Empowering Parents for Stimulating Early Child Development and Learning – Implementation of Action Research in Parenting Support Program

The aim of this paper is to question the importance of an educational support program for parents who took part in it.The program for parents is organized through an action research model, aiming to empower parents for... [ view full abstract ]

The aim of this paper is to question the importance of an educational support program for parents who took part in it.The program for parents is organized through an action research model, aiming to empower parents for stimulating early child learning and development in a home environment. Data collection lasted for seven weeks and involved an analysis of reflexive comments from participants, documented through the interactions in the workshops as well as through daily electronic communication. The two main research questions are: (1) What is the importance of an educational support program for parents that took part in it? (2) What are parents’ experiences for the duration of the program?

Since it was a research based program through an action research and reflexive parenting, it has opened up opportunities in which parents are able to plan, act, observe and reflect upon common stimulating activities with children in their home environment. Thus, data was collected and analysed to reflect the authentic experiences of parents during the program. This paper presents and analyses the parents' experiences, opinions, beliefs and authentic photographs during their developmental activities with children in a home environment. The paper pays special attention to the description and interpretation of the process of stimulating early childhood development and learning in home environment, as well as analysing and understanding the current educational program for parents and the importance it has on its participants.

Keywords: stimulating early child development and learning, action research, reflexive parenting, parenting program, empowerment;