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Parents’ experiences and use of parenting resources during the transition to parenthood

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 July 2020

Rachael Sanders ,
Jennifer Lehmann  and
Fiona Gardner
Rachael Sanders*
Affiliation:
Department of Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Jennifer Lehmann
Affiliation:
Department of Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Fiona Gardner
Affiliation:
Department of Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
*
Author for correspondence: Rachael Sanders, Email: r.sanders@latrobe.edu.au
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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to report on new parents’ experiences of using the available range of parenting resources that help to guide parenting choices and practices. Using a semi-structured interview schedule, 30 participants were asked about their engagement with parenting resources. The types of resources considered most salient to the participants of this study in Victoria, Australia, included professional services, peers, family and friends, and written material. On the whole, these parents valued expert opinion when they encountered problems but experienced a level of frustration when they did not ‘feel heard’ by professionals or when faced with mixed messages. While they reported some resistance to overt advice offered by family and friends, especially if the information was considered ‘out-dated’, they relied heavily on informal advice and support from peers, even if this was supported only by anecdotal evidence.

Keywords

transition to parenthoodparenting resourcesparenting information
Type
Articles
Information
Children Australia , Volume 45 , Special Issue 4: Special Issue: Poverty and Child Abuse , December 2020 , pp. 317 - 325
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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