It takes a village to support parents raising children
- hopenetofcarp
- Aug 9
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 10
By Lucia Torres.
Editor’s Note: Part 1 of 5. This Viewpoint was submitted by HopetNet of Carpinteria, a local grassroots suicide prevention non-profit, for Mental Health May.
Improving the overall wellbeing of children is a community responsibility. It takes a village to raise a child — or, even better, it takes a village to support parents raising their children.
Positive social emotional skills need to be demonstrated and practiced by adults to children at school, at home and in the community. Science has proven that children’s brain and overall health are shaped by their experiences, either positive or negative.
The Protective Factor Framework is a group of five characteristics or strengths individuals, families and communities can practice promoting positive well-being and healthy development, especially in young children. These skills can help families navigate difficult situations.
Parental resilience: the capacity of parents to bounce back from stressful circumstances or adverse situations such as poverty, loss of resources, lack of access to services, etc. Resilient parents find ways to continue maintaining a loving and supportive environment for their children. They find a sense of hope, can communicate feelings with children and others to find support, and they have a sense of control and competency. Resilient parents provide routines, security and predictability to their children.
Social connections is another characteristic that helps children to thrive and trust because positive relationships are the foundation of learning. Positive relationships among family members, neighbors and other community members are fundamental for creating healthy communities. Creating opportunities to connect with loved ones, joining groups that have similar interests, and volunteering are examples of social connections. Expressing gratitude and appreciation to others are meaningful ways to strengthen relationships. When individuals and families are isolated, their children are more at risk.
When parents have a better understanding of knowledge of parenting and child development, they are able to provide better strategies to support them in all areas. It has a direct impact that increases school performance and reduces behavioral problems in children. When parents know what to expect from their children, they are able to provide developmentally appropriate guidance. Positive parenting skills contribute to better mental health outcomes, reducing anxiety and depression.
When families are in crisis, the children are more protected when the community can provide concrete support in times of need. Access to mental health, food sources and behavioral services helps minimize stress. Information and access to crisis hotlines, educational, legal, immigration and health resources, support groups and licensed childcare are crucial for supporting the community at large.
The ability to communicate clearly, recognize and regulate emotions and establish and maintain relationships are fundamental competencies in child development. Children with strong social emotional skills have better attendance and academic success. Social-emotional competence helps children to manage stress, build resilience and are able to express their emotions in a healthy way. Adults can teach social emotional skills by helping them recognize emotions, learn problem solving and conflict resolution, and show empathy and understanding.
It is important to reflect as a community how these characteristics that strengthen children and families are being practiced in our community. How can we help strengthen the protective factor for everyone in Carpinteria?
Advocate for policies that educate, such as Head Start, which supports healthy social-emotional development in many ways. As Head Start teacher and supervisor, I have seen how promoting and practicing these five protective factors support parents in the community to become resilient and provide a sense of security and stability.
I invite you to become a mentor or support a family, parent or child in times of need, this social connection may help increase resilience. By these simple actions, we are impacting multiple protective factors and building a strong and healthy community.
Lucia Torres is the site supervisor for Head Start programs in Carpinteria and vice president of HopeNet of Carpinteria, local grassroot suicide prevention non-profit.
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