Parents Together: Supporting Parents to Promote Healthy Behaviours in Children

Parents Together: Supporting Parents to Promote Healthy Behaviours in Children

The Parents Together trial aims to determine if the Parents Together program consisting of virtual parent group sessions and coaching calls, will result in better health outcomes for children. The program which is facilitated by a Public Health Nurse seeks to encourage healthy lifestyle behaviours, help build strong family relationships, and promote child development and mental health.

This study will determine whether an intervention combining group-based parenting skills training and public health nurse coaching calls with a focus on healthy eating behaviours and nutrition, activity and sleep, compared to regular health care will lead to improved eating behaviours, movement behaviours, health and mental health in children aged 2-5 years and their caregivers.

Healthy children will be identified through primary care practices participating in The Applied Reearch Group for Kids (TARGet Kids!). Families who participate in this study will be randomly assigned to one of the two study groups that will run for 6-months:

Group A: Receive 8 weeks of group parenting education sessions and up to 4 public health nurse coaching calls. Group B: Receive regular health care.

Inclusion Criteria:

Child enrolled in the The Applied Reearch Group for Kids (TARGet Kids!) cohort study Family is able to participate in English

Exclusion Criteria:

Children with a sibling already enrolled in the study Children with severe developmental delay or disability