A Parenting Competency Model

SYNOPSIS Decades of research show a significant link between parenting quality and outcomes in children. Whereas many professional caregiving groups are developing competency models for training and evaluation purposes, formation of a parenting competency model has been hindered by a lack of universally accepted standards for and the complexity of parental functioning. This article advances a consensus on the dimensions of effective childrearing and assembles a model of parenting competency based on empirically supported beneficial parenting practices and attributes from multiple psychological and health disciplines. Formed using existing professional competency development guidelines, and based on an interactive, cross-disciplinary, contextual conceptualization of competent parenting, the proposed model consists of three foundational and five functional core competencies of parenting along with subcompetencies which operationalize them. Recognizing that different levels of competency exist, preliminary benchmarks for adequate and preferred function within competency areas are also offered along with behavioral anchor examples. The model's design allows for integration of cultural and contextual variables that impact child outcomes. The proposed multi-level, cross-disciplinary, contextual model may begin a discussion of what comprehensive competent parenting comprises. The proposed model's integrated structure may also serve as a framework for continued refinement of elements of competent parenting, and how they interact and are affected by context and culture, as well as facilitating targeted and comprehensive preventive and therapeutic interventions.