title: What works to engage young parents into services? Findings from an appreciative inquiry workshop.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lack of engagement in parenting support programs by young parents has been identified previously in the literature. This paper reports an innovative strategy utilizing appreciative inquiry (AI) to involve service providers and young parents in identifying strategies to engage young parents in services and programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A one-day workshop was held involving service/program staff and young mothers in three phases of AI: discovery, dreaming, and delivery. A variety of activities were used to gather data from participants: Small group discussion, creative 'art work' development, and notes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results identified strategies that would promote and sustain young parents' engagement in services/programs, such as supportive non-judgmental attitude of staff, having a 'one stop shop' for services, and meeting childcare and educational needs of parents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Through AI, factors were identified that promote and sustain engagement of young parents into parenting support programs, and the need to engage fathers was also recognized.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, Australia.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schmied
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dahlen
authors.forename: Wies
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shuiringa
authors.forename: Margaret E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hudson
mesh_terms: D004493:Education; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*