Triple P | Overview

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Triple P Programme

The roll out of the Triple P Positive Parenting Program, in four regions in Aotearoa, New Zealand, is a cross-government initiative, led by the Ministry of Health. Programme delivery commenced in 2011 with the aim to increase early intervention support for families who find their children’s behaviour difficult or who have concerns about their development. 

It is well documented that prevention and early intervention is crucial to deterring the development of serious child and/or family problems, and the primary care sector is well positioned to respond either by providing support to parents or referring to appropriate supports. The most effective supports to these issues are evidence-based, family behaviour support interventions. The Triple P interventions being offered in the primary care sector and the more intensive parenting supports such as Incredible Years, made available by the Ministry of Education in the same four regions, work together to form the foundations of the inter-agency, inter-sector response to early childhood behaviour difficulties.

Outputs include:

  1. Training primary care / community providers in Primary Care Triple P and Triple P Discussion Groups
  2. The delivery of an awareness campaign 
  3. Reaching families of children aged 3- to 8- years. 
  4. Specialist support service for parents needing further support when doing the Incredible Years group programme
  5. Research into a culturally adapted version of Triple P Discussion Groups

This initiative has been recognised as a model of cross-government, inter-agency work, addressing determinants of health (Bollinger, 2018).

THE PROGRAMMES

Whāraurau provides the coordination of a Ministry of Health funded roll out of three levels of the Triple P system, in four District Health Board regions: Counties Manukau; Waitemata; Mid-Central; and Bay of Plenty. Primary Care / community providers are trained and supported to deliver:

Level 1: Universal Triple P/Stay Positive

A communications strategy aiming to normalise parenting stress, destigmatise getting help, and linking parents with available support. The strategy includes a website, parent magazines, brochures, flyers, and posters. A further aim is to promote messages in these resources with local stories in newspaper and radio, etc. 

Level 3: Primary Care Triple P (0-12)

Approximately four, one-to-one sessions, where a practitioner meets with parents to work on a specific developmental concern or behaviour challenge.

Level 3: Triple P Discussion Groups (0-12)

Standalone, two-hour workshops on a specific problem

  • Dealing with Disobedience
  • Developing Good Bedtime Routines
  • Managing Fighting and Aggression
  • Hassle-free Shopping with Children

Level 4: Triple P Online (0-12)

An eight module, Level 4 programme, that parents do from the comfort of their own home.


These are just some of the Triple P programmes in a whole suite of evidence-based family interventions designed to meet the needs of families who have concerns about their children’s development and/or behaviour. There are five levels of Triple P varying in length and intensity. Parents and caregivers access this information in different ways: through small groups, in one-to-one meetings, and online modules for self-directed learning. For training in regions other than these regions or for training in other Triple P programmes please contact Triple P New Zealand. Triple P New Zealand hold the licence to conduct the trainings in New Zealand. All trainings (including those in this initiative) are delivered by accredited Triple P Trainers. 

For further information on the Triple P, multi-level system please click here.

TRIPLE P PEOPLE

Triple P coordination treeTe Whatu Ora contracts Lead Primary Care Provider (LPCP) organisations to deliver Primary Care Triple P and Triple P Discussion Groups to families and to engage and support primary care organisations to deliver the programmes to families in their communities. 

The four regions contacts are:

Region Role

Contact

Waitematā

Contact: Whāraurau

Rachel Williamson-Dean: [email protected]

Counties Manukau

Lead Provider: Freshminds by Procare

Maria Mokofisi: [email protected]

Bay of Plenty

Lead Provider: Kaitiaki Nursing Service

Ardell Unsworth: [email protected]

Mid Central

Lead Provider: ACROSS

Prue Savill: [email protected]

National National Coordination: Whāraurau Rachel Williamson-Dean: [email protected]
National Training: Triple P New Zealand [email protected]

 

  • Whāraurau provides national coordination for the initiative. 
  • Triple P New Zealand delivers the training and clinical support to practitioners. 
  • The Parenting Research Group at the University of Auckland with Ngāti Hine Health Trust examined the acceptability of Triple P Discussion Groups for Māori.