FCSS offers the “Triple P” – Positive Parenting Program

Posted on October 22, 2026 by Sunny South News

By Heather Cameron
Sunny South News

One of the programs that Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) offers is the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program.

Petra DeBow, manager at Family and Community Support Services and the South-Central Family Resources Network Hub, explained that the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program is a flexible parenting program for parents and caregivers of children and youth.

The purpose of Triple P is to give parents and caregivers practical, evidence-based strategies to build strong relationships with their children, encourage positive behaviour, manage challenging behaviours and support children’s emotional and social development.

“Triple P is not about telling parents how to raise their children,” explained DeBow. “It is a toolbox of strategies that parents can choose from based on their family’s needs, values and circumstances. The goal is to increase parents’ confidence and skills so they feel better equipped to handle everyday parenting challenges.”

Parents and caregivers are the focus of the program, with trained and accredited Triple P practitioners providing the information, strategies, encouragement and support.

DeBow continued to say that topics within the program may include Understanding children, development and behaviour, Building positive relationships and quality time, Encouraging behaviours parents want to see more often, Setting clear expectations, rules and routines, Managing challenging behaviours in positive and consistent ways, Helping children develop emotional regulation and coping skills, Supporting children’s confidence and independence, Managing common parenting challenges, Developing practical strategies that parents can use at home, Triple P uses practical activities, discussion, examples, tip sheets and opportunities to try strategies between sessions. 

“Families are encouraged to identify their own goals and choose strategies that fit their circumstances.”

There is no cost to participate in Triple P opportunities, and families who are interested in participating can contact the FCSS office (403-795-3328) or visit https://fcss.ca/parenting/ to learn about upcoming Triple P opportunities or to discuss which level or format may best meet their needs. 

Originally, DeBow mentioned, Triple P was developed in Australia through the University of Queensland’s Parenting and Family Support Centre and has grown into an internationally recognized, evidence- based parenting system. The program was developed with the goal of giving parents practical skills and support while preventing and addressing behavioural and emotional difficulties in children.

The Alberta Government, Debow noted, chose to invest in Triple P because of its extensive research base and evidence supporting its effectiveness, and began implementing Triple P through Parent Link Centres in 2007, with the program selected as an evidence-based approach to strengthen parents’ knowledge, skills and confidence and support positive relationships between parents and children.  More information about the program can be found at TripleP-Parenting.ca.

Triple P has received a strong response from families and is one of the most extensively researched parenting programs in the world, and reports more than 870 international trials, studies and published papers, including more than 200 randomized controlled trials.

“We also see positive outcomes in our own work with families,” added DeBow. “Parents often report increased confidence, improved understanding of their child’s behaviour, stronger parent-child relationships and greater ability to respond to challenging situations in a calm and consistent way. Children do not come with a handbook, and parenting can be hard. Every child is different, and what works for one family may not work for another.”

“Triple P gives parents practical tools and information at a time when they can make a meaningful difference, and understanding child development, attachment, brain development and emotional regulation can help parents adjust their expectations and respond to their children in ways that support healthy development. The early years provide important windows of opportunity for building secure relationships, developing emotional regulation, learning new skills and establishing positive patterns that can support children as they grow.”

Triple P is practical, flexible and non-judgmental, and parents do not have to feel that something is ‘wrong’ with their parenting or their child to participate. 

“The program can be used to strengthen skills, prevent concerns from becoming bigger challenges, or provide support when families are already experiencing difficulties,” said DeBow. “Parents can focus on the issues that are most important to them and learn strategies they can begin using right away. Triple P is also available at different levels of intensity, allowing families to receive the amount of support that fits their needs.”

Triple P is valued by FCSS because it combines strong research with practical strategies that families can actually use in their everyday lives. 

“We particularly appreciate that the program recognizes parents as the experts on their own families,” said DeBow. “From our experience, some of the most meaningful changes happen when parents begin to understand the reasons behind their child’s behaviour and feel more confident in how they respond.”

Rather than providing a one-size-fits-all approach, Triple P gives parents a range of tools and helps them determine which strategies work best for their family.

Triple P can be used universally to strengthen parenting knowledge and confidence, or more specifically when a family is experiencing particular challenges, but it does meet families where they are and the support therein does not need to wait until a family is in crisis. For rural families, DeBow stressed, having access to free, local parenting support is especially important. Families should not have to travel long distances to access practical parenting.

“Offering Triple P across our communities allows us to bring evidence-based parenting resources closer to families and provide support before challenges become more difficult,” said DeBow. “Ultimately, Triple P is about helping parents feel more confident, strengthening relationships and giving children the opportunity to develop in safe, supportive and nurturing environments.”