relationships with their children and increase their confidence to handle everyday parenting challenges. Triple P and Positive Parenting Awareness Month in Santa Cruz County highlights the importance for parents and caregivers to develop warm, nurturing relationships with their children and teens and become more confident as parents.

“All people have inner strengths or resources, yet many parents and caregivers feel stressed, isolated, and overwhelmed, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, or income level,” the proclamation, which was made by County Board of Supervisors Chair Bruce McPherson, stated.

The quality of parenting or caregiving – starting prenatally – is one of the most powerful predictors of children’s future social, emotional and physical health.

Triple P has been available to families throughout the Santa Cruz County since 2010, thanks to a partnership between First 5 Santa Cruz County, the county’s Human Services Department, and the county’s Health Services Agency. As the lead agency, First 5 partners with other nonprofits, collaboratives, public agencies, schools and private providers to offer Triple P services to approximately 2,000 children and parents in Santa Cruz County each year. The positive outcomes for parents who participate are significant:

• The majority of parents receiving in-depth support report improvements in their children’s emotional well-being and behaviors, their parenting skills and confidence, and their levels of stress.
• The degree of improvement is even greater among parents who report more significant parenting challenges at the start of the Triple P program.
• Parents consistently report high levels of satisfaction with Triple P parenting support, and 95% of participants have reported they continue using Triple P parenting strategies after completing the program.

Started in Santa Cruz County, Positive Parenting Awareness Month has expanded well beyond Santa Cruz County. Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Scotts Valley) has introduced House Resolution 4 to declare January as Positive Parenting Awareness Month in California. The State Assembly will vote on the resolution in early 2021.

“Raising children and youth in California to become healthy, confident, capable individuals is the most important job parents and caregivers have,” the resolution states.

In Santa Cruz County, the circumstances of 2020 required Triple P practitioners and other family support providers to quickly shift to virtual services during the COVID-19 pandemic to maintain continuity and help children and families. Those virtual services will continue in 2021, providing consistency and assistance wherever possible.

“Triple’s P’s practical toolkit of parenting strategies has never been more relevant and we are proud to continue serving families during these challenging times,” said David Brody, Executive Director of First 5 Santa Cruz County. “Over the last decade and during this past year, the consistent, positive results are a testament to the effectiveness of the program itself and the strength of the partnerships among First 5, family resource centers, schools, libraries, health care providers, and county agencies that are delivering Triple P and connecting families to this valuable resource.”

During Positive Parenting Awareness Month in January 2021, Triple P partners will offer virtual parenting classes, including workshops for adults and children, in English and Spanish, with a raffle drawing for prizes at the end of the month.  Visit http://first5scc.org/calendar/parent-trainings for details.

ABOUT TRIPLE P

The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program is a world-renowned program available to families in Santa Cruz County who have children ages birth to 16, including children with special needs. Backed by more than 30 years of international, scientific research, Triple P offers families proven strategies for strengthening relationships with their children and for preventing or managing a full range of parenting challenges. The program is available to all families in Santa Cruz County through a partnership between First 5 Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency and the Santa Cruz County Human Services Department. For more, visit http://triplep.first5scc.org or facebook.com/triplepscc.

ABOUT FIRST 5 SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

First 5 Santa Cruz County invests in health, early learning and family support to promote the well-being of children. A growing body of scientific evidence points to the economic and societal impacts of investing in the early years. First 5 Santa Cruz County is dedicated to giving children the opportunities they need to reach their full potential. First 5 Santa Cruz County was established by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors in December 1998 by urgency ordinance to ensure that family-friendly services and education are available, so that each child reaches the fifth year of life healthy, ready and able to learn, and emotionally well developed. We are committed to involving community members, as well as professionals working with young children and their families. For more information, visit www.first5scc.org.