The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. The Parents Anonymous (PA) program has been rated by the CEBC in the area of: Parent Partner Programs for Families Involved in the Child Welfare System.

• Types of Maltreatment: Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Physical Neglect, Emotional Abuse, Exposure to Domestic Violence
• Target Population: General population, but can accommodate specific population types such as teen parents or parents of children with special needs.

PA is a family-strengthening program of community-based weekly mutual support groups, based on national standards of practice and free to all participants. This culturally responsive model is open to any parent or caregiver in a parenting role seeking support and positive parenting strategies regardless of the age or special challenges of their children. Groups for parents/caregivers are co-facilitated by a trained Group Facilitator and Parent Group Leader to address any issue the group participants wish to discuss, including topics such as child development, communication skills, positive discipline, parental roles, age appropriate expectations, effective parenting strategies, anger management techniques, and self-care. While parents/caregivers are meeting, their infants, children and older youth participate in complementary standards-based Children and Youth Programs conducted by trained Children & Youth Program Workers and designed to build self-esteem, teach emotions management, change behavior, and strengthen family relationships based on the child/youth’s developmental stage. Parents/caregivers participating in PA groups engage in meaningful leadership roles in the planning, implementation and evaluation of all aspects of the Parents Anonymous® Group and Children and Youth Program.

PA was founded in California in 1969. The longest running PA group is in Iowa and has been in operation since 1978. Currently, there are 517 PA groups operated through 29 accredited organizations in the U.S. and abroad.