Paso a Paso (Step by Step) is a unique program from Providence that offers free health education, available in Spanish, to the Latino community in Humboldt county. The team's offerings include childbirth education, breast feeding support, home visits, resource referrals, support groups, and parenting classes.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the caregivers in this program have gone above and beyond to find ways to continue offering their services in safe ways, including holding classes virtually and doing e-visits with families. This Spring, Paso a Paso offered a new parenting education class called Attachment Vitamins, which they were able to offer completely remotely.
Attachment Vitamins provides support and resources to parents
Attachment Vitamins an evidence-informed parenting education program geared toward families with children 5 years or younger and was developed by the University of California, San Francisco's Child Trauma Research Program. It provides parents and caregivers with information about child development, including early emotional development, the impacts of stress and trauma, and more. This can help parents better understand their children’s needs and respond sensitively to challenging behaviors as well as strengthen the parent-child relationship.
Over the course of 10 weeks, families met via Zoom for group activities led by Paso a Paso caregivers. Participants have the opportunity to learn create, and practice strategies in areas including emotional awareness, monitoring, and regulation, mindfulness, and reflection. Parents and caregivers also were able to share about their own experiences with child-rearing, family dynamics, and building relationships with their children within this safe space.
Thanks to the Attachment Vitamins curriculum, parents were able to expand their knowledge on:
- The ways infants and toddlers communicate their need for connection
- The ways in which parents serve as a safe and secure base for their children
- The four normative developmental fears in young children
- The ways to help parents partner with their children when there are different agendas
- The impact of toxic stress and trauma on parenting practice and child development
- The importance of connection moments
A local family at a recent Paso a Paso event.
Parents and caregivers praise Paso a Paso's latest offering
The Attachment Vitamins program was very well received by the families that participated. Parents and caregivers shared feedback detailing the impact the classes had on them.
“These classes were good because we learned how to help our children and ourselves. And how to have the communication with our children that we did not have when we were growing up.”
“Thanks for these classes and giving me the opportunity to get to know myself better and learn about my children’s development.”
“The classes were excellent! They helped me to pay attention to the special moments with my children each week. It helped me to stop a little while in my busy day and look for those special attachment moments with your kids.”
“It was interesting! Especially to communicate with others and to know that we are not alone.”
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About Paso a Paso
Paso a Paso is a Community Health Investment Program of St. Joseph and Redwood Memorial Hospital in Humboldt County, CA. To learn more or to contact us, please visit our website.
Related resources
Providence programs bring health disparities to light during Minority Health Month
Paso a Paso: Free health education supporting our Latino community
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