PowerPoint Presentation
Digital technology and social networking: opportunities for
placing information into the hands of parents
J Green, D McCormack, D Ryan and A MichauxFRSA 2015
Acknowledge traditional owners.Becoming parents puts people on a
steep learning curve and we know that parents look for support from
families near and far, professionals, telephone help lines,
parenting programs and yes, the internet. New technologies and
social media have had a major impact on the way we communicate and
live lifeAnd people use multiple platforms to find and share the
information theyre looking for.Raising Children Network is in the
business of creating resources that are not only grounded in
evidence about what works and why but also resources that reflect
the realities of every day life.
1
What shapes parenting?Personal historyCultural backgroundFactors
from family of originExtended family supportSocial classDegree of
financial securityParenting allianceRelationship stabilityDegree of
financial securitySelf-knowledgeMotherhood, fatherhoodSole
parenthoodBeing a parent of children with special needsBeing a
parent with a learning difficulty or mental health
conditionBecoming a very young parent First-time parentsChildren
themselvesParenting is influenced by multiple and competing factors
that interact in complex ways (Shonkoff & Phillips 2000)
What shapes parenting? Well, the list is long, as you can
see.Theres ones personal history, the nature of extended family
support, being a parent with learning difficulties or mental health
problems, being a very young parent and so on. Becoming a parent
can reawaken memories of parents own experiences of nurturing,
deprivation, dependence or independence during childhood.
Relationship stability, the degree of financial security, different
levels of preparation for the challenges of parenthood all these
factors interact in very complex ways.Becoming a parent puts people
on a steep learning curve.Parents are trying their best often under
difficult circumstances.
2
What shapes childrens outcomes?Time in-uteroSole parenthood
Early years Social and cognitive Quality of the home environment
Family relationships Types of parentingPhysical, emotional,
intellectual resourcesChronic exposure to traumatic
experiencesMothers psychological adjustmentParents educationFamily
incomeTwo parent compared to single parentSocial
capitalHigh-quality early childhood programs & services
And because were talking about parenting, we cant NOT consider
what shapes children and their outcomes.
We know that factors pre-birth as well as the way children are
raised has a big impact on how they develop, on their outcomes and
their later contribution to society.Family relationships impact on
childrens social and emotional adjustment, their health and
wellbeing, even future involvement in crime and substance use.The
quality of childrens nurturing environments and the types of
parenting children receive also has a direct impact.So raising
children is big job, where there are many balls in the air, a
juggling act
3
The resource
The websiteis funded under the DSS Families and Children
Activity and has a strong emphasis is on early intervention and
prevention of problems. Everything on the site is developed through
a very rigorous process - scientific evidence is at the heart of
the content and quality check points and independent review by
experts are part of the process. This is one of the key points of
difference with other parenting websites. Being free of commercial
interests is another one.Parents tell us that they come to site
looking for reassurance, emotional support, they dont like being
told what to do, theyre wanting to feel normal, so the tone of the
website reflects those elements and leaves the decision making with
parents. The resources are designed for the range of literacies
that parents use every day text literacy, oral literacy, visual
literacy and so on.Shareability is very important. Parents download
and share articles. Last year, 78,000 pdfs were downloaded and used
in parent groups, school newsletters, playgroups, and as training
materials in the ECEC sector.Breadth of the content means
professionals who work with parents and families dont need to know
it all
4
The resource
The websiteis funded under the DSS Families and Children
Activity and has a strong emphasis is on early intervention and
prevention of problems. Everything on the site is developed through
a very rigorous process - scientific evidence is at the heart of
the content and quality check points and independent review by
experts are part of the process. This is one of the key points of
difference with other parenting websites. Being free of commercial
interests is another one.Parents tell us that they come to site
looking for reassurance, emotional support, they dont like being
told what to do, theyre wanting to feel normal, so the tone of the
website reflects those elements and leaves the decision making with
parents. The resources are designed for the range of literacies
that parents use every day text literacy, oral literacy, visual
literacy and so on.Shareability is very important. Parents download
and share articles. Last year, 78,000 pdfs were downloaded and used
in parent groups, school newsletters, playgroups, and as training
materials in the ECEC sector.Breadth of the content means
professionals who work with parents and families dont need to know
it all
5
This is a shot of RCNs homepage - you can see the range of
information across the top, and if youre using a mobile phone6
It looks like this, optimised for the small screen and a good
user experience, which is important to engagement and coming back
again and again.7
Articles
It can be through our Parenting in Pictures, information thats
big on the visual, light on the text. These are just 2 examples.
The one on the right isnt finished yet its part of some early
literacy information that were working on to help parents
strengthen childrens early language and literacy8
Articles in other languages
RCN has a small selection of translated articles on topic areas
of behavior, nutrition, play, sleep and daily care. These articles
are found throughout the site under their topic areas and are also
grouped together for easy access on one page in the Grown-up
section of the site .These articles are available as printable
translations in 6 languages each.
9
Videos
It can be through our Parenting in Pictures, information thats
big on the visual, light on the text. These are just 2 examples.
The one on the right isnt finished yet its part of some early
literacy information that were working on to help parents
strengthen childrens early language and literacy10
Videos in other languages
21 videos in 13 other languagesTopic areas include daily care,
sleep and disability.
There are videos on the site that are available in 12 languages
other than English, and in Auslan.The video translations will soon
also be available on our mobile platform.Topic areas include baby
care, information on SUDI, and disability services and support.
11
Parenting in Pictures
Parenting in Pictures were read and shared by more than 250,000
visitors over the past 12 months.
It can be through our Parenting in Pictures, information thats
big on the visual, light on the text. These are just 2 examples.
The one on the right isnt finished yet its part of some early
literacy information that were working on to help parents
strengthen childrens early language and literacy12
Different families, different needs
Im sure everyone here knows that children soak up their
surroundings, during pregnancy and from birth. Their learning and
skills accumulate due to the environments they grow up in. Its the
same for parents. Whether its for the first time, or with
subsequent children, becoming a parent sets adults off on a huge
learning journey. Parents crave reliable information. If we want to
grow parents who are confident and who doesnt want that- then it
makes sense to grow parents knowledge and skills in ways that fit
with parents. Im not talking about sugar-coating information, Im
talking about getting information out there that reflects the
realities of parenting, that parents can rely on and that helps
them make their own decisions. There are the smooth times and rough
patches so they can create the relationships and experiences that
nourish childrens development and well-being.
13
Interactive content
RCN has a small selection of translated articles on topic areas
of behavior, nutrition, play, sleep and daily care. These articles
are found throughout the site under their topic areas and are also
grouped together for easy access on one page in the Grown-up
section of the site .These articles are available as printable
translations in 6 languages each.
14
Interactive content
RCN has a small selection of translated articles on topic areas
of behavior, nutrition, play, sleep and daily care. These articles
are found throughout the site under their topic areas and are also
grouped together for easy access on one page in the Grown-up
section of the site .These articles are available as printable
translations in 6 languages each.
15
Making the content
RCN has a small selection of translated articles on topic areas
of behavior, nutrition, play, sleep and daily care. These articles
are found throughout the site under their topic areas and are also
grouped together for easy access on one page in the Grown-up
section of the site .These articles are available as printable
translations in 6 languages each.
16
The Demand
And were now seeing around 1 million visitors a month, reading
almost 2 million pages. The Baby Karaoke app has around 6000
downloads per month for both Apple and android. Around 40% of
visitors are using a mobile device phone or tablet. Its worth
mentioning that market research on mobile phone usage in homes
shows that mobiles are used in the lounge room, kitchen, bedroom,
study, bathroom, laundry and shed. I think this tells us that
people are accessing online content on their own terms.Around 40%
of the traffic is return visitors, which is an indicator of having
established a relationship with many parents so that they are
coming back again and again. Return visitors are more likely to be
on their mobiles rather than on a PC.82% of visits to the site come
via peoples arriving deep in the site after doing a keyword search
on Google or other web search engines. Theyre searching for answers
or advice on a specific issue rather than just browsing. The common
search terms are raising children, fever, tantrums, breastfeeding,
ASD, sleep, teenage behaviour, teenage communication. And the top
referral site is FB.Facebook is a very strong platform for parents
to digest information about raising childrenrather than directly
through the website. 80,000. as is Youtube.
17
What evidence is there for a growing need for information?
18
What evidence is there for a growing need for information?
19
What is the relative use of mobile vs. web platforms?Globally,
it appears that mobile traffic has surpassed fixed internet access.
- The US Mobile App Report.
20
Source: Google Data, July 2007March 2014, Indexed Search Query
Volume, United States.
Web usage in general
21
The Demand - RCNOne million visitors per month.More than 10
million people visited in the past year, reading 20 million
pages.84,000 Facebook followers.
And were now seeing around 1 million visitors a month, reading
almost 2 million pages. The Baby Karaoke app has around 6000
downloads per month for both Apple and android. Around 40% of
visitors are using a mobile device phone or tablet. Its worth
mentioning that market research on mobile phone usage in homes
shows that mobiles are used in the lounge room, kitchen, bedroom,
study, bathroom, laundry and shed. I think this tells us that
people are accessing online content on their own terms.Around 40%
of the traffic is return visitors, which is an indicator of having
established a relationship with many parents so that they are
coming back again and again. Return visitors are more likely to be
on their mobiles rather than on a PC.82% of visits to the site come
via peoples arriving deep in the site after doing a keyword search
on Google or other web search engines. Theyre searching for answers
or advice on a specific issue rather than just browsing. The common
search terms are raising children, fever, tantrums, breastfeeding,
ASD, sleep, teenage behaviour, teenage communication. And the top
referral site is FB.Facebook is a very strong platform for parents
to digest information about raising childrenrather than directly
through the website. 80,000. as is Youtube.
22
The Demand - RCN
And were now seeing around 1 million visitors a month, reading
almost 2 million pages. The Baby Karaoke app has around 6000
downloads per month for both Apple and android. Around 40% of
visitors are using a mobile device phone or tablet. Its worth
mentioning that market research on mobile phone usage in homes
shows that mobiles are used in the lounge room, kitchen, bedroom,
study, bathroom, laundry and shed. I think this tells us that
people are accessing online content on their own terms.Around 40%
of the traffic is return visitors, which is an indicator of having
established a relationship with many parents so that they are
coming back again and again. Return visitors are more likely to be
on their mobiles rather than on a PC.82% of visits to the site come
via peoples arriving deep in the site after doing a keyword search
on Google or other web search engines. Theyre searching for answers
or advice on a specific issue rather than just browsing. The common
search terms are raising children, fever, tantrums, breastfeeding,
ASD, sleep, teenage behaviour, teenage communication. And the top
referral site is FB.Facebook is a very strong platform for parents
to digest information about raising childrenrather than directly
through the website. 80,000. as is Youtube.
23
How parents consume information
24
When are users seeking this information?Most popular day:
TuesdayMost popular time of day: 9pm
TuesdayWednesdayMondayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
25
How parents find us
And were now seeing around 1 million visitors a month, reading
almost 2 million pages. The Baby Karaoke app has around 6000
downloads per month for both Apple and android. Around 40% of
visitors are using a mobile device phone or tablet. Its worth
mentioning that market research on mobile phone usage in homes
shows that mobiles are used in the lounge room, kitchen, bedroom,
study, bathroom, laundry and shed. I think this tells us that
people are accessing online content on their own terms.Around 40%
of the traffic is return visitors, which is an indicator of having
established a relationship with many parents so that they are
coming back again and again. Return visitors are more likely to be
on their mobiles rather than on a PC.82% of visits to the site come
via peoples arriving deep in the site after doing a keyword search
on Google or other web search engines. Theyre searching for answers
or advice on a specific issue rather than just browsing. The common
search terms are raising children, fever, tantrums, breastfeeding,
ASD, sleep, teenage behaviour, teenage communication. And the top
referral site is FB.Facebook is a very strong platform for parents
to digest information about raising childrenrather than directly
through the website. 80,000. as is Youtube.
26
The social story
27
The social story
28
The social storyIn October 18,000 visits to the sitecame from
Facebook and 14,591 of thosevisits were from the Facebook mobile
site.
29
The social story
30
The social story
31
The social story
32
Not just for parents
More recently, resources from the website have been used in new
and exciting ways, building the capacity of the work of others
including governments, here in Aust and internationally,
professions, researchers and educators.33
Not just for parents
More recently, resources from the website have been used in new
and exciting ways, building the capacity of the work of others
including governments, here in Aust and internationally,
professions, researchers and educators.34
Not just for parents
More recently, resources from the website have been used in new
and exciting ways, building the capacity of the work of others
including governments, here in Aust and internationally,
professions, researchers and educators.35
Not just for parents
More recently, resources from the website have been used in new
and exciting ways, building the capacity of the work of others
including governments, here in Aust and internationally,
professions, researchers and educators.36
Not just for parents
More recently, resources from the website have been used in new
and exciting ways, building the capacity of the work of others
including governments, here in Aust and internationally,
professions, researchers and educators.37
Collaborators & contributors
Collaborations are absolutely central to developing the content
for the website. Very diverse. The 2 partner organizations of PRC
and MCRI are core, as are Australian government departments with
whom we work to message parents about government initiatives that
affect families. And there are peak bodies, professional colleges,
unis, and importantly, the service sector.
38
Collaboration at work
Collaborations are absolutely central to developing the content
for the website. Very diverse. The 2 partner organizations of PRC
and MCRI are core, as are Australian government departments with
whom we work to message parents about government initiatives that
affect families. And there are peak bodies, professional colleges,
unis, and importantly, the service sector.
39
Collaboration at work
Still on video, theres some new ones in the pipeline as part of
a suite of resources on the topic of step and blended families.
Heres a preview still in progress.40
Collaboration at work
Still on video, theres some new ones in the pipeline as part of
a suite of resources on the topic of step and blended families.
Heres a preview still in progress.41
Collaboration at work
Still on video, theres some new ones in the pipeline as part of
a suite of resources on the topic of step and blended families.
Heres a preview still in progress.42
In terms of the demand as well as producing resources in
collaboration with experts, ASD related content is one of the
busiest parts of the website and I know that many families your
services work with need good information about ASD. Its always in
the top 10 pages. In a re-design last year, we gave it its own area
to help people locate the resources more easily.43
Approx. 320 downloads per month. 1200 Since June 2015.
Supporting fathersSupporting sole parentsGrown and learn
togetherNDIS explained for families
Collaboration at work
Still on video, theres some new ones in the pipeline as part of
a suite of resources on the topic of step and blended families.
Heres a preview still in progress.45
Connecting parents with their community
My Neighbourhood - DandenongConnecting parents with community
support, close to home or wherever they are.Breadth of RCN content
means professionals who work with parents and families dont need to
know it all Can make easier for services to refer
46
Jump aboard
Ill finish by saying that the potential for the website to be
used by those who work with families is huge.Certainly, mobiles
offer a lot of potential for use in practice.Theres always new
resources in development.Finish with an invitation to you to jump
aboard.Thank you47
