The role of NGOs in the dissemination and implementation of positive parenting in Spain

ABSTRACT

This article chronologically reviews different contributions of the non-governmental organizations to the positive parenting initiative currently adopted in Spain. It starts with the theoretical framework adopted by UNICEF and the Oxford University researchers on the contribution of the International Agencies and NGOs to this subject that was implemented after the approval of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. These first proposals were directed to train parents according to the principle of ‘the best interest of the child’. The article follows with initiatives developed mainly by UNICEF, WHO and NGO such as Save the Children, after that, in middle and low income countries. In the OCDE countries positive parenting programmes were also promoted. More recently, following the adoption of Recommendation 19 (2006) of the Council of Europe, several NGOs have developed numerous projects about parenting support services and programmes. Also, some positive parenting programmes, that are carried out in specifically Spain, by International and National NGO, are analysed. To conclude, NGOs have significantly contributed to the development of positive parenting in Spain, frequently in collaboration with public organisms from regional, autonomic and state levels.

KEYWORDS:

• Positive parenting
• parenting support
• programmes
• NGO
• children's rights

Acknowledgments

We want to thank the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services, and Equality and the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces for their support in carrying out this collaborative study on good practices in positive parenting.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Esperanza Ochaita Alderete, PhD. Full Professor. Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Autonomous University of Madrid, C/ Ivan Pavlov 6, 28049 Madrid. Director of the Master in Child Needs, Rights and Development Cooperation, and Member of the University Institute UAM-UNICEF on Children rights and needs: www.iundia.es.

María Ángeles Espinosa Bayal, PhD. Full Professor. Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Autonomous University of Madrid, C/ Ivan Pavlov 6, 28049, Madrid. Director of the University Institute UAM-UNICEF on Children rights and needs: www.iundia.es. Academic Secretary of the Master in Child Needs, Rights and Development Cooperation.

Irene García-Llorente, Researcher at the University Institute UAM-UNICEF on Children rights and needs (IUNDIA), with a pre-doctoral grant. Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology, Autonomous University of Madrid, C/ Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 5, 28049, Madrid. Educational psychologist at Espacio Educativo Familiar.

Marta Fernández-López, Researcher at the University Institute UAM-UNICEF on Childrerights and needs (IUNDIA), Autonomous University of Madrid, C/ Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 5, 28049, Madrid. M.A. in Developmental Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University as a Fulbright Grantee. Coordinator psychologist at Casa Grande.

ORCID

E. Ochaita http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4705-989X

M. A. Espinosa http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1914-8104

I. García-Llorente http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1560-0861

M. Fernández-López http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7163-3751