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.

Expecting a baby or welcoming a new child into your family is an exciting time that can be filled with joy as you embark on this journey. It may also be a time filled with some anxiety or uncertainty. You may be juggling many competing priorities that involve meeting the demands of military life, as well as working and taking care of toddlers or other children, while also trying to take care of yourself.

The New Parent Support Program — which offers parenting education and support — can help you navigate this transition and find a balance between competing life demands and welcoming your new child successfully. It is a free, voluntary program staffed with home visitation professionals that is designed to help families thrive.

NPSP helps military parents and caregivers provide a nurturing environment for their children. Parenthood is like any other job and has its challenges — there’s a lot of learning at first, regardless of whether this is your first child or your fourth. The more support and guidance you receive, the more confident you are likely to feel in carrying out the important role you have as a parent and caregiver.

The program offers support and guidance by helping parents:

• Build strong, healthy bonds with their infants and toddlers, which will lay the foundation for their social and emotional development.
• Manage the demands of parenting, especially when they are impacted by deployments and the many other challenges military life can bring.
• Remain flexible and responsive when navigating daily life or balancing the needs of more than one child.
• Build a strong support network through connections to other parents and local resources.
• Respond to infant and toddler behavior sensitively and be attuned to their developmental needs.
• Find services in their community when they need them.

For more information, you can stop by the FFSC or call 850-230-7300.