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The Interaction of Members, Volunteers and Professionals in the Self Help Group: Parents Anonymous, Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2024

Diana S. Taylor
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This paper traces the development of Parents Anonymous in Australia. It was found that it was not possible to simply transfer the American system into the Australian context.

The major feature of the Australian PA is the highly successful telephone and home visiting service. In contrast, the groups have been successful for only short periods and in only few cases.

The reasons for these differences are described with reference to

(i) the wider social context of both government and public awareness of child abuse.

(ii) the changing nature of the interaction between professionals and members, and the need to distinguish between “deprofessionalisation” and “laissez-faire”.

(iii) the changing nature of the distinction between volunteers and members and the developing awareness of the symbiotic nature of giving and receiving help.

Type
Research Article
Information
Children Australia , Volume 4 , Issue 1 , March 1979 , pp. 16 - 19
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

References

Dawe, K. E., Maltreated Children at Home and Overseas Aust. Paediat. J. 9, 177–184 (1973)Google ScholarPubMed
Liddell, M., Parents Anonymous — Self-help for Child Abuses — Interview with Max Liddell Australian Child and Family Welfare 1 (2), 17–26(1976)Google Scholar
Report of Child Maltreatment Workshop, Victorian Government Printer, Melbourne, 1976 Google Scholar
Royal Commission on Human Relationships, Final Report, Vol. 4 Australian Government Printer Service, Canberra, 1977.Google Scholar
Taylor, D. S., An Evaluation of Self-help Groups with particular reference to Parents Anonymous Proceedings of Conference: Women's Health in a Changing Society Australian Department of Health, 1975 Google Scholar