PriCARE Parenting Program

Many children between the ages of 2 and 6 have difficult or challenging behaviors, such as tantrums. And while these behaviors are normal for children in this age range, they can be frustrating and difficult for caregivers to deal with.

The PriCARE Parenting Program can help. PriCARE is a free, six-week group training program for caregivers that helps to improve children’s behaviors and strengthen the caregiver-child relationship. Most caregivers who attend PriCARE notice an improvement in their children’s behaviors; many of them also report a decrease in their own personal stress.

A group for Spanish-speaking caregivers, Cariño, is also offered en Español.

How It Works

  • PriCARE groups meet once a week for six weeks in a row.
  • Each PriCARE group includes four to nine caregivers and is led by two trainers.
  • The six sessions are held virtually and may be offered in person in the near future.
  • The trainers use fun activities to teach participants skills to increase their children’s positive behaviors and reduce difficult behaviors.
  • The trainers cover a different topic at each class session:
    • Connecting with your child through play
    • Skills in parenting: the 3 Ps of PriCARE
    • Understanding and managing stress
    • How to ignore effectively
    • Giving good commands
    • Effective behavior management skills

You will be encouraged to practice the skills at home with your child in between sessions.

Who Can Participate

The PriCARE Parenting Program is currently only being offered to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) families as part of a research study. For more information about the study and to determine your eligibility, please contact us at 267-318-1707.

The children do not attend the sessions with the caregivers. Children are welcome to participate in the on-site childcare option during in-person sessions.

Acerca de Cariño

Cariño es un grupo de cuidadores de habla hispana que se reune durante seis semanas para trabajar en mejorar el comportamiento de los niños y fortalecer la relación entre el niño y la persona que lo cuida. 

Times and Locations

PriCARE classes are held virtually and may be offered in person in the near future at the following sites:

Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pediatric Care Center
4865 Market St.
Philadelphia, PA 19139

CHOP Primary Care, South Philadelphia
1700 S. Broad St., Unit 301
Philadelphia, PA 19145

CHOP Primary Care, Cobbs Creek
225 Cobbs Creek Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19139

Evening sessions are available. We will do our best to find a group that fits with your schedule.

New groups start every six to eight weeks. 

At each in-person session, we provide food and SEPTA tokens. Free childcare is also available for children ages 2-10.

Attendance policy

It is important that you do your best to attend every session because each session builds off skills learned the week before. Please note that if two sessions in a row are missed, you can no longer participate in your assigned group because we want to help make sure that you get the most out of your PriCARE participation. If your assigned group schedule no longer works for you, please let us know and we will do our best to reschedule you for another group.

Testimonials from participating caregivers

In a survey of previous participants, 90% of caregivers reported an improvement in their relationship with a child as a result and 80% reported that their child's major behavior problem improved.

She changed a lot, not just at home but as well as in school…her behavior is much better. She’s more calm and relaxed…she does better [in school] than she did before.

 

The trainers were awesome. They were really knowledgeable, but also kind and understanding…It was nice to feel like you were in a safe space where you weren’t going to be judged.

Contact us

If you would like more information about PriCARE, call or text us at 267-318-1707 or email us at pricare@chop.edu.


Next Steps