Thailand’s Positive Parenting Community of Practice calls for parenting support that reaches every family

More than 100 representatives from government, academia, civil society and partner organizations came together in Bangkok to advance a shared goal: ensuring that parents and caregivers across Thailand can access practical, evidence-based support to help their children grow up safe, nurtured and able to thrive.

Participants explore an exhibition of parenting programmes and resources at the 2nd Thai Positive Parenting Community of Practice Conference, Bangkok, 15 October 2026. Photo credit: Peace Culture Foundation 

The World Health Organization (WHO), together with the Rajanagarindra Institute of Child Development (RICD) of the Department of Mental Health, the Peace Culture Foundation (PCF), the National Institute for Child and Family Development (NICFD) at Mahidol University, and UNICEF, co-hosted the 2nd Thai Positive Parenting Community of Practice Conference on 15 October 2026 in Bangkok.

Under the theme “Building Thailand’s Positive Parenting Support System: From Evidence to National Policy and Practice,” the conference brought together stakeholders from across sectors to explore how evidence-based parenting support can be integrated into policies, services and local systems.

Globally, up to one billion children aged 2-17 years are estimated to have experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence, or neglect each year. Available national data also show that violence continues to affect children in homes, schools and communities across Thailand.  In 2025, around 6,100 children and young people aged 0–20 reported facing violence at hospital One Stop Crisis Centres [1]. In 2022, 54% of children aged 1–14 experienced violent discipline by caregivers at home, although this represented a decline from 75% in 2015 [2].

Violence in childhood can have lifelong consequences for physical and mental health, learning, relationships and future opportunities. Supporting parents and caregivers with practical, evidence-based approaches can help strengthen family relationships, reduce harsh discipline and reduce the risk of violence.

Thailand has taken an important legal step in March 2025. The government amended Section 1567(2) of the Civil and Commercial Code which prohibits corporal and psychological punishment of children.

 

 

Speakers and partners at the opening of the 2nd Thai Positive Parenting Community of Practice Conference. From left: Dr Charnnarong Chaiudomsom, Director, Northeastern Institute of Child and Adolescent Mental Health; Dr Hathaichonnee Booncharoen, Director, and Dr Kittikul Thiamkaew, Rajanagarindra Institute of Child Development; Dr Nichapa Sawadikanon, Deputy Director-General, Department of Mental Health; Dr Olivia Nieveras, Senior Public Health Specialist, WHO Thailand; and Dr Aarti Saihjee, Chief of Education, UNICEF Thailand. Photo credit: Peace Culture Foundation

Opening the conference, Dr Nichapa Sawadikanon, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Mental Health, emphasized the importance of translating effective interventions into policies and services that improve the lives of children and families.  She reaffirmed  the Department of Mental Health’s commitment  to the well-being of children as the future of the nation, and emphasized the central role of parents and families in helping children develop and thrive. 

Dr Olivia Nieveras, Senior Public Health Specialist at WHO Thailand thanked partners and Community of Practice organizers who made this conference possible. She acknowledged the Department of Mental Health (DMH) for leading this work in Thailand, and the ongoing partnership on scaling-up evidence based parenting,  funded by the LEGO Foundation to expand support for parents and caregivers.

Moving forward, she set out three key priorities: integrating evidence-based parenting programmes toward sustainable national systems; ensuring support reaches every family according to need through multisectoral action; and strengthening monitoring and data to understand whether programmes are improving family relationships, parenting practices and children’s well-being.

Panel discussion on the case for a national parenting policy, bringing together sectors with shared responsibilities for supporting parents and children. From left: Assoc. Prof. Wimontip Musikaphan (Mahidol University); Dr Dutsadee Juengsirkulwit (Yuwaprasat Witthayayopatham Hospital); Ms Chalida Yutrawan (Department of Local Administration); Ms Patcharaporn Kridajindarung (Office of the Education Council); Dr Surat Piwsawang (Department of Health); Ms Napat Phisanbut (UNICEF Thailand); Ms Siriruk Nankaew (Department of Juvenile Observation & Protection). Photo credit: Peace Culture Foundation

The first panel discussion explored the case for a national policy on parenting support and ways to expand access so that no family is left behind. Panelists represented the key sectors involved in parenting support, including the Department of Health and the Department of Mental Health of the Ministry of Public Health, the Office of the Education Council of the Ministry of Education, the Department of Local Administration of the Ministry of Interior, and the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection of the Ministry of Justice.

Panel discussion on expanding access to parenting support. Speakers (left to right): Ms Amara Thanasupharatana (Rajanagarindra Institute of Child Development, DMH; Thai Positive Parenting (3-P) Programme); Mr Hamish Magoffin (PAM Foundation); Ms Nway Nway Oo (Mae Tao Clinic); Ms Chonlada Khamsiang (Step Ahead Foundation); Dr Amalee McCoy (Peace Culture Foundation); Ms Napat Phisanbut (UNICEF Thailand). Photo credit: Peace Culture Foundation

Community of Practice members also shared experiences from programmes designed to reach families whose circumstances may make support harder to access, including migrant and displaced families, families experiencing mental health or socioeconomic challenges, and families at risk of separation.

In the afternoon, participants worked in four groups. The first focused on parenting for violence prevention, identifying possible national commitments for consideration in connection with  the 2nd Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in November 2026. The other three explored digital and hybrid parenting support, scaling up support through local government, and improving access for families in vulnerable situations. 

Across discussions, participants identified common priorities: clearer policy direction, stronger coordination across sectors, greater use of local systems, more inclusive ways of reaching families, and better data to guide implementation and measure results.

It also comes at an important moment as Thailand established a new national Working Group on Early Childhood Parenting Policy under the Early Childhood Development Act. This creates an opportunity to connect evidence from programmes with future policy and implementation.

WHO will continue to work with the Department of Mental Health, UNICEF, the National Institute for Child and Family Development at Mahidol University, the Peace Culture Foundation and Community of Practice members to help translate evidence into policy and practice, expand access to effective parenting support, and contribute to a future in which every child in Thailand can grow up safe, nurtured and able to thrive.