Transcript Nobody’s Perfect Presentation to the XIX Pan American Child Congress October 2004 Introduction Family violence is a pervasive and complex societal problem in Canada  Canadian children.

Nobody’s Perfect
Presentation to the XIX
Pan American Child Congress
October 2004
Introduction
Family violence is a pervasive and complex
societal problem in Canada
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Canadian children in half a million households
have seen or heard one parent being assaulted
by the other
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135,573 child maltreatment investigations in Canada in
1998
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Approximately 40,000 Canadian children were living in
foster care or settings away from their home of origin
because of the intervention of child protection
authorities
Our Work on Family Violence is
Rooted in:
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CRC Article 19 -children must be protected from
all forms of violence
CRC Article 27 -every child should have the
right to a standard of living adequate for the
child’s overall development
World Fit for Children
Canada Fit for Children
Canada’s Response to Family Violence
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Coordination and Collaboration
National Data Collection
Research and Policy Development
Community Capacity Building
Prevention and Intervention
Prevention and Intervention
Promotion of Positive Parenting
through the Nobody’s Perfect
Program
 Parent education and support
 Awareness and education for parents
about alternatives to physical
discipline
 Dissemination of new information
for parents on infant and child
development
Nobody’s Perfect is:
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A parenting education and
support program for parents of
children from birth to age five
Designed for parents who are young, single,
socially or geographically isolated or who
have low income or limited formal education
Participation is voluntary and free of charge
Based on five easy-to-read, colourful booklets
given to parents: Behaviour, Safety, Body,
Mind, Parents
Program Goals
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Promote positive parenting
Increase parents’ understanding of
children’s health, safety and behaviour
Help parents build on the skills they have
and learn new ones
Improve parents’ self-esteem, self
confidence, and coping skills
Increase self-help and mutual support
Prevent intra-familial violence
Nobody’s Perfect Beliefs
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Parents love their children and
want to be good parents
Nobody is born knowing how to
be a parent. All parents need
information and support
Helping parents to meet their own
needs is important
Parents appreciate practical ideas
How Does Nobody’s Perfect Work?
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Easily adaptable, flexible and sustainable
Can be tailored to meet the needs of participants
and organizations
Train-the-trainer model
Facilitated group sessions
Offered in community-based
settings
Participant-centred approach
Coverage and Reach
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12,000 parents reached directly
in Canada each year
Translated into Spanish,
Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese,
Vietnamese, Punjabi, Inuktitut
Program is being fully
implemented in Japan
Program can be adapted for use
in other countries
What Parents Say…
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“I know now not to hit…”
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“My children would say that
I am not yelling as much, and
I laugh more.”
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“I learned the safest, most respectful way
to raise my daughter, and to take care of myself.”
Nobody’s Perfect Parent Group, 2004
Areas for Collaboration
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Contact information for trainers is available
to interested countries
Nobody’s Perfect kits in Spanish and some
in Portuguese are available to Congress
delegates
Contact information to obtain more copies
is included with the package