engleski

Andragogical Parent Education for Parenthood as a Response to Parental Licensing Program

LaFollette proposed that the best way to protect children from abuse and neglect caused by their parents would be to implement parental licenses to prospective parents. He pointed out that the state should introduce licensing for any/all professions in which (1) people can harm those they serve, (2) can perform risky tasks safely only if they are competent, and (3) that the benefits of the licensing program are higher than the potential costs. LaFollette was not the only one to propose a parental licensing program. Besides him, Jack C. Westman, John E. Tropman and Michael T. McFall made concrete proposals for parental licensing programs. The basic idea of all proposals is the same, e.g. to prevent child abuse and neglect before it takes place. Authors of this paper believe that parental licensing proposal stems from the need to change the paradigm of modern parenting, according to which parenting is not a right but a privilege that is acquired on the basis of pedagogical competence of parents. We find answers to challenges posed by parental licensing, under the scope of pedagogical science, in a comprehensive pedagogical education of parents which purpose is to develop good parenting with the aim of maximizing the welfare of the child. Raising a child, from a position that the transition to parenthood was preceded by intensive pedagogical parent education that is continuous, aims to understand parenting as a personal maturation and growth, which reflects the need for continuous education. Andragogical parent education that includes parent training programs, parenting skills programs and parenting programs confirms that parents cannot and must not be ill-prepared for parenthood. Parents must be pedagogically educated with keeping in mind a number of social, and economic changes that alter the family and the overall social environment, which ultimately makes LaFollette proposal for licensing parents superfluous.

parental licensing; child abuse and neglect; children welfare; andragogical parent education; adult education; parenting programs.

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