Program for Expectant and New Parent Couples with Groundbreaking Results Now Available in Washington State Through Parent Trust

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Becoming Parents Program, Inc., a Seattle-based program developer, and Parent Trust for Washington Children, a nonprofit family support agency, today announced that the Becoming Parents Program will be available to expectant and new parent couples in Washington state through Parent Trust beginning in April 2011.

“With a unique and effective focus on the couple relationship during new parenthood, the knowledge and skills couples gain last a lifetime.”

The Becoming Parents Program equips couples transitioning to parenthood with skills, information, and support for thriving relationships and the best parenthood experience possible. The program is part of the Building Strong Families national research project. It is the core component of the only site reporting statistically significant results, including increased father involvement and a reduction of post-partum depression.

“Becoming Parents is one of the most rigorously evaluated evidence-based programs for strengthening families in the country,” said Linda McDaniels, associate director of Parent Trust for Washington Children. “With a unique and effective focus on the couple relationship during new parenthood, the knowledge and skills couples gain last a lifetime.”

Parent Trust will offer the 18-hour Becoming Parents Program workshop series in Seattle, Lynnwood and Bellevue beginning in April 2011. The fee for the six-weekend or nine-week evening series is $380 per couple and includes all materials. Registration and details are available now at Parent Trust or by calling 206-789-0883.

Based on 30 years of research on the transition to parenthood, with an emphasis on fatherhood, the Becoming Parents Program was developed by University of Washington professor and nurse researcher Pamela Jordan, Ph.D., RN. It has been implemented with thousands of parenting couples worldwide and is the core component of Oklahoma’s Family Expectations program, which recently reported significant positive impact in the Building Strong Families Project national study.

About Becoming Parents Program^TM, Inc.

Seattle-based Becoming Parents Program, Inc. is a private organization committed to translating promising research into practical tools to strengthen the health and stability of families.

About Parent Trust

Established in 1978, Parent Trust for Washington Children was the first family support agency in the State of Washington. Each year, Parent Trust helps 18,000 children, parents and caregivers by providing parenting education and family support services.