EVERYONE NEEDS A PAL

The Parenting Assistance Line is here to help By Paige Townley

If there’s anything that all parents would agree on, it’s that parenting is hard. It doesn’t come with a handbook, though most would say it would be incredibly helpful.

The stress of the school year doesn’t help. And whether you have a new job, have lost a job, your child is starting a new school, new activity, or maybe even your family structure has changed, stress has its way of slipping in.

There are many, however, that are doing what they can to help ease the difficulty where possible, in particular the Child Development Resources at the University of Alabama’s College of Human Environmental Sciences. Knowing that all parents need some sort of help or guidance at some point or another, they established the Parenting Assistance Line (PAL).

Founded in March 2007, PAL is a free, confidential statewide phone line that parents can call, whether it be when trying to manage a difficult problem or simply to find some resources on a particular topic.

“The concept behind it was to simply provide an outlet that parents could utilize for assistance, such as access information about children’s development, to talk with someone about any concerns they may have regarding their child, or to get resources and referral information for things that may be available to them in their community,” explains April Kendrick, Ph.D., ECMH-E child development resources director. “There’s a wide range of things we try to provide for parents.”

The help, however, is available to well beyond just parents. It’s for grandparents, relatives, friends, neighbors, and other caregivers as well – anyone who may need a few more tools and resources to be more confident and successful caregivers. “We know parenting is tough, and we could all use some support,” Kendrick says. “This is a way we try to provide information to families that they might be looking for.”

Since PAL began 15 years ago, the team has answered almost 15,000 calls, but the idea has continued to evolve as technology has. Eventually, a website was added to the mix, allowing anyone to search the website for information. Last year, PAL added a subscription text service thanks to a partnership with Bright By Text and grand funds from the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention and Department of Human Resources.

The text platform, which is available in both English and Spanish, allows for PAL to provide information to a parent or caregivers specifically related to their child’s age. It also allows PAL to share information related to events going on in the recipient’s community that they may want to know about. “We usually send out two or three texts a week,” Kendrick says. “We try not to bombard parents with too much information.” Content may be developmentally appropriate information about what their child may be experiencing, ideas for activities they could engage in, or it could be something related to a free event coming up.”

A bonus for parents or caregivers utilizing the text platform is that they will not only receive helpful information they may not see otherwise, but it’s being screened by knowledgeable childhood advocates. “The information you get through this service is evidence based and from people who are reputable and known in the early childhood field for being advocates,” Kendrick says. “Anyone can get overwhelmed when searching for something online and trying to sort through the hundreds of thousands of hits, and it’s hard to know what to trust. Besides working with a trusted organization, we have degreed specialists working on this on our end. We strive to be a place that families can turn to and trust, not just for crisis but in seeking to improve their parenting.”

An element of the platform that Kendrick particularly appreciates is that they can personalize the message based on the recipient’s area. Texts can be personalized to the point that messages can be sent as specific as by county or region, which can help connect parents to their local community through various events. “It’s important to us to connect families to their communities, and one way to do that is making sure they know what is Growing Independence Behavioral Services going on in their local community,” she says. CLINIC LOCATIONS

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Parents can simply sign up for the text service, which is a free subscription (other than charges that may be incurred through their cellular provider for receiving texts and using data). “We’re really excited about this offering and how it can help us help parents and caregivers by providing them with information that is sound,” Kendrick says. “It’s another way that we are working to be an all-around resource that families can turn to.” Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) assessment and treatment for preschool and school-aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Paige Townley is a Birmingham freelance writer. • Licensed Behavior Analysts

Growing Independence • Private pay patients accepted and many health insurance plans. growingindependence@learning-tree.org

Behavioral ServicesGrowing Independence

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CLINIC LOCATIONS

Birmingham • Anniston • Montgomery • Mobile CLINIC LOCATIONS Birmingham • Anniston • Montgomery • Mobile

(334) 252-0025 www.learning-tree.org

Information ranges from calls looking for some guidance on typical parenting issues such as potty training, sleeping, or feeding issues, or it could be more serious such as help on the topics like bullying and behavioral disorders. “That’s the purpose of a warm line like PAL,” Kendrick adds.

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