Dr Elliston Rahming, Superintendent of Prisons speaks at the launch of the Ministry of Labour and Social Development’s Department of Rehabilitative Welfare Services’ National Training Program at Her Majesty’s Prisons on Thursday. (BIS photo/Letisha Henderson)

NASSAU , The Bahamas - The Ministry of Labour and Social Development’s Department of Rehabilitative Welfare Services’ launched its parenting classes for inmates at Her Majesty’s Prisons on Thursday.

The training at the Prison introduces the Department’s National Parenting Program, which is being expanded to the Family Islands .

Elliston Rahming, Superintendent of Prisons said the expanded program could not have come at a better time because most social ills plaguing the country have some connection to parenting or the lack thereof.

Close to 50 per cent of the inmates are parents so the classes should provide them with “a greater appreciation/understanding of what it means to parent”, Mr Rahming said.

Cheryl Carroll, National Parenting Coordinator talks about the purpose of holding parenting classes for inmates at Her Majesty’s Prisons on Thursday. (BIS photo/Letisha Henderson)

Cheryl Carroll, National Parenting Program Coordinator said the purpose for providing the classes for inmates is to relay information that will enhance their parenting skills so they could have stronger families which will also result in better communities.

Some of the issues to be discussed include: communication; how to handle anger and conflict in families; how fathers make a difference and their importance to the development of children and alternative methods of discipline, which does not necessarily mean punishment.

The inmates will also learn about stress management, how to govern finances and how to learn to forgive.

Mrs Carroll said it is information that will definitely benefit the inmates.

“We tell parents in the parenting program it is not so much that you have been a bad parent but we want to be better parents,” she said. “We come together; it is you learning from me and me learning from you.”

Marva Russell-Minns, Deputy Director, Department of Rehabilitative Welfare Services talks about the parenting classes and how it has expanded to other islands. (BIS photo/Letisha Henderson)

At the end of five weeks, the inmates will be given certificates of participation.

Marva Russell-Minns, Deputy Director, Department of Rehabilitative Welfare Services said the parenting program has survived the past 15 years because there has been a definite need to assist parents in training their children.

Parents also need to learn different ways to interact with their children, she added.

The participants in the program are referred mainly by the courts and social workers, however, just recently a few participants have enrolled voluntarily, Mrs Russell-Minns explained.

“The Department recognises that parents face many challenges, due to the various social ills and as a result, we believe that parenting training must be continuous if we are to have a positive effect on our future generations.”

The program has been expanded to other islands, she noted.

“Social workers in Grand Bahama facilitate a pre-parenting program in the high schools and a few weeks ago, social workers from three of the Family Island were brought to New Providence to be trained in facilitating parenting groups.”