New Beginnings: A Guide to Designing Parenting Programs for Refugee and Immigrant Parents. International Catholic Child Bureau Series

This guide is intended to aid in the design of parent education courses for refugee and immigrant parents, especially those who are having problems in relations with their children. The presentation is based on the experience of three parent-education projects, each of which conducted an 8-week course for Cambodian refugees who were experiencing difficulties in their parenting roles. Chapter 1 explains the purpose and design of the guide. Chapter 2 discusses Cambodian refugees in America and their problems, needs, and issues with their children. Chapter 3 describes the parent education program in Providence, Rhode Island, that focused on empowering Cambodian parents to discipline their children. Chapter 4 relates the experience of the Tacoma, Washington, project that helped parents and children understand each other in their new life in the United States. Chapter 5 describes the Bronx, New York, project, which helped parents become closer to their children and improve their parenting skills. Chapters 6 and 7 offer program planning advice based on the content of the program descriptions. Chapter 8 analyzes the outcome evaluations of the three parent education programs, while chapter 9 offers some conclusions to the evaluation chapter and to the guide as a whole. (TJQ)