Nurturing Program Center-Based

CAPC offers free evidence-based parenting classes across Contra Costa County in English and in Spanish. Nurturing Parenting curriculum is designed to build nurturing parenting skills that break the inter-generational cycle of child maltreatment and dysfunction. As well, the program provides support and resources for parents.

Long-Term Goals

Goals of the curriculum include:

    • Preventing recidivism in families receiving social services
    • Connecting families to community resources
    • Reducing the rate of juvenile delinquency and substance abuse
    • Stopping the inter-generational cycle of child maltreatment by teaching positive parenting behavior

Targeting families that are at risk of abuse and neglect, the program serves as a primary prevention tool to increase healthy parenting knowledge and skills.

Nurturing Parenting Philosophy

The nurturing parenting philosophy of non-violent parenting focuses on developing:

  • Empathy
  • Self worth
  • Self awareness
  • Empowerment
  • Discipline with dignity
  • Appropriate family roles
  • Age appropriate expectations of a child’s development
  • Nurturing & Attachment; children need love & respect to encourage their optimal health & development

The Nurturing Parenting “Center-Based” Program & NEW Special Needs Program

We use the Strengthen Families Framework incorporating the Five Protective Factors that serve to protect children & promote their healthy development & well-being, especially during times of stress. Building these strengths at every opportunity is a proven way to strengthen families & prevent child abuse & neglect.

  1. Parental Resilience. Strength, flexibility & courage during stress to deal with challenges.
  2. Knowledge of Parenting & Child Development. Parenting is part natural & part learned; there’s no such thing as a perfect parent.
  3. Social Connections. Parents need friends, family & neighbors that care about them & their children.
  4. Concrete Supports in Times of Need. Everyone needs help sometimes; it’s okay to ask for help, which builds resilience.
  5. Social & Emotional Competence. Through positive interactions with caring adults, children learn to communicate, develop & learn to use their thinking skills appropriately.

Classes in English and Spanish

Parents and children attend classes for 15-22 weeks that meet concurrently and are administered by CAPC-trained facilitators. Classes are designed to:

  • Build self awareness
  • Instill positive self concept/self esteem
  • Develop levels of empathy
  • Enhance family communication and awareness of individual needs

Classes highlight replacing abusive behaviors with nurturing intentional habits, promoting healthy physical and emotional development, while teaching appropriate role and developmental expectations. Each week parents and children are provided with dinner and classroom activities entail role plays, videos, worksheets, parent handbooks and assessment inventories. In addition, parents and children learn how to play games, sing songs and have fun as a family.

Each family in the program is awarded a stipend for successfully completing either the 15 or 22-week long coursework. Classes are offered free of charge and run July through December and January through July at various locations across Contra Costa County. For additional information, call (925) 798-0546.

 

Quotes

“Children are like wet cement whatever falls on them makes an impression.”

— Haim Ginott

Success Stories

Socorro’s story

  “The Nurturing Parenting Program (NPP) for parents of children with special needs and health concerns came into my life at the perfect time. My name is Socorro. My oldest son was […]

Read More »

Nurturing Parenting Class Concord A Success

I thought I would never be like my parents but before I knew it I was acting out the same behaviors I learned from them. I learned how to stop […]

Read More »