Jamaica's parents must be taught how to be good parents if the country is to effectively eradicate the problem of crime and violence.

This was the consensus at a conference on parenting as a safety and security issue, held at the Hilton Kingston hotel in New Kingston, yesterday.

Assistant Commissioner of Police John McLean, head of the Community Safety and Security Branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, said there was a strong correlation between the way children are raised and the problems of society.

Hereditary training

Dr Marigold Thorburn, head of Parenting Partners Caribbean, echoed McLean's sentiments. She said it was critical that every Jamaican parent be provided with effective training and support.

"Most parents do not get any training to be parents. They pick up what skills they have from how they were treated as children," Thorburn argued.

"If the parent's child-rearing skills were faulty, so will be the next generation."

She added: "This is why we've had an expanding cycle of crime ever since we became independent."

Thorburn said the country must break that cycle now by having parenting training wherever parents gather, including bars, so that they can access support when they have problems.

Mou signed

Thorburn said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was recently signed between the Early Childhood Commission and the National Council on Technical Vocational Education and Training to allow for the certification of persons interested in teaching parenting skills.

Another MoU was signed with the University of the West Indies, which will deliver parenting facilitator training in most countries in the Caribbean.

"We cannot go on castigating and punishing parents for things of which they are ignorant, so we really must provide a more supportive and helpful atmosphere for them," said Thorburn.