PARENT UNIVERSITY

Each program run for 10 weeks and takes place at Pennsylvania Avenue AME Zion Church from 8:30-11 am.
 

If you or someone you know would like to register:

  • for Parent U I or Parent U II contact Linda Callahan at 410-207-3664

Parent University I

This 10-week program for parents and their children (birth to 3 years old) brings in community partners to provide families with education and information on early brain development, health and nutrition, safety and discipline, stress management, attachment, parenting, and the importance of talking to their babies.

As each family graduates from Parent University, they are encouraged to enroll their child in Early Head Start or Head Start, as appropriate. Additional resources may be recommended depending on each family’s situation. A few parents have asked to return to subsequent cycles as a volunteer or parent mentor. Two of those parent mentors were provided with specialized training and are working with Dr. Kyla Liggett-Creel on early childhood programming for caregivers residing in and professionals working in the Promise Heights area. Other program outcomes include:

  • As of the conclusion of the Spring 2017 Cohort, we have had 150 parents and caregivers graduate from the program.

  • Participants who attended the Parent University Program showed a significant increase in responsive parenting behaviors between baseline and post-test. Most participants showed improved parenting attitudes and a significant decrease in risk factors for child maltreatment.

  • Fewer parents reported feeling they needed more help with their child, feeling stressed, feeling depressed and/or feeling little pleasure in things after attending the Parent University Program. 

  • 24% of parents changed from clinical status to non-clinical status between the pre and post-test.

  • There was no significant change between post-test and follow-up, indicating that the change in responsive parenting behaviors was maintained three months after the program ended.

We’re so pleased to hear from parents that the Parent University curriculum is meeting their needs. One graduate told us,

"SOMETIMES WALKING IN A DOOR IS JUST WALKING IN A DOOR. OTHER TIMES WALKING IN A DOOR CHANGES YOUR LIFE. THAT IS WHAT PARENT UNIVERSITY HAS DONE FOR US…IT HAS CHANGED OUR LIFE.”

 

Another graduate from Parent University heard traumatizing news during one of the sessions. She came back the next week and said that as horrible as it was to hear the news, she was glad that she found out with her Parent University family.

PARENT UNIVERSITY II

Based on The Chicago Parent Program, this 10-week program utilizes video and peer relationships to improve parenting skills and confidence and reduce behavior problems in 4 and 5 year olds.

Staff Directory

Program Coordinator, Parent UniveRsity I

Clare Donofrio, MPH, LMSW
Clare.Donofrio@ssw.umaryland.edu
410-387-1404  

Program Coordinator, Parent UniveRsity II

Linda Callahan, LMSW
Linda.Callahan@ssw.umaryland.edu
410-207-3664

Parent Outreach

TBA