ECC expands positive-parenting support through Irie Homes Toolbox

October 1, 2026 - 13:02

The Early Childhood Commission has trained a group of officers to deliver the Irie Homes Toolbox, a parenting programme built to encourage positive, non-violent child-rearing practices in communities throughout Jamaica. The training took place during a five-day workshop held from September 14 to 18. The Commission carried out the session alongside UNICEF Jamaica and Professor Helen Baker-Henningham and her team from the Caribbean Institute for Health Research at The University of the West Indies.

The Irie Homes Toolbox is aimed at giving parents and caregivers practical methods for guiding children without violence. Officers who completed the workshop are now expected to pass on these methods in the communities they serve. The approach focuses on building strong relationships between adults and children, setting clear expectations, and using discipline that supports healthy development rather than fear or physical punishment.

The collaboration brings together national and international partners with local research expertise. UNICEF Jamaica provided support for the effort, while the CAIHR team contributed its longstanding work on child development and parenting interventions in the region. By training officers to lead the programme, the Commission hopes to widen access to support that helps families create safer, more nurturing homes. The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen early childhood outcomes and reduce violence in Jamaican communities.