Over 200 Parents participated in the Virtual Parental Support Group Symposium

Over 200 parents and participants across Trinidad and Tobago gathered virtually to launch the 13th Edition of the Parental Support Group Symposium, hosted by the Community Mediation Services Division of the Ministry of Sport and Community Development on Wednesday, 24th May. This year’s theme centered on ‘Parenting in the 21st Century – Establishing a Framework for Effective Parenting’.

Mr. Earland Kent, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, delivered the keynote speech, discussing the significance of healthy parenting and its impact on the wider society. He drove home the need for parents to provide their children with a balanced upbringing that prioritizes health and wellness in addition to academic success. He stated, “At the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, we continue to do our part in helping our most vulnerable citizens and communities through our many capacity-building and intervention programmes. This is why we aim to have a holistic approach to child development and encourage you, the parents, to take advantage of all the programmes we have to offer to your little ones, including our Learn to Swim, Let Her Play- Dance and Cheer initiatives, Girl Defend Yourself and our long-standing community Best Village programmes to allow your child free access to sports trainers and cultural professionals that can develop their talents and skills. Parental Support Group Symposium is the beginning of empowering you towards confident parenting and creating holistic development for your child.”

The Parenting Support Group Symposium was designed to provide parents and caregivers with the guidance and support they need to maintain a safe living environment for their children. In addition to addressing areas such as ‘Establishing a framework for Effective Parenting’, the three-day session, which runs from May 24th – 26th, will also discuss ‘The influences on your child’, ‘Maintaining a balance in the parent-child relationship’ and ‘Establishing structure and limits in your household’.

Parental Support Group Symposium stems from the monthly parenting support group meetings offered by the Community Mediation Services Division. The Division will soon offer several capacity-building programmes, including the Men’s Symposium, the Co-parenting Programme – a 3-month therapeutic intervention programme and the National Empowerment Programme, which will provide courses in Anger Management, Effective Communication, Time Management, and many others. Persons interested in benefiting from any of these free services offered by the Mediation Division can call 225-4267 or visit the Ministry of Sport and Community Development Facebook page.