Socialstyrelsen – the National Board of Social Services, Denmark – is funding a two-year pilot of Stepping Stones Triple P for parents of children aged 2-12 years, in families where at least one child has a disability. The aim of the Stepping Stones Pilot Project is to improve parents’ emotional wellbeing and happiness, by giving coping skills and strategies to help them teach their child new skills, manage behaviour and guide development.

“Having a child with a disability can place enormous strain on parents and their families,” says Signe Danø Andersen, special consultant with Socialstyrelsen.

“By offering a range of Triple P support programs for families with a child with a disability, we hope that parents will be able to get the skills they need to cope better with everyday life and support their child’s development in a positive way. We also want to provide our professionals and municipalities with evidence based methods to support families of children with special needs.”

Five municipalities have collaborated for Denmark’s Stepping Stones Pilot Project, which will see about 20 social workers, psychologists, and practitioners in early years and social pedagogy deliver a range of Stepping Stones Triple P interventions. (Stepping Stones Triple P interventions are Triple P programs tailored for families with a child with special needs).

The Stepping Stones interventions providers will deliver are:

• Stepping Stones seminars – one-off sessions for large groups of parents
• Group Stepping Stones courses
• One-on-one Standard Stepping Stones courses

Providers will also train to deliver Enhanced Triple P, an additional support program for parents whose parenting is complicated by factors such as stress, other mental health issues or partner conflict.

Triple P – Positive Parenting Program founder Professor Matt Sanders said it was “quite a coup” to be selected as a parenting program for this important trial.

“Denmark is recognised as a world leader and innovator in social welfare and support,” said Prof Sanders.

“We are delighted that Socialstyrelsen’s research into evidence-based programs brought it to Triple P and Stepping Stones, and we are confident that Danish families will benefit, just as other families have around the world.”

Over the next two years, Triple P will be offered free to eligible parents in Copenhagen, Herning, Kalundborg, Hillerod and Aalborg. It is hoped the Stepping Stones Pilot Program will help an estimated 200 couples.

Denmark is now the 26th country in which Triple P has trained providers.