New Parent Support Program

The New Parent Support Program is a team made up of nurses, social workers and home visitation specialists who offer support and guidance by helping parents:

• Build strong, healthy bonds with their infants and toddlers that will lay the foundation for their social and emotional development
• Manage the demands of parenting, especially when impacted by deployments and other military operations
• Remain flexible and responsive when navigating daily life
• Build a strong support network
• Respond to infant and toddler behavior sensitively and be attuned to their developmental needs
• Find services in the local community in time of need

Learn more about the New Parent Support Program and contact your installation New Parent Support Program office to find out what’s available at your installation.

New Parent Support Program staff are child development professionals, including registered nurses, clinical social workers, and para-professionals trained in the delivery and practice of established home visiting models. The program is supervised and monitored at the installation level by the Family Advocacy program manager.

The program is available to military families who are expecting a baby or have children age 3 or younger. Marine Corps eligibility includes families with at least one child under 5.

Contact your installation New Parent Support Program office or Family Advocacy Program office.

What is offered?

Service members and their families are put in uniquely stressful situations, which may include lengthy deployments and frequent moves, often with limited support. Add the normal anxieties of pregnancy and a new baby, and the stress can be overwhelming.

The New Parent Support Program (NPSP) is a free service that helps military parents, including expectant parents, transition successfully into parenthood and provide a nurturing environment for their children. Services vary, but may include home visits, parenting classes, playgroups or prenatal classes.

The NPSP is in place to help service members and their spouses adjust to the rigorous demands of parenthood. It is designed to promote healthy family functioning, child development and positive parent-child interactions. Home visitation is a key component of the program and is designed to help parents:

• Build strong, healthy bonds with their infants and toddlers that will lay the foundation for their social and emotional development
• Manage the demands of parenting, especially when impacted by deployments and other military operations
• Remain flexible and responsive when navigating daily life
• Build a strong support network
• Respond to infant and toddler behavior sensitively and be attuned to their developmental needs
• Find services in the local community in time of need

The Rota FFSC has one NPSP home visitor who provides services and support to eligible families. The NPSP conducts outreach events and classes are held to support the needs of new parents. Examples of classes provided include Daddy Boot Camp for new dads and Baby Led Weaning/Making Your Own Baby Food. Other classes and training topics are provided as needed or requested. For more information about the FFSC's NPSP, call DSN 727-3232 or 956-82-3232.