This section of the Resource Guide provides tip sheets on specific parenting issues. Each is designed for service providers to distribute to parents and caregivers in the context of a particular concern or question. The tip sheets are not intended to tell the whole story, but merely to provide a starting point for a discussion between parent and provider that is grounded in the five protective factors.
The information is easy to read and focuses on concrete steps that parents and caregivers can take to care for their children and strengthen their family. A Spanish version appears on the back of each tip sheet. The Spanish versions convey similar messages to the English versions, but they have been adapted slightly for readability and cultural appropriateness.
We encourage you to make additional copies of the tip sheets that are most useful to the families with whom you work.
The tip sheets address the following topics:
- Bonding With Your Baby—Written to help new parents understand the importance of early and secure attachment.
- Dealing With Temper Tantrums—Includes tips on how to prevent and handle toddler tantrums while modeling calm behavior.
- Connecting With Your Teen—Designed to help parents maintain strong bonds with their teens as they move toward independence.
- Teen Parents… You’re Not Alone—Tips to help teen parents cope with the challenges of raising a new baby and find support.
- Ten Ways to Be a Better Dad—Encourages fathers to be involved and help their children live happy, healthy lives.
- Raising Your Grandchildren—Written to help caregivers deal with some of the unique challenges of parenting grandchildren and find concrete supports in the community.
These tip sheets, like the other resources in this guide, were created with input from experts from national organizations that work to protect children and strengthen families. Additional resources are available through the national organizations listed in our Resource Guide.
Authors: Child Welfare Information Gateway, Children’s Bureau, FRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention
More information about the Work Group and its members can be found on the Children’s Bureau website: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/fediawg
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
Children’s Bureau
Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF)
Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/
The Children’s Bureau seeks to provide for the safety, permanency and well-being of children through leadership, support for necessary services, and productive partnerships with States, Tribes, and communities.
The Office on Child Abuse and Neglect provides leadership and direction on the issues of child maltreatment and the prevention of abuse and neglect under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and the Children’s Justice Act. The Director of the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect chairs the Federal Interagency Work Group on Child Abuse and Neglect and coordinates the Work Group’s activities.
Also participating on the Federal Interagency Work Group on Child Abuse and Neglect are the Children’s Bureau Divisions of Research and Innovation, Child Welfare Capacity Building, and Program Implementation.
Child Welfare Information Gateway
ACYF, ACF
www.childwelfare.gov
A service of the Children’s Bureau, Child Welfare Information Gateway promotes the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families by connecting child welfare, adoption, and related professionals, as well as concerned citizens to timely, essential information.
Family Violence Prevention and Services Program
Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB)
ACYF, ACF
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/
FYSB provides national leadership on youth and family issues. FYSB promotes positive outcomes for children, youth, and families by supporting a wide range of comprehensive services and collaborations at the local, Tribal, State, and national levels. Through the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program, FYSB awards grants to State agencies, Territories, and Indian Tribes for the provision of shelter to victims of family violence and their dependents, and for related services, such as emergency transportation and child care.
Child Care Bureau
Office of Family Assistance, ACF
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb
The Child Care Bureau supports low-income working families through child care financial assistance and promotes children’s learning by improving the quality of early care and education and after-school programs.
Division of Child and Family Development
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), ACF
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/
OPRE is responsible for advising the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families on increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of programs to improve the economic and social well-being of children and families. In collaboration with ACF program offices and others, OPRE is responsible for performance management, conducts research and policy analyses, and develops and oversees research and evaluation projects to assess program performance and inform policy and practice.
Office of Refugee Resettlement, ACF
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr
Founded on the belief that newly arriving populations have inherent capabilities when given opportunities, the Office of Refugee Resettlement provides people in need with critical resources to assist them in becoming integrated members of American society.
Office of Human Services Policy
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
http://aspe.hhs.gov/_/office_specific/hsp.cfm
ASPE advises the Secretary of HHS on policy development in health, disability, human services, data, and science, and provides advice and analysis on economic policy. ASPE conducts research and evaluation studies, develops policy analyses, and estimates the cost and benefits of policy alternatives under consideration by the Department or Congress. The Office of Human Services Policy is HHS’s chief economist on welfare, service delivery issues, and policies affecting children, youth, and families.
Division of Behavioral Health
Indian Health Service (IHS)
www.ihs.gov/MedicalPrograms/Behavioral
IHS raises the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level to assure that comprehensive, culturally acceptable personal and public health services are available and accessible to American Indian and Alaska Native people. The IHS Division of Behavioral Health strives to support Tribal and urban native communities to eliminate behavioral health diseases and conditions and to promote health, resilience, and strength in all native communities.
Office of Minority Health
www.omhrc.gov
The mission of the Office of Minority Health is to improve and protect the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that eliminate health disparities. It advises the Secretary and the Office of Public Health and Science on public health program activities affecting American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Blacks/African-Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders.
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research
National Institutes of Health, NIH
obssr.od.nih.gov
The mission of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research is to stimulate behavioral and social science research throughout NIH and integrate this research with other NIH initiatives to improve understanding, treatment, and prevention of disease.
Child Development and Behavior Branch
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH
www.nichd.nih.gov/about/org/crmc/cdb
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development conducts and supports research on all stages of human development, from preconception to adulthood, to better understand the health of children, adults, families, and communities.
The Child Development and Behavior Branch develops scientific initiatives and supports research and training relevant to the psychological, psychobiological, language, behavioral, and educational development of children.
Child Abuse and Neglect Program
Division of Developmental Translational Research (DDTR)
National Institute of Mental Health, NIH
www.nimh.nih.gov/about/organization/ddtr
The mission of the National Institute of Mental Health is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure.
DDTR supports programs of research and research training with the goal of preventing and curing childhood psychopathology. The Child Abuse and Neglect Program within DDTR supports research that addresses child abuse and neglect and familial aspects of traumatic stress as risk factors for psychopathology in children and adolescents.
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)
Office of Policy, Coordination and Planning
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
csat.samhsa.gov
CSAT promotes the quality and availability of community-based substance abuse treatment services for individuals and families who need them. CSAT works with States and community-based groups to improve and expand existing substance abuse treatment services under the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Program.
Maternal and Child Health Bureau
Division of Healthy Start and Perinatal Services
Health Resources and Services Administration
mchb.hrsa.gov
The Maternal and Child Health Bureau has the primary responsibility for promoting and improving the health of our nation’s women, children, and families.
Division of Violence Prevention
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/CMP
CDC’s child maltreatment program is coordinated by the Division of Violence Prevention. The division’s mission is to prevent violence-related injuries and deaths through surveillance, research and development, capacity building, communication, and leadership. CDC’s efforts to prevent child maltreatment focus on developing, evaluating, and disseminating evidence-based interventions that support safe, stable, and nurturing relationships for children.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
www.csrees.usda.gov
NIFA, formerly the Cooperative Extension System, is a nationwide educational collaboration of Federal, State, and local governments and State land-grant universities. NIFA’s mission is to advance knowledge of agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and communities by supporting research, education, and extension programs in the Land-Grant University System and other partner organizations.
U.S. Department of Defense
Family Advocacy Program (FAP)
Military Community and Family Policy
Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil
FAP provides social services to prevent, identify, intervene in, and treat child abuse and neglect and domestic abuse, including domestic violence, at each installation with command-sponsored families around the world. FAPs coordinate with civilian child welfare and domestic violence agencies when abuse or neglect is identified. FAPs teach parenting skills, provide extra support for first-time parents, teach stress management, offer counseling, and conduct public awareness activities related to family maltreatment. FAPs also operate the New Parent Support Program, a secondary prevention program that uses an intensive, voluntary home visitation model developed specifically for at-risk parents to reduce the risk of child abuse.
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
Office of Special Education Programs
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services provides a wide array of supports to parents and individuals, school districts, and States in three main areas: special education, vocational rehabilitation, and research.
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Indian Affairs
www.doi.gov/bia
The Bureau of Indian Affairs works to enhance the quality of life, promote economic opportunity, and carry out the responsibility to protect and improve the trust assets of American Indians, Indian Tribes, and Alaska Natives.
U.S. Department of Justice
Victim and Victimization Research Division
Office of Research and Evaluation
National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
Office of Justice Programs (OJP)
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij
NIJ is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to meet the challenges of crime and justice, particularly at the State and local levels. The Office of Research and Evaluation develops, conducts, directs, and supervises research and evaluation activities across a wide variety of issues.
Office for Victims of Crime
OJP
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) was established by the 1984 Victims of Crime Act to oversee diverse programs that benefit victims of crime. OVC supports training for criminal justice and allied professionals regarding the rights and needs of crime victims and provides substantial funding to State victim assistance and compensation programs.
Office on Violence Against Women
OJP
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/topics/crime/violence-against-women
The mission of the Violence Against Women and Family Violence Research and Evaluation program is to promote the safety of women and family members and to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system’s response to crimes against these populations.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
OJP
ojjdp.ncjrs.gov
OJJDP accomplishes its mission by supporting States, local communities, and Tribal jurisdictions in their efforts to develop and implement effective programs for juveniles. OJJDP strives to strengthen the juvenile justice system’s efforts to protect public safety, hold offenders accountable, and provide services that address the needs of youth and their families. OJJDP sponsors research, program, and training initiatives; develops priorities and goals and sets policies to guide Federal juvenile justice issues; disseminates information about juvenile justice issues; and awards funds to States to support local programming.
Child Protection Division (CPD)
OJJDP, OJP
ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/about/DivProgram.asp?di=5&pp=division
CPD administers projects, programs, and initiatives related to crimes against children and children’s exposure to violence. It provides leadership and funding in the areas of prevention, intervention, treatment, and enforcement. CPD promotes research and effective policies and procedures to address the problems of abused, neglected, missing, and exploited children and children who have been exposed to domestic or community violence.
U.S. Department of State
Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs
www.state.gov/g/tip
The Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons provides the tools to combat trafficking in persons and assists in the coordination of anti-trafficking efforts both worldwide and domestically.
More information about national organizations that work to strengthen families and communities is available on the Child Welfare Information Gateway website at: 
Anyone can and should report suspected child abuse or neglect. If you think a child is being mistreated, take immediate action.
Why Does Child Abuse Occur?
When children are nurtured, they can grow up to be happy and healthy adults. But when they lack an attachment to a caring adult, receive inconsistent nurturing, or experience harsh discipline, the long-lasting consequences can affect their health, well-being, and relationships with others.
If parents express an interest in making social connections, you may want to offer suggestions, information, or services. Sometimes parents will not identify a lack of social connections or emotional support as an issue. Instead, they may express concern about a child’s behavior problem or their own depression. In addressing the parent’s concerns, you can also provide information about how these needs might be met by connecting with others (e.g., a support group for parents with similar issues). You can also provide general information on how expanding social connections can reduce isolation and support parents.
When parents share their concerns and perspectives on their children, there is an opportunity to explore solutions and share resources. Educational materials about parenting and child development may help parents more accurately assess their child’s development relative to others of the same age, have realistic expectations for their child’s behavior, and explore ways to communicate those expectations effectively.
Parents know their children best- their unique behaviors, interests, and abilities. But no parent can be an expert on all aspects of infant, child and teenage development or the most effective ways to support a child at each stage. When parents are not aware of normal developmental milestones, interpret their child’s behaviors in a negative way, or do not know how to respond to and effectively manage a child’s behavior, they can become frustrated and may resort to harsh discipline or emotional withdrawal.
